Best time to visit Cusco
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Cusco
27 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Cusco).
- 1
Sacred Valley Full Day Tour - 2
Salkantay Trek 5D/4N with Glass Cabins, Sky Domes & Hobbit House - 3
Short 2-Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate - 4
Machu Picchu Official Ticket Circuit 2, Bus & Private Guide - 5
Machu Picchu: Private Tour Guide Service (2–3 Hours) - 6
Machu Picchu Tour Full Day by Train - 7
1 Day Machu Picchu Tour From Cusco - 8
Private Tour to Sacred Valley Full Day with buffet lunch. - 9
Rainbow Mountain Beat-the-Crowd, Small Group - 8:00 AM Departure - 10
Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco - 11
Cusco City Tour Four Ruins in Half-Day - 12
The Ultimate Full Day Sacred Valley Tour - 13
Excursion to Rainbow Mountain Full Day Optional Red Valley - 14
Excursión to Humantay Lake Full Day from Cusco - 15
Cusco Cooking Classes and San Pedro Market Tour - 16
Machu Picchu Full Day from Cusco by Panoramic Train - 17
Machu Picchu Day Trip from Cusco - 18
Machu Picchu Full Day - Private Tour - 19
2-Day Tour from Cusco: Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu by Train - 20
Machu Picchu Circuit 2 Entrance Ticket with Guided Tour - 21
One Day Train Trip to Machu Picchu from Cusco - 22
Machu Picchu Day Trip With Panoramic Train from Cusco - 23
Combo Sacred valley Pisac Moray Salt mines and Ollantaytambo - 24
2-Day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Tour from Cusco by Train - 25
Machu Picchu Small Group Day Tour from Cusco - 26
1-Day Tour to Machu Picchu by Train with Entrance Circuit 3 - 27
1-day excursion to Machu Picchu from Cusco
Last refreshed 2026-06-30.
Similar climatesMachu Picchu79% · Salta78% · Porto73%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Cusco (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Cusco's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8–17 | 16 | 28 | 365 | 13.0 | 63% | 11 | 219 | 10 | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | 9–17 | 15 | 26 | 351 | 13.5 | 65% | 10 | 189 | 10 | Quiet | 3 |
| Mar | 8–16 | 15 | 26 | 337 | 13.0 | 63% | 10 | 223 | 9 | Quiet | 3 |
| Apr | 7–17 | 15 | 16 | 175 | 10.9 | 57% | 9 | 228 | 10 | Quiet | 6 |
| May | 6–17 | 15 | 9 | 96 | 10.7 | 48% | 10 | 238 | 9 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jun | 5–18 | 15 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 37% | 10 | 236 | 9 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jul | 5–19 | 15 | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 30% | 12 | 253 | 10 | Quiet | 8 |
| Aug | 6–19 | 16 | 6 | 52 | 8.7 | 32% | 13 | 259 | 11 | Peak | 8 |
| Sep | 7–19 | 16 | 11 | 103 | 9.4 | 39% | 13 | 243 | 12 | Moderate | 8 |
| Oct | 8–19 | 17 | 19 | 177 | 9.3 | 43% | 13 | 252 | 13 | Moderate | 6 |
| Nov | 8–19 | 17 | 24 | 253 | 10.5 | 51% | 12 | 227 | 12 | Peak | 5 |
| Dec | 8–18 | 16 | 27 | 322 | 11.9 | 58% | 11 | 216 | 11 | Busy | 4 |
UV Index in Cusco by Month
UV index in Cusco peaks at 13 (extreme) in October, dropping to 9 (very high) in June. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
June
8/105–18°C (feels 15°C) · 1 rain days (25h) · 236 sun hours · 37% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 10 (very high)
July
8/105–19°C (feels 15°C) · 2 rain days (23h) · 253 sun hours · 30% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
August
8/106–19°C (feels 16°C) · 6 rain days (52h) · 259 sun hours · 32% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 11 (extreme) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 13 (extreme)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/108–17°C (feels 16°C) · 28 rain days (365h) · 219 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 15 (extreme)
February
3/109–17°C (feels 15°C) · 26 rain days (351h) · 189 sun hours · 65% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 15 (extreme)
March
3/108–16°C (feels 15°C) · 26 rain days (337h) · 223 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 14 (extreme)
April
6/107–17°C (feels 15°C) · 16 rain days (175h) · 228 sun hours · 57% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 12 (extreme)
May
8/106–17°C (feels 15°C) · 9 rain days (96h) · 238 sun hours · 48% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
September
8/107–19°C (feels 16°C) · 11 rain days (103h) · 243 sun hours · 39% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 12 (extreme) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 14 (extreme)
October
6/108–19°C (feels 17°C) · 19 rain days (177h) · 252 sun hours · 43% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 13 (extreme) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 16 (extreme)
November
5/108–19°C (feels 17°C) · 24 rain days (253h) · 227 sun hours · 51% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 12 (extreme) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 16 (extreme)
December
4/108–18°C (feels 16°C) · 27 rain days (322h) · 216 sun hours · 58% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 11 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 15 (extreme)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Cusco
When is the best time to visit Cusco?
June is the highest-scoring month (8/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 5–18°C (1 rainy day). The top three months by score are June, July, August.
What is the worst time to visit Cusco?
March is the lowest-scoring month (3/10). Typical conditions: 8–16°C (26 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Cusco?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in February and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Cusco have good weather but fewer tourists?
May (climate 8/10, crowd index 21) and June (climate 8/10, crowd index 30) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Cusco by month?
UV peaks at 13 (extreme) in October and is lowest in June at 9 (very high). Monthly peak values: Jan 10, Feb 10, Mar 9, Apr 10, May 9, Jun 9, Jul 10, Aug 11, Sep 12, Oct 13, Nov 12, Dec 11. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Cusco in October?
October is the peak UV month in Cusco, with a daily-peak UV index of 13 (extreme). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Cusco on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. October is the worst case: typical days average UV 13 (extreme), but the top 10% of days reach UV 16 (extreme) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Cusco bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 1 month: September. The worst month is September with a typical-day mean of 9 µg/m³ (fair); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 16 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.