Have you accumulated vacation time and want to avoid the maddening crowds? Consider planning your Peru trip during the rainy season! The rainy season normally occurs between the months of November and April. It’s true that you’ll want to be prepared to be rained on, however; it doesn’t rain ALL of the time, and there are a few advantages to visiting during these off-season that might persuade you to plan your Peru adventure during those months. Here are five good ones:
1- Fewer People – since the “high season” for tourism in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu occurs May through August, many of the sites you’ll visit during the off-season will have fewer tourists jostling for the best photo ops. Museums and ruins will have shorter lines; it will be easier to get a table at most of the restaurants, and there will be less competition for getting up close to exhibits and attractions. In fact, things will just generally be more tranquil.
2- Lower Prices – Depending on which hotels you have your eyes on, prices for lodging will likely be lower during the rainy season, as supply exceeds demand. Airline tickets are nearly always less expensive as well, as fewer people travel to Peru during this time. One note – as there are fewer people traveling, there are fewer people to buy souvenirs and go on tours. It’s a wonderfully kind gesture to tip bigger and bargain less this time of the year, since there’s less to go around for those just trying to put food on the table. Your good karma will thank you.
The exception to this rule is the Holiday season, between December 20 – New Year’s. This range of dates is actually quite busy thanks to Christmas vacation, and so prices often increase during this time.
3- Green, green everywhere – A wonderful thing happens all over Peru, from Cusco and the Sacred Valley in the rainy season to Arequipa and the Colca Canyon – everywhere you look, there is green! Steady rains bring new growth to grass, trees, and plant life, and colorful flowers will also be blooming all over! You’ll also get a bit of mist in a very green Machu Picchu, making it seem even more mysterious, like a city truly lost in time.
4- Wet weather brings warmer temperatures – As rainy season is technically summer here in the Southern Hemisphere, the temperatures tend to be on the warmer side. Also, with the cloud cover, you don’t need to worry about roasting in the sun and freezing in the shade – the temperatures are more even. True, you will need to plan for rain, but you may not need to carry so many layers with you as you would in June or July.
5- Clean, fresh air! – Whereas August can be dry and dusty, rainy season brings with it a clean freshness that makes the rain more than worth it. And you know that certain aroma that occurs when rain hits the earth? That smell, known by the rather unfortunate term “petrichor” is wonderfully present during the rainy season. If you enjoy the aroma of rain on earth, sniff away!
So there you have it, five good reasons to plan your Peru holiday for the rainy season. Come breathe in the fresh air and take in the green mountains during your rainy season Peru adventure.
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