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PERU TRAVEL PLANNER
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When to go
Picking the best time to visit Peru's various regions is
complicated by the country's physical characteristics. Summer along the desert
coast more or less fits the expected image of the southern hemisphere -
extremely hot and sunny between December and March (especially in the north),
cooler and with a frequent hazy mist between April and November. Sometimes
though, in the polluted environs of Lima , the coastal winter can get cold
enough to require a sweater. Swimming is possible all year round, though the
water itself (thanks to the Humboldt Current) is cool-to-cold at the best of
times, except for the most northern beaches. To swim or surf for any length of
time south of Máncora , you'd need to follow local custom and wear a wetsuit.
Apart from the occasional shower over Lima it hardly ever rains in the desert.
The freak exception, every ten years or so, is when the shift in ocean currents
of El Niño causes torrential downpours, devastating crops, roads and communities
all down the coast. It last broke in 1998, and previous to that in 1983, both
times bringing with it the devastation to crops, bridges and any houses
constructed in or too close to apparently dry river beds.
In the Andes , the seasons are more clearly marked, with heavy rains from
December to March and a relatively dry period from June to September, when,
although it can be cold at night, it is certainly the best time for trekking and
most outward-bound activities. Some of the mountain rivers go up a few levels
for rafting and canoeing in the rainy season, but anyone serious about this
should contact the experts in the field for advice on planning an itinerary. And
of course, there are always a few sunny weeks in the rainy season and wet ones
in the dry. A similar pattern dominates much of the jungle , though rainfall
here is heavier and more frequent, and it's hot and humid all year round. The
lowland rainforest areas around Iquitos have a fairly consistent pattern of rain
and sun all year, but they are affected by rising or dropping water levels,
according to the rainy season or dry season in the mountains where the
headwaters starts. This means that water levels are higher between December and
January, which offers distinct advantages for spotting wildlife and access by
canoe to remote creeks.
At the risk of over-generalizing then, the coast should be visited around
January while it's hot, and the mountains and jungles are at their best after
the rains, from May until September, except for the Iquitos region. Since this
is unlikely to be possible on a single trip, there's little point in worrying
about it - the country's attractions are invariably enough to override the need
for guarantees of good weather
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Published articles and reviews about us
2009
Testimonials
Ajay
Parikh
Date:
Thu,16 Jul 2009
Hello all the folks at Peru Gateway Travel,
We had a fantastic time in Peru. We thank you all for making
our trip a success.
The only concern is that the accommodation in Cusco was below
average and we would not recommend the Emparada Plaza (?) to
anyone. Even though the staff was good, the room/bathroom,
breakfast was very bad.
Once again, thanks a lot for making our trip to your country a
memorable one. All the guides, especially Guillarmo in Lima
and Erica in Cusco, were excellent.
Kazuaki Kubo
Date:
Thu,16 Jul 2009
I want to thank
you and all of the staff of Peru Gateway Travel for the perfect
arrangement of my trip in June.
Everything was so fantastic and I was made to think about another
trip to Peru.
Sincerely, Denise Pratico
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
I am writing to let you know that we
enjoyed Peru very much. The city tour led by Marco was fantastic. We
will be happy to recommend your agency to other Americans
Jane
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
We have
completed our trip to Peru and are now back in New York City.
I want to thank you for all the arrangements you made. The
trip was wonderful and all our accommodations excellent. Thank
you for making our trip a success.
Best regards, Marcy
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
We arrived home at 4 o'clock in the
morning, very tired (we had a long lay-over in Amsterdam) but very
very happy. I am so pleased to tell you that our Peru vacation that
you planned for us was excellent! Everything was just as the
itinerary said it would be. We were very pleased with the hotels,
and the transfer people and guides were always there and everybody
was so nice and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about your very
exciting country and its history, particularly about the Quechua
culture. We will always remember the Inti Raymi festival in Cusco. I
am so glad we were able to see that. Of course Machu Picchu was also
a great highlight. And, Michael and I also very much liked Arequipa.
We didn't know much about that city, but we had a very great time
there on our free day and visited the cathedral, spent a lot of time
going through the Santa Catalina monastario and, of course, went to
the museum to see "Juanita". Beautiful architecture there too.
Really, every day was wonderful, and we would like to thank you so
much for all your efforts. Also please extend our thanks to Maria
Carmen who was so helpful on the phone and to Julia, who came to the
hotel our first night to explain many things to us and give us all
our tickets and vouchers. And perhaps you also had something to do
with our last night in Lima at the Libertador. We got a suite -- a
very big beautiful room! Thank you so much.
We wish you and your family all the best, and for sure we will be
recommending Peru Gateway Travel to our friends.
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