The city of Cusco is the jewel of Peruvian tourism for two reasons: the first is for being the capital of the ancient Inca Empire (which has earned him the nickname of ‘Imperial City’); the second reason is that it is the strategic stop from where to go to know the Sacred Valley and one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World: the well-known citadel of Machu Picchu.
But something that many of you may be wondering is when is the best time of the year to go to Cusco?
First of all it is worth noting that the climate in the Cusco region is clearly differentiated into two stages that people usually divide between:
Rainy season: from November to April.
Dry season: from May to October
And although it is traditionally recommended to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu during the dry season, the truth is that each of them has a characteristic charm. While it is true that the dry season allows us to see all the circuits and tours of the city and surroundings without the hassle of rain, it is also the time of year most congested by tourists.
The rainy season – besides being less saturated – offers attractions such as seeing the mountains of Machu Picchu covered by a characteristic mist that we can see in some photographs. It really depends a lot on the tastes of each person.
What is the downside of the rainy season?
The rainy season, however, poses some problems for visitors, such as the closure of the Inca Trail during the month of February or constant dirt displacements along the road to Aguas Calientes from Hidroeléctrica, in a walk of about three hours following the railway.
The months with the highest rainfall are January and February, with a maximum of 98 mm. As we are in summer during these months in the southern hemisphere, temperatures are higher than in the dry season, with an average of 18 ºC during the day and 8 ºC at night.
The rains usually fall during the afternoon and evening, although there are also heavy and intermittent rainfalls that last a few minutes and then give way to the sun. Something that we could rescue from the constant rains of this season, is that the vegetation is greener and lusher.
*In addition to the closure of the Inca Trail during the month of February for maintenance, during the month of April the Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu mountains of the Inca fortress are closed. Machu Picchu can still be visited all year round without any problems.
What is the best month to visit Cusco & Machu Picchu?
The dry season starting in May has the advantage of offering magnificent images of the sunrise at Machu Picchu and will give us a brighter Sacred Valley (although as we mentioned before, less green).
If we must choose the best month to visit Cusco, we believe it should be June, because, in addition to having a period in which rainfall is the lowest of the year (see chart above), Cusco celebrates the most important sacred festival of the ancient Inca Empire, known as the Inti Raymi or the Feast of the Sun, which recreates every year the beginning of the winter solstice.
Finally, no matter what month you want to visit Cusco or the wonder of Machu Picchu, every month is a good month to enjoy this jewel of the Inca Empire. Rain or shine, clouds or no clouds, the magic will still be intact when we enter and we will leave full of energy after the visit.
