Best time to visit Machu Picchu
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.
Similar climatesCusco79% · Ponta Delgada75% · Cairns71%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Machu Picchu (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 Machu Picchu'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 | 12–18 | 19 | 30 | 408 | 13.6 | 75% | 5 | 203 | 8 | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | 12–18 | 19 | 27 | 396 | 14.7 | 76% | 5 | 180 | 9 | Quiet | 4 |
| Mar | 11–19 | 19 | 30 | 404 | 13.5 | 75% | 5 | 217 | 8 | Quiet | 4 |
| Apr | 11–19 | 19 | 25 | 287 | 11.5 | 73% | 5 | 226 | 9 | Quiet | 4 |
| May | 10–19 | 19 | 14 | 171 | 12.2 | 69% | 5 | 240 | 9 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jun | 9–18 | 18 | 11 | 146 | 13.3 | 63% | 5 | 229 | 9 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jul | 9–19 | 18 | 10 | 132 | 13.2 | 58% | 6 | 251 | 10 | Quiet | 8 |
| Aug | 9–19 | 19 | 13 | 159 | 12.2 | 58% | 6 | 250 | 11 | Busy | 7 |
| Sep | 10–20 | 20 | 23 | 249 | 10.8 | 63% | 6 | 235 | 10 | Busy | 5 |
| Oct | 11–20 | 20 | 26 | 293 | 11.3 | 69% | 6 | 236 | 10 | Quiet | 4 |
| Nov | 12–19 | 20 | 27 | 373 | 13.8 | 72% | 6 | 201 | 10 | Peak | 4 |
| Dec | 11–19 | 19 | 30 | 388 | 12.9 | 73% | 6 | 194 | 9 | Peak | 4 |
UV Index in Machu Picchu by Month
UV index in Machu Picchu peaks at 11 (very high) in August, dropping to 8 (high) in March. January, February, 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
July
8/109–19°C · 10 rain days (132h) · 251 sun hours · 58% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
August
7/109–19°C · 13 rain days (159h) · 250 sun hours · 58% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 11 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 13 (extreme)
June
7/109–18°C · 11 rain days (146h) · 229 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 10 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/1012–18°C · 30 rain days (408h) · 203 sun hours · 75% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 12 (extreme)
February
4/1012–18°C · 27 rain days (396h) · 180 sun hours · 76% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 12 (extreme)
March
4/1011–19°C · 30 rain days (404h) · 217 sun hours · 75% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
April
4/1011–19°C · 25 rain days (287h) · 226 sun hours · 73% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
May
7/1010–19°C · 14 rain days (171h) · 240 sun hours · 69% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
September
5/1010–20°C · 23 rain days (249h) · 235 sun hours · 63% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 13 (extreme)
October
4/1011–20°C · 26 rain days (293h) · 236 sun hours · 69% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 14 (extreme)
November
4/1012–19°C · 27 rain days (373h) · 201 sun hours · 72% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 10 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 14 (extreme)
December
4/1011–19°C · 30 rain days (388h) · 194 sun hours · 73% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 9 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 14 (extreme)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Machu Picchu
When is the best time to visit Machu Picchu?
July is the highest-scoring month (8/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 9–19°C (10 rainy days). The top three months by score are July, August, June.
What is the worst time to visit Machu Picchu?
February is the lowest-scoring month (4/10). Typical conditions: 12–18°C (27 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Machu Picchu?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in February and peaks in December. 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 Machu Picchu have good weather but fewer tourists?
July (climate 8/10, crowd index 2) and May (climate 7/10, crowd index 10) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Machu Picchu by month?
UV peaks at 11 (very high) in August and is lowest in March at 8 (high). Monthly peak values: Jan 8, Feb 9, Mar 8, Apr 9, May 9, Jun 9, Jul 10, Aug 11, Sep 10, Oct 10, Nov 10, Dec 9. January, February, 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 Machu Picchu in August?
August is the peak UV month in Machu Picchu, with a daily-peak UV index of 11 (very high). 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 Machu Picchu 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. November is the worst case: typical days average UV 10 (very high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 14 (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 Machu Picchu 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 10 µg/m³ (fair); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 19 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.