Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Weather

The climate is divided into two seasons.

The dry season is from April to October.

April and October generally have sunny days, warm evenings, and often freezing nights. This is the dry season with little chance of rain. During the day, you can expect blue skies. Since we are close to the equator and very high up, the sun can be powerful, so always bring sun protection cream, a hat, and sunglasses. It is comfortable to trek in shorts and a T-shirt. However, it can get cold very quickly when the sun goes in, so always have a warm sweater, fleece, and long pants close at hand. You also need a good 4-season sleeping bag at night and a warm jacket, woolly hat, and scarf. The scenery can be pretty dry and brown during this period, with little activity in the fields besides gathering and drying in the harvest. 

This is a time for the people in the village to relax and enjoy some of the many festivals. The recommendation is to book hotel rooms/flights well in advance with Kondor Path Tours Machupicchu Trekking and Touring. September & November; some years, the rains can start as early as September. However, we usually get a couple of heavy showers each week; the rest of the time, it is sunny or overcast. The rain lasts for a couple of hours and dries up quickly. A plastic rain poncho is recommended. The nights are milder, and a 3-season sleeping bag is usually sufficient on the Classic Inca Trail.

The rainy season from December to March

The rainy season usually starts around mid-November and can last until the end of March. January and February are at the height of the wet season. During these months, you can expect rain on 2 out of the 4 days of the Inca Trail. Although downpours can be heavy during this period, they rarely last for more than a few hours, and the sun emerges. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, this is also the summer in Peru. The sun can be powerful and soon dries up the rain. The nights are relatively mild. Bring suitable waterproof clothing, pack your sleeping bag inside several plastic bags, and bring sun protection cream and a good hat. The Inca Trail is closed in February for maintenance, so this month is unavailable.

Temperature and Environment along the Inca Trail

Depending on altitude and time of day, temperatures fluctuate between 10ºC / 50ºF to 22ºC / 71ºF in Cusco and 2ºC / 35ºF to 20ºC 6/ 8ºF along the Inca Trail. The climate is relatively mild all year round, with heavy rains from November to March, and dry and hot weather from April to October, which is a recommended time to visit. The annual minimum temperature runs from 8° to 11.2°C. The temperature can often fall below zero in June, July, and August.

The annual maximum temperature varies from 20.4° to 26.6°C. The terrain is pretty jagged, with many gullies and streams fed by glaciers which eventually pour into the Urubamba river, which crosses the area forming a deep valley that runs through the granite base of Vilcabamba for more than 40 Km through a variety of eco-systems. Be prepared for various temperatures, from sunny and warm during the day to freezing nights. You'll find blocked roads during the rainy season, particularly when visiting off-the-beaten-track towns.

What is the best time to make the Inca Trail?

The high season in Cusco City to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is between June and September, with July and August being the busiest months. This is because this is the dry season in the Peruvian Andes and Amazon and because this period coincides with summer holidays in Europe, North America, Canada, etc. However, since Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere, it is also our Winter, so the nights can be cold in the Cusco region, often falling to freezing in July and August.