Visa-free for most Western passports for up to 183 days.

Acclimatise in Cusco or the Sacred Valley?

Sacred Valley — it's 600m lower than Cusco. Two nights minimum before any serious activity.

Inca Trail or Hiram Bingham train?

Train if you have three days; trail if you have a week and the fitness. Hiram Bingham (Belmond) is the only luxurious train option.

How early do I need to book Machu Picchu?

Three to four months for the standard ticket; six months for the Huayna Picchu add-on or an Inca Trail permit. The dawn entry slots sell first and matter most — the site genuinely transforms before the 9am Cusco trains arrive.

How does tipping work in Peru?

10% in restaurants if not already on the bill, S/.5–10 per bag for porters, S/.50–100 per day for a private guide, and a separate tip for the trekking team if you do the Inca Trail (around $80–100 per trekker, distributed via the lead guide).

Best time to visit Peru

The month-by-month edit — when to go, when to avoid, and the windows worth booking around.

Editor's window: May–October (Andean dry season) A Belmond Río Sagrado stay before sunrise at Machu Picchu.

The view

When Peru actually opens up

May through September is the Andean dry season and the only sensible window for trekking, with June and July at peak demand. The shoulder months either side (April–May and September–October) deliver the best balance of weather and quieter sites — fewer day-trippers at Machu Picchu, easier hotel availability in Cusco, and the Sacred Valley still green from the recent rains. February is the only month to genuinely avoid: the Inca Trail closes for annual maintenance and the rains peak. Lima itself runs to its own rhythm — overcast and damp from May to November (the garúa season), bright and warm December through April.

Month by month

The Peru calendar

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Peak
Dry season + Inca Trail prime — book trail permits four months ahead.
Shoulder
Drier, quieter; the editor's pick for fewer day-trippers at Machu Picchu.
Off-season
Wet season — trail closed in February for maintenance; lush green, dramatic skies.

peak season
Jun · Jul · Aug
Dry season + Inca Trail prime — book trail permits four months ahead.
shoulder season
May · Sep · Oct
Drier, quieter; the editor's pick for fewer day-trippers at Machu Picchu.
off season
Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr
Wet season — trail closed in February for maintenance; lush green, dramatic skies.

Back to the Peru guide