Peru is a country with more than 20 very diverse microclimates that vary from region to region, so some seasons are more suitable than others to visit some of our most important tourist attractions.
This is also favorable since our country offers multiple alternatives in terms of destinations and activities in the regions of the coast, highlands and Amazon.
The most outstanding climates are the temperate - arid that predominates in the coastal territory, the rainy - cold climate in the Andean zones and the rainy - warm climate in the Amazonian territories.
If you want to see the most important festivals in Cusco you should visit Peru from June to August, if you want to have a quieter trip without a lot of tourists visit Peru from September to March.
Depending on the activities you expect to do, you can evaluate the most favorable weather conditions and dates for such activities.
You should also take into account in which region of the country you are interested in visiting, if it is on the coast, the Andes or the Amazon, since the climate of Peru is not the same for all regions.
The good thing is that Peru presents an enriching cultural diversity, traditions, customs, natural wealth and varied geographical areas for activities such as sandboarding, hiking, camping, birdwatching, festivals and many other options, so any time of year is optimal to know the treasures hidden in this country.
To visit the citadel of Machu Picchu we must take into account that it is located in the province of Urubamba in Cusco.a 2400 meters above sea level approximately.
In a subtropical area between the Amazon and the Andean zone of Cusco, in the city of Machu Picchu and Cusco in general we have two very marked seasons.
The rainy season, which starts from small rains in the month of November being January and February the months with higher rainfall and longer duration, until the end of March with occasional rains.
It is also important to highlight that during the month of February the INCA TRAIL, that is to say the 4 days trekking route to Machu Picchu is closed due to the rains, so you should take precautions in case you want to do this activity and select another date.
Many of us believe that during the rainy season it is almost impossible to visit the archaeological citadel due to the weather, however due to its geographical location the Machu Picchu National Sanctuary has a lot to offer during those months as well, such as a great variety of flora and fauna.
Being for example the most optimal time for the sighting of orchid blooms in late February and March, or for the sighting of native, endemic and migratory birds from October to March, it is also the time in which it is possible to enjoy Machu Picchu without the crowds of people, as it is not very visited in those months.
Also due to the rains you can appreciate how the water channels designed by the Incas work, being a better experience to see the functioning of the hydraulic engineering implemented in this wonderful sanctuary.
Another favorable point is that due to the rains Machupicchu looks much more alive, with the abundant green vegetation that surrounds it, the flowers of orchids in full bloom, the mystical panorama that provides the cloudy weather, and the smaller influx of visitors.
The most optimal months under good weather conditions for the visit to Machu Picchu are from June to August since being dry season are very low the chances of rainfall.
This is a season in which temperatures rise up to approximately 25ºC. It is necessary to remember that Machu Picchu is located in a subtropical area whose predominant climate is warm and humid, so even in this season there could be light rains sporadically.
Undoubtedly the best month to visit the city, is during June, declared as the jubilee month of Cusco, the city is full of life, color and joy, every day you will find a party, parade or marches that you can enjoy, being the most outstanding the following:
The ''low'' season in Cusco and Machu Picchu is known as such due to the low tourist influx (November to March).
The low tourist flow in Cusco is mainly due to the weather conditions of heavy rains, however our city also has a lot to offer during those months, such as the traditional 'Santurantikuy' fair in December.
The traditional feast of All Saints and Day of the Dead in November, is a season in which you can enjoy the archaeological sites with fewer visitors and have greater access to find availability of hotel reservations at better prices, entrance tickets to Machu Picchu as well as train tickets to the town of Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu.
The town of Aguas Calientes is the actual town of Machu Picchu, a picturesque place where you can find different services of hotels, restaurants, bars, and others.
It is a small town also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo at 2020 meters above sea level, in this place you will not find vehicles such as cabs, only CONSETTUR buses that provide transfer service from Aguas Calientes to the archaeological citadel of Machu Picchu.
The hot springs are a great option to visit during your stay in the town of Aguas Calientes, it is a set of several pools with different temperatures that also has a Restobar where you can order drinks and snacks to enjoy while relaxing in the thermal medicinal waters.
It is necessary to emphasize that the entrances are currently with previously established schedules so you can buy your entrance tickets before going up to Machu Picchu and thus have already separated your space in the pools.
