What is the Machu Picchu Weather Like?

What is the Weather Like in Machu Picchu?

The Machu Picchu weather is an essential factor for anyone traveling to Machu Picchu. Depending on the time of the season, rain, sun, wind, fog, and clouds can all play a role in your trip to Machu Picchu. Because Machu Picchu is in the mountains, the weather can change drastically depending on the time of year and even the time of day.

Additionally, the humidity of the tropical jungle of Peru surrounds the cold winds of the Andes Mountains which can cause a substantial shift in the weather minute by minute. It’s entirely possible for Machu Picchu to have several seasons all in one day, whether it is the dry or rainy season.

Fortunately, we can easily break down the weather of Machu Picchu in Peru into two main seasons, the dry season and the rainy season.

Machu Picchu Weather: Dry Season

The dry season typically runs from April to October. It is probably the best weather for Machu Picchu. As we have covered before, the price you pay when visiting Machu Picchu is an increase in crowd level during the dry season. As a result, the humidity levels are lower than the rainy season. Because of this if it does rain, you are only looking at a maximum of two hours of rain.

Additionally, due to the lower humidity levels, there are fewer clouds which make it much easier to have a bright early morning view of Machu Picchu, especially if you are planning to visit Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. The Machu Picchu weather averages temperatures during the dry season from a low of 48 degrees to a high of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (8-20 degrees Celsius).

Finally, May through August has the most amount of daylight; however, when visiting Machu Picchu, this can be helpful if you are attending the afternoon session. But the increase in daylight hours will require you to wake up much earlier if you are planning to see the Machu Picchu sunrise.

Machu Picchu Weather: Rainy Season

In the south, the summer is from November to March, which means it is the wet or rainy season. Rainfall accounts for up to 80% of the annual rainfall during these months. Additionally, the humidity rises during these months, causing an increase in cloud cover over Machu Picchu.

If you are planning to go to Machu Picchu and plan to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, then you will want to do these hikes in the afternoon. This allows the cloud cover to burn off during the afternoon. It’s estimated that 2 out of 3 mornings during the rainy season will not let you see Machu Picchu in the morning.

The temperature at Machu Picchu during the rainy season on average is slightly higher than the dry season; a low of 55 degrees to a high of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (10-21 degrees Celsius).

Conclusion

You’re always going to want to be prepared for the elements when you are traveling to Machu Picchu. Be sure to check out our guide on what to pack for Machu Picchu.

Additionally, there are other factors besides the weather, such as cost and crowd level, when choosing the time to visit Machu Picchu. Be sure to check that out here.