Inca Trail weather: What is the best month to hike the Inca Trail?

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There are thousands of kilometers of "Caminos del Inca" in all of Peru; however, we focus on the 4-day Classic Inca Trail, which begins at km 82 via ferrea to Machu Picchu.

It is a route in which varied ecosystems unite with a sequence of monuments of the finest Inca architecture, ending in the classic postcard view of Machu Picchu observed from above. That is why this road was designed, a route of pilgrimage and purification to access the sacred llacha of Pachacútec; they are 35 kilometers that run through the valley of the Cusichaca River, the Abra de Warmihuañusca, the Pacaymayo ravine, passes through the Inca Trail ruins of Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Wiñayhuayna; On the way you can see tunnels dug in live rock.

During the Inca Trail, you will pass through different altitudinal floors, from 2,400 m. up to 4,200 m., at the highest point and of course, this influences the climate, which varies according to the height of the place you are visiting.

It should be noted that there are two types of Inca Trails:

The first one is the Inca Trail 4 Days that begins in Piscakucho (2,800 m.) And the highest point is Warmiwañusca - Paso de la Mujer muerta (4,200 m.), During this hike, we will go through different ecological floors, with climatic variations from cold to warm.

The second one is the 2-day Inca Trail begins in Chachabamba (2,250 m.) And the highest point is the Intipunku (2,750 m.). During the walk, the climate is warm in the dry season and at the time of cloudy and warm rain, obviously with the presence of rain.

It should be noted that in the month of February, it is impossible to reserve the Inca Trail, given that the Ministry of Culture closes the road during this month, to maintain and improve the route.

Inca Trail rainy season

Inca Trail weather

The Inca Trail weather varies according to the months some with presence of rains, sunny days, cloudy days, cold nights; then we detail the Inca Trail weather per month:

In the months of January and March the rains are persistent mostly at night, the days are cloudy but there are nice and sunny days, if we have good luck.
In the month of April, the rainy season ends little by little, and the days become warmer and more pleasant, with sporadic rains.
Between May and October, the climate is warm and cool, with little rain, sunny days and quite bright.
The months of June, July, August and September are undoubtedly the best months to complete the Inca Trail, during the day it is clear and you can clearly observe the landscapes, the days are fresher, however, the nights are cold in the high areas.
During November and December, it is the time when the rainy season begins, the days are sunny, but at any moment it can rain, as well as, there are cloudy days without rain.

Inca Trail weather by month
Parameter	Max. Temperature (°C)	Max. Temperature (°C)	Sunny days/ day	Rainy days/ month
January	19	9	5	18
February	20	10	4	13
March	21	8	6	11
April	21	6	7	8
May	21	3	7	3
June	21	2	8	2
July	21	1	8	2
August	21	3	7	2
September	21	5	6	7
October	21	6	6	8
November	21	7	6	12
December	21	8	5	16

The current weather in the Inca Trail Peru can also be found at: Inca Trail weather by month

Inca Trail weather

Best Month For Inca Trail: Overview

January

Rainy season
Up to 160 mm of precipitation

February

Rainy season
Up to 133 mm of precipitation

March

End of the rainy season
up to 108 mm of precipitation

April

Best travel time
Optimal climate

to the Inca Trail

May

Best travel time
Optimal climate
to the Inca Trail

June

Best travel time
Optimal climate
to the Inca Trail

July

Best travel time
Optimal climate
to the Inca Trail

August

Best travel time
Optimal climate
to the Inca trail

September

Best travel time
Optimal climate
to the Inca Trail

October

Good travel time
mostly optimal climate
to the Inca Trail

November

Beginning of the rainy season
increasingly wetter

December

Rainy season
up to 120 mm of precipitation

Temperatures

The average annual temperature is 12 °C. The warmest month is December (13.7 °C), and the coldest month is July with an average of 9.7 °C.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 736 mm on 105 days. January and February are rainy seasons, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is possible in the months of May, June, July, August and September.

Sunshine

According to our climate table, July is the sunniest month with an average of 8.3 hours of sunshine per day. The sun shines an average of 6.4 hours a day over the year.

Cities nearby

Larger cities with a similar climate are close to Cusco Peru.

Best time to hike Inca Trail

What is the best time to go to the Inca Trail?

On the Royal Inca Trail, there are two distinct periods, the dry season and the rainy season. The best time to travel the Inca Trail is from April to October (dry season), the months of November to March, is the rainy season, which makes it difficult, the accesses and camps.

The maximum temperature is 19ºC and the minimum temperature is 0ºC. The relative humidity of the air ranges between 77% in the dry season and 91% in the rainy season. The annual rainfall ranges from 1,571 to 2,381 millimeters.

Inca Trail weather by month

The Best Inca Trail

2 Day Inca Trail with camping
3 Day Inca Trail
Inca Trail trek (9 days/ 8 nights)
Peru Treks & Adventure (18 days/ 17 nights)

If the Inca Trail is sold out, don´t worry, we recommend you take the alternative treks to Machu Picchu or you can take the Machu Picchu tours by train, in these services are included the Machu Picchu tickets early.

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The Responsible People foundation is registered under the Peruvian Non-Profit Organization Act. With an annual contribution from Inca Trail Machu, we support our operating costs as well as a significant portion of project development costs.