The Manuel Chavez Ballon Site Museum is located just 20 minutes from the town of Aguas Calientes, in this site museum you can see the remains found by archaeologist Manuel Chavez, during the first years of excavations in Machu Picchu, among which stand out the ceramics, Inca work tools, textiles, lithic remains, and many exhibits of photographs taken by the explorer Hiram Bingham.
To visit the museum it is necessary to buy an entrance ticket that also includes access to a botanical park where you can see the variety of native and endemic plants of Machu Picchu.
The Machu Picchu butterfly house is a center for observing the more than 100 varieties of butterflies found in the protected area of Machu Picchu.
This center is located 15 minutes walking from the town of Aguas Calientes, the entrance fee is 10 soles, and it is recommended to visit it in the mornings because that is when the butterflies are most active. An ideal alternative for nature lovers.
The Artisans Market in Aguas Calientes is the best place to find souvenirs, handicrafts, ceramics and alpaca garments, a way to bring gifts from Machu Picchu and at the same time help the local people.
It is located next to the train station, a must-see before returning to Cusco.
In Aguas Calientes, you can find multiple options in terms of lodging services, from the most economical options to the most luxurious, to make reservations you can search the internet for the options that suit you best.
From May to August are the months when the town receives the highest number of visitors, so remember to make your reservation at least 1 month in advance, most hotels offer pick-up service from the train station and breakfast.
After your visit to Machu Picchu, when you return to Aguas Calientes you will find multiple options in restaurants for lunch, for this it is not necessary to make a reservation.
You will find the most varied range of options from Italian food such as pastas and pizzas
traditional Andean food, and vegetarian options. You can also find detailed information about each restaurant on their respective websites.
There are different ways to get to the town of Aguas Calientes,
The total trip takes about 4 hours from the city of Cusco, taking the train from Ollantaytambo station.
Cusco: It is definitely the favorite city to go on a trip during the national holidays, besides being the most visited city in Peru, it was also recognized by World's Best Awards 2022 as the favorite city to travel in Central and South America.
It is recognized by one of the world wonders, "Machu Picchu", which, although it is the first mandatory stop for every visitor to Cusco, it is not the only one, as it is surrounded by wonderful landscapes wrapped in history and mysticism that make it incomparable.
That is why Terandes.com launches this promotion in one of our best tour packages in Peru (Peru Southern Treasures Tour Package). This time of the year is perfect to enjoy the surroundings of the city, with mostly sunny days, although it is advisable to be alert, as the weather is quite changeable and at night temperatures drop, so carrying a coat on hand is always a good option.
If you still do not know Cusco there are good options to go for a walk within the same city, one of them is the main square of Cusco, one of the main points of tourist concentration, you can take a historical walk through the cathedral, the company of Jesus and the Holy Family; They are churches that will transport you to the Viceroyalty era, through the paintings and sculptures you will witness a little of the deeply rooted religious culture of the Cusco society, in addition to the exquisite baroque art that adorn their structures, in general it is an enriching experience that you can not miss.
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The neighborhood of San Blas, considered the oldest neighborhood, characterized by its picturesque streets, the viewpoint that offers any visitor an enchanting landscape, the aqueduct of Sapantiana that offers a vision of the traditional Spanish architecture; are some of the most striking attractions offered by the neighborhood of San Blas, which will surely conquer the varied taste of any spectator who approaches to take a look.
Definitely spend this vacation in Cusco will be your best option, being a cosmopolitan city, has a variety of experiences you can try, near the city of Cusco 1 hour from downtown, you can experience a dose of adrenaline in the bungee jump, a jump to the void of 125 m high, considered the highest in Latin America; Visit magical villages accompanied by a mountain bike, you will be delighted with wonderful views of the Andean landscape; the zipline (zip line or canopy), is also an unmissable option in which you will slide from one mountain to another by the action of gravity.
With all these options you will surely want to take more than one tour of this warm city, which has so much to offer, we are waiting for you with an open heart.
The month of June begins and Cusco gets festive to receive the three most important celebrations of the year: Corpus Christi, Inti Raymi and the Lord of Qoyllur Ritti. After two years without celebrations due to the Coronavirus, 2022 brings back the incredible Corpus Christi procession, in which all the joy, color and effervescence of the Cusco people shines once again. Here we tell you all about this procession.
