Visiting Peru in July

It’s another busy month at some of Peru’s most popular destinations, including the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca, with some of the best weather to explore. It’s midwinter in the southern hemisphere so be prepared to wrap up warmer at altitude, and you may even find snowfall in the Andes if you’re venturing higher into the mountains. But the conditions are still good for trekking, whether you’re planning to tackle the Inca Trail (which you’ll need to book well ahead for) or an easier one-day hike. There are other routes to try as well, including the Lares Trek and Salkantay Trek, plus the dramatic colours of Rainbow Mountain, as Vinicunca is known, although these will also be busier during peak season. To get your heart racing, swap walking for mountain biking, rafting and ziplining, or you can stick to day trips for a taste of the spectacular peaks, including a day trip from Cusco to the Humantay glacial lake, as well as exploring the Sacred Valley and the Lost City of the Incas by train or car.

Lake Titicaca can get positively chilly this month with winter in full force, but there are dry, clear days and blue skies to make the most of the scenery at the world’s highest lake – an island-hopping trip is a great way to discover more about life here, while also seeing some of the highlights. The Colca Canyon can also get very cold in the early mornings, the best time see condors, but it’s well worth wrapping up warm to do it. The same goes for the Nazca Lines where it’s hot by midday but cooler first thing when conditions tend to be best to fly over the archaeological site. It’s pleasantly warm at Arequipa this month, and easy to combine all these sites into one trip.

For a quieter taste of Peru’s ancient sites, Kuelap has been called the Machu Picchu of the north, built before the Inca Empire and once home to the Warriors of the Cloud Forest, in a dramatic mountaintop setting in northern Peru. Or head into the Andes in Huascarán National Park; it’s peak season here as well, but the trek tends to be quieter than the popular routes leading to Machu Picchu, with spectacular snowy peaks reflected in blue lagoons.

If you’re hoping to see some of Peru’s wildlife, midwinter isn’t the best time to visit some of the reserves along the coast, but it’s a good month to head to the Amazon and the Tambopata National Reserve to explore the rainforest, with the trails most accessible during the middle of the dry season.

Festivals: The country celebrates Peru’s National Independence Day from July 28-29 with fireworks, folk music, dancing and a huge street party.

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