Visiting Peru in August

The last of the peak season months for a holiday in Peru, August brings more sunny, dry weather with cool clear mornings and evenings throughout the Andes, including at Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, as well as Lake Titicaca. It’s still pleasantly warm for trekking during the day, although if you’re doing one of the longer hikes – such as the Inca Trail, the Lares Trek and Salkantay Trek – you’ll need to prepare for cold nights.

There are other options if you’re looking for warmer (or shorter) ways to enjoy the scenery, including a one-day hike, a day trip from Cusco to the Humantay glacial lake on the Salkantay route, plus the hike to Vinicunca for the array of colours in Rainbow Mountain. For something more active, try mountain biking, rafting and ziplining, or a more relaxed option exploring the Sacred Valley and the Lost City of the Incas by train or car.

For quieter routes, you could also head north of Lima to Huascarán National Park, the world’s highest tropical mountain range, or continue even further to Kuelap, dubbed the Machu Picchu of the north, which pre-dates the Inca Empire by centuries.

Discover more spectacular scenery at Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest lake, under the blue skies of winter. Once you’ve finished exploring on an island-hopping trip, warm up at Arequipa, where it’s a pleasant 24C during the daytime. It’s still possible to combine this with trips to the Colca Canyon to spot condors and the Nazca Lines for a bird’s eye view of the archaeological site, although both will be cold in the mornings, the best time for a visit.

And it’s always warm in the Amazon rainforest, with great weather to explore the Tambopata National Reserve – temperatures rarely drop below 20C, but it’s the middle of the dry season, so there’s less rain at this time of year, and the trails are at their most accessible.

Festivals: Andean New Year is celebrated on August 1, honouring Mother Earth, or Pachamama, with gifts and yellow confetti decorating homes and businesses – takes place throughout the Andes.

There’s a public holiday on August 30 for the Feast of Santa Rosa de Lima, the capital’s patron saint, including a procession to Lima cathedral

Best for: Visiting Inca sites, trekking and hiking, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon

January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December

Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Coastal	● 26°C ☀️	● 27°C ☀️	● 27°C ☀️	● 24°C 🌤️	● 22°C 🌤️	● 20°C 🌥️	● 19°C 🌥️	● 19°C 🌥️	● 20°C 🌤️	● 21°C 🌤️	● 23°C ☀️	● 25°C ☀️
Machu Picchu	● 17°C 🌧️	● 17°C 🌧️	● 18°C 🌧️	● 18°C 🌦️	● 17°C ☀️	● 16°C ☀️	● 16°C ☀️	● 17°C ☀️	● 18°C 🌦️	● 19°C 🌦️	● 18°C 🌧️	● 17°C 🌧️
Amazon	● 28°C 🌧️	● 28°C 🌧️	● 28°C 🌧️	● 27°C 🌦️	● 27°C ☀️	● 26°C ☀️	● 26°C ☀️	● 27°C ☀️	● 28°C 🌦️	● 28°C 🌦️	● 28°C 🌧️	● 28°C 🌧️

Legend:
● Good weather
● Average weather
● Poor weather