Peru in May

Dry season begins; good trekking; Machu Picchu tickets still available a few weeks out.

• Southern Andes · Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Punobest weather

  Dry, sunny days and frosty nights May–Sep; rain most afternoons Dec–Mar, with landslides. Machu Picchu is lower and more humid than Cusco.

• Arequipa and Colca · Arequipa, Colca Canyonbest weather

  Sunny most of the year; short summer rains Jan–Feb.

• Central coast · Lima, Paracas, Nazcafine

  Almost no rain. Sunny summer Dec–Apr; grey mist (garúa) and 15–18 °C Jun–Oct in Lima.

• Amazon · Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, Manufine

  Hot and humid; drier Jun–Sep with better trails; river levels high Jan–May (good for boats around Iquitos).

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

• Labour Day

  1 May

  Public holiday.

• Qoyllur Rit'i and Corpus Christi

  May–Jun (check)

  Pilgrimages and processions around Cusco.

Crowds · Peru

Medium

Prices · Peru

Medium

Nothing unusual for the weather this month.

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Rated best or good this month

• Southern Andes

  Best weather of the year (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Puno)

• Arequipa and Colca

  Best weather of the year (Arequipa, Colca Canyon)