Corpus Christi is a Catholic feast that is celebrated all over the world, but nowhere compares to the splendor and sacredness with which it is treated in Cusco. In fact, Cusco's Corpus Christi is the oldest living festival in the Americas, which for more than 450 years has involved the procession of the city's patron saints. This 2022, the feast of Corpus Christi begins on Tuesday, June 14, nine weeks after Holy Thursday.
There are 15 gigantic statues of Saints and Virgins that make up the procession, each one covered with jewels, precious metals, flowers and dressed in new costumes every year. Each saint has his or her parish and devotees, who carry him or her on a platform weighing a ton. It is believed that this custom comes from the festivities of Inca Cusco, in which each family carried the mummies of their ancestors or the deities that protected them. Corpus Christi is above all a popular celebration that no one directs and in which everyone participates, as it is engraved in the DNA of the people of Cusco.
Virgen de Belén
On the first day, all the saints leave their temple on their own and take the procession to the Cathedral of Cusco accompanied by their faithful who bring music, flowers and gifts for the attendees. In charge of this organization are the "Mayordomos" or "Carguyoq" who are chosen each year and who must do everything possible to cover the expenses involved in the celebration. Here the tradition is breathed, for example, in the famous race between San Jerónimo and San Sebastián to see who gets to the Historic Center first. The second day of Corpus Christi involves the departure from the Cathedral, the procession through the Historic Center and the return to the Cathedral of the 15 saints in the following order, who after a week will return to their parishes:
San Antonio (parish of San Cristobal)
2. San Jeronimo (parish of the district of San Jeronimo)
3. San Cristobal (parish of San Cristobal)
4. San Sebastian (parish of the district of San Sebastian)
5. Santa Bárbara (parroquia del distrito de Poroy)
6. Santa Ana (parish of Santa Ana)
7. Santiago Apóstol (parish of Santiago)
8. San Blas (parroquia de San Blas) 9. San Pedro (parroquia de San Pedro)
10. San José (parroquia de Belén)
11. Virgen de la Natividad (parroquia de Almudena)
12. Virgen de los Remedios (iglesia de Santa Catalina)
13. Virgen Purificada (parroquia de San Pedro)
14. Virgen de Belén (parroquia de Belén)
15. Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción (Basílica de la Catedral)
Chiriuchu is one of Cusco's most famous dishes, but it is usually only served during the month of June. It is believed to be one of the few remaining gastronomic samples from Inca times, being a dish that is served cold (chiri in Quechua) and is an impressive mix of ingredients. Various types of meat are served such as baked guinea pig, boiled chicken, charqui or jerky, chorizo and blood sausage. All this is accompanied by fish roe, seaweed, roasted corn, cheese, rocoto and torrejas made of corn and pumpkin. We recommend everyone to try this incredible dish, although for vegans you can also find a great variety of fruits in the streets, being the custard apple one of the main ones produced at this time.
Corpus Christi is much more than a procession of saints, there are a variety of activities that take place on these dates and one of them is the artistic competitions. Usually, each parish or neighborhood has its own troupes of musicians and dancers who compete against each other. These troupes not only dance for their Catholic saints, but there are also performances in honor of pre-Hispanic divinities, which shows the true multiculturalism that lies behind this celebration.
Thousands of people attend Corpus Christi and if you want to have a good place to observe the celebration you should arrive early or, even better, make a reservation at a restaurant with a balcony to see everything from above. Also, it is best not to carry too many valuables and be aware of our backpacks to avoid any theft or misunderstanding. The strong sun of Cusco also makes it necessary to bring sunscreen, hat and water to avoid being dehydrated. And if you want to further enrich your experience, we recommend hiring a guide who can explain every aspect of the procession, as it can be very chaotic and full of information that is not so easily understood.
To make the most of every day you have in Peru, we tell you about the best places for trekking in Peru and you can live a unique experience.
Lima in the last decades has grown to become a cosmopolitan metropolis, but before this it was a very green valley surrounded by mountains and more beautiful valleys that you can still visit.
One of the best known treks in Lima is Marcahuasi, a very extensive stone forest at 4000 meters above sea level that has spectacular views and many places to camp.
Likewise, there are the famous Lomas de Lachay and Lomas de Lúcumo, to the north and south of Lima respectively, ecosystems that in winter due to the accumulation of humidity in the fog are filled with greenery and yellow flowers that give this place a mystical aspect.
