When Should You Visit And Trek Machu Picchu?
The best month to visit Machu Picchu is probably June. July and August are also great timing to visit Machu Picchu. What makes the period from May through September ideal for hiking the Inca Trail or visit the ruins is that it does not rain.
June, the best month to visit Machu Picchu, is at the beginning of the dry season. During the Peruvian winter, it does not rain, making your trip a dry experience. Also, the temperature in the Andes during the day ranges between 62 F to 66 F degrees. Early mornings do tend to be a bit colder.
The shoulder season months with limited rainy days, are from April to May and October to November. December through March is the rainy season.
Besides the great weather with amazing blue skies, June still shows a bit of green throughout the Andes. After months of daily rains (December to March, the low season), the mountains near Cusco and the Sacred Valley display a beautiful green. Later in the winter and due to a lack of rain, the scenery seems more “brown” and dry.
June also hosts the famous Inti Raymi festival every June 24th. The festival is a famous Inca tradition, where Cusco honors the sun with a large number of festivities and events. The sun was an essential part of the Inca religion. “Mother Earth” (Pacha Mama) and the sun represented the essential parts of life within the Inca culture.
Early planning to select the activities you will include during your visit to Machu Picchu is very important. Not only because there are limited passes allowed each day for sale, but also because you want to hike to Huayna Picchu (200 passes/day), the mountain behind the citadel. If passes are not available, you can get passes for Machu Picchu mountain (400 passes/day)
Why is it best to travel to Machu Picchu between May and September?
Given that rain is limited during May and September, this time of the year is also great to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The trail can only be accessed as part of a group led by authorized tour operators.
There is a limited number of passes available for hikers – only 200 per day for tourists. Inca Trail permits sell out about 5 months in advance. Make sure to buy yours on time. Click the following link to view our top Inca Trail tours to Machu Picchu. You can trek to the ruins during the low season, but keep in mind that the Inca Trail is closed during the month of February for maintenance.