Machu Picchu Weather: the good, the bad, and the ugly

The most frequently asked questions about traveling to Machu Picchu are regarding the weather. We've collected the best intel, along with a few other facts to help you decide when to travel and how to prepare for your trip. Follow this link to see our most popular trip: 7-Day Machu Picchu Walking Vacation.

Are you looking for holiday deals for trips to Machu Picchu in 2023? CLICK HERE

The good news about Machu Picchu:

Machu Picchu is open every day of the year from 6 am to 5:30 pm.
there are 2 seasons: WET from late November to early April with plenty of sunshine possible. (wet does not mean monsoon rains) DRY season is perceived as the best time to visit the ruins, although rain is still possible. Temperatures are slightly cooler in the dry season by a couple of degrees.
temperatures are not extreme. Cusco temperatures average 65 F high / 42 F low year round with short spikes up to 70s F/25 C in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Year round variations are only 1-2 degrees each way.
since a limited number of entry tickets are now being sold for entry each hour, you're not likely to encounter the crowding (especially early morning,) that Machu Picchu was once famous for.
you can buy more than one ticket for entry on the same day as long as they are different kinds.
one-way circuits reduce the congestion and bottlenecks that once tormented visitors trying to explore the historical site
Permits for the 1-day Inca Trail hike typically don't sell out (but can sell out)
When Machu Picchu tickets are 100% sold out, we can use Inca Trail permits to get people in as long as we have 1 week advance notice. This is for a 2-day trip.
we cannot reserve or hold Inca Trail permits while you decide. It's first come, first serve until they sell out.
Follow this link to see statistics on where most visitors are coming from in 2023.
Single-use plastic water bottles discouraged in Machu Picchu. This is a good thing! But is the new rule being enforced? Follow this link to get more details.
It's to your advantage to buy entry tickets earlier than you plan to enter as close to the time printed on your ticket, as possible.
Once you're inside the ruins, they will not ask you to leave. Why do most tours last a maximum of 2-3 hours? Because all paths lead to the exit gate, visitors get tired, or they need to use the restroom. Follow this link to find out how to powder your nose at Machu Picchu.

The bad news about Machu Picchu:

due to altitude 8000 ft. / 2440 m. weather can change suddenly
only open during the daytime from 6 am - 5:30 pm
you cannot buy tickets at the main entry. Buy from an operator, online, or in person at the office in Cusco or Aguas Calientes.(In 2022 they started selling 1000 tickets in person in the village of Aguas Calientes.)
you cannot buy more than one of the same kind of ticket for entry on the same day
weather predictions and apps are not reliable. Always plan to carry rain gear even in the dry season.
Inca Trail is closed during the month of February. The only way to get to Machu Picchu is by train
early morning tends to be foggy/misty until burn off which can occur late morning
there is no daylight savings time. It gets dark about 5:30-6 pm. Machu Picchu is in the same time zone as New York city in the winter.
sunrise can be cloudy and misty. Best time of year to see sunrise is during the dry season (May - October)
permits for the 4-day Inca Trail hike sell out months in advance. Permits become available in October for the next year. Book early!
Each Machu Picchu ticket is valid for 1 entry. (unless you have tickets for the hikes to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, which allows you to enter for guided tour of the citadel before the hike)
Peru government Machu Picchu website sells tickets for entry at the main gate on the hour. There are 5600 tickets available per day
There's no refund for tickets for any reason. We have heard there is a process you can try if you want to transfer or change your tickets. If you have complications that delay your entry, you're at the mercy of the agent on duty in the office in Cusco or Aguas Calientes. If you have a licensed guide, he or she can assist.

The dirty, ugly secrets about Machu Picchu:

the only way to get to Machu Picchu is on foot by hiking the 4 day or 1 day Inca Trail and by train. There are no roads and you can't rent a car and drive there.
it is recommended you buy train tickets and entry tickets at the same time.
if you are even 1 minute late for entry to the one of the hikes inside the park, it is not likely you will be allowed to enter
access to the Classic view of Machu Picchu is only possible from the upper terraces.
The ever popular Huayna Picchu hike does not include access to the upper terrace. The hike is combined with access to lower circuits.
The entry time at the Llaqta main gate is one hour earlier than the entry time for tickets with hikes. (READ MORE HERE)
2020 Peru government launches new website and changes rules to enter Machu Picchu.
You cannot enter Machu Picchu main gate even 1 minute earlier than the time stamped on your entry ticket.
Your scheduled entry time now determines how early you can board the shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes. In the early morning, preference is given to people with tickets to enter at 6am or 7am. If you have an afternoon ticket? Just stay in bed if you're coming from a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
if you forget your passport, you cannot enter the ruins, or the Inca Trail hikes, or board the train. (always carry your passport for every activity)
you must present the passport you used to buy your ticket. If you renew your passport after buying tickets for anything, you need to travel with both the old and new passports.
strikes and protests can occur in places where they are most likely to interrupt access to Machu Picchu. This is viewed as the best way for local people to get attention for their cause. Tour operators keep their ears to the ground for advance warnings about anything that will interrupt movement of their groups.
Perurail trains now depart from San Pedro station located in city of Cusco. The next closest station is 30 minutes by car in Poroy.
Perurail and Incarail offer limited bi-modal service from Cusco city center, where most hotels are located, to the main train station in Ollantaytambo, which is 2 hours drive. Cost for private transfers by car vary from $10-$20 to Poroy and $50 -$90 to Ollantaytambo each way, depending on the size of your group.
Due to Machu Picchu entry tickets sometime selling out, there are 1000 tickets per day being sold in person in the village of Aguas Calientes. You go the day before and register, then wait in line. Then wait in line again. If they sell out, you may need to come back the next day. In otherwords, it's not easy unless you have a flexible schedule.
It's impossible to predict how long you can expect to wait in line for bus service to Machu Picchu main entry. It's best to allow time between your train arrival in Aguas Calientes and your entry time to Machu Picchu.
To get from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, there are 23 buses with capacity for 33 passengers each for transporting up to 1000 people per hour from 5am-8am daily. (this is only if all entry tickets are sold out. Does that ever happen? Yes in July and August and recently September, October (2023) See the stats here.
Bus agents in Aguas Calientes may boot you out of the line if your entry tickets to Machu Picchu are more than 1 hour from the time you want to board.

When is the best time to travel to Machu Picchu with lowest crowds and potential good weather?

I think November and early December meet this criteria the best. The exact beginning of the rainy season is unpredictable but is not likely to affect infrastructure and result in road and train closures and delays at that time of year. Delays are more likely to occur at the end of the rainy season after everything is saturated. Keep in mind that Perurail closes the Poroy station every year from January 1-April 30 to avoid delays due to mud slides and other weather related issues during the rainy season. (follow this link to read more about how you can benefit from this situation)

How does weather affect flights?

There's enough to say about this that we set up an entire blog post about "Adventures in Flying to Machu Picchu: Avoid These Mistakes"

Contact Adios Adventure Travel US office for information on Inca Trail permits, Machu Picchu entry tickets or for up to date travel information.