Each of them can be visited in a single day, making them the perfect escape for adventurous city dwellers.
Although these are the best known, Lima has even more places for trekking, but they are a little more difficult because they involve reaching snow-capped mountains or lagoons located high up.
There are the hills and lagoons of Yuracochas, also called the Mountain of Seven Colors of Lima for its similarity in the diversity of colors.
There is also the Rupagna Lagoon, also demanding, but home to breathtaking landscapes of lagoons, forests and mountains.
Finally, there is the Nevado Pariacaca, considered a powerful God by the ancient Peruvians and we don't think they are exaggerating. This is perhaps the most spectacular trek Lima has to offer, with snow-capped peaks and crystalline lagoons of various colors.
Trek to AusangateThere is no need to mention how spectacular the landscapes in Cusco can be, which is why there are trekking routes everywhere, each one priceless and unique in itself. Here we offer you a list of the most famous treks in Cusco.
The first is obviously the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but equally impressive is the trek to Choquequirao, also called the younger brother of the lost citadel.
A third trek that allows you to see an impressive Inca construction is the trek to Huchuy Qosqo, which has incredible views of the entire Sacred Valley and lets you see the Puma Punku.
On the other hand, there are the treks that lead to lakes and snow-capped mountains such as the trek to the mighty Ausangate, which takes several days and takes you through the most impressive lakes and snow-capped mountains that Cusco has to offer.
Shorter treks are the Salkantay trek and, next to it, the Humantay Lagoon trek, which only takes a few hours but allows you to see an impressive crystalline lagoon at the foot of a mighty snow-capped mountain.
Puno is world famous for the mysterious Lake Titicaca and its beautiful boat rides, but it also has many impressive treks to offer.
First of all, there are the treks to visit the islands of Amantaní and Taquilé. You have to visit these islands if you are visiting Puno and the best way to do it is to put on your boots and walk around them.
These are fairly light treks and it is best to take your time to get to know them. Another recommended trek is the Totorani Waterfalls, which are not far from the city of Puno and can be done if you have time to spare.
Tourism is one of the most important economic factors in Peru, so it has developed different branches that suit the needs of each visitor among them are ecotourism, adventure tourism, rural community tourism, among others.
Each branch has developed its own way of entertaining the visitor, each one being a completely unique experience when visiting Peru.
Rural community tourism in Peru is an activity that is developed in a planned and sustainable manner, where the inhabitants of each locality are organized to provide a unique experience for the tourist. This activity is a great benefit not only for the visitor, but also for the local people who receive the tourist, giving especially women a more prominent role within their own community, ensuring that there is a new level of equality, empowering the female role in economic activities that help their community grow.
Community-based rural tourism, also known as CRT, is a new tourism modality that imposes as a major attraction the coexistence with the most remote communities of Peru, where the villagers are the main hosts of the visiting tourists.
The experience lies in being part of the lifestyle that takes place in the community that hosts the visitor, sharing their traditions, customs, being part of the daily activities while enjoying the contact with nature, gastronomy and landscapes that these places offer.
This new tourism proposal also arises as a sustainable tourism in which through training to the inhabitants of the communities, help to preserve the values and ancestral knowledge that little by little are being lost over time. This is also favorable for the communities since tourism becomes a new factor of economic growth, improving the lifestyle and quality of life of the inhabitants, thus avoiding the great displacement and migration to the big cities.
Rural community-based tourism is very important because it provides three major benefits to the communities that practice it
The local government provides training in customer service and tourism management, such as lodging services, restaurants and trade of their own handicrafts such as textiles and ceramics.
Peru has registered around 9 thousand rural communities throughout its territory, however, it should be noted that not all of them practice the TRC, so before making your trip, consult with your travel consultant about the options you have to coexist with these communities. Below is a list with suggestions of native communities to practice TRC:
While it is true that many of these communities have come to improve the quality of their homes thanks to the influx of tourists, do not forget that rural areas of Peru are characterized by the simplicity of their buildings, so while it is true that you will not find the great luxury that city hotels offer, rest assured that the warmth and friendliness of the people who will give you accommodation in their homes compensates greatly for the deficiencies of luxury and comfort.
