The best time to visit Machu Picchu is the dry season, from May to September. According to Peru’s weather service, SENAMHI, June is the driest month at Machu Picchu, with about 51 mm (2 in) of rain, against 341 mm (13.4 in) in January and March. For dry weather with fewer people, aim for May or the first half of June, before the official high season begins (on 19 June in 2026); September is dry too, but it falls in high season. The citadel is open all year, including February, when only the Inca Trail closes.
- 51 mmof rain in June, the driest month, against 341 mm in January and March (SENAMHI, 1991–2020).
- 5,600 / 4,500visitors allowed per day in high season / the rest of the year (RM 000285-2025-MC).
- 6:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.hourly entry times at the gate; every ticket is for one time and one route.
Machu Picchu weather by month
These are the official climate normals (1991–2020) of SENAMHI for its Machu Picchu station, at 2,399 m (7,871 ft), close to the level of the citadel (2,430 m / 7,972 ft). Temperatures barely change through the year. What changes is the rain.
| Month | Rain | Average high / low | Season and crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 341 mm (13.4 in) | 20.6 / 11.8 °C (69 / 53 °F) | Rainy; regular season except 1 January |
| February | 325 mm (12.8 in) | 20.6 / 11.9 °C (69 / 53 °F) | Rainy; regular season; Inca Trail closed, citadel open |
| March | 341 mm (13.4 in) | 21.0 / 11.9 °C (70 / 53 °F) | Rainy; busier in Holy Week (21–28 March 2027) |
| April | 184 mm (7.2 in) | 21.5 / 11.7 °C (71 / 53 °F) | Rain fading, green hills; Easter days were high season in 2026 |
| May | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 21.9 / 10.8 °C (71 / 51 °F) | Dry; regular season; Corpus Christi in Cusco, 27 May 2027 |
| June | 51 mm (2.0 in) | 22.0 / 10.0 °C (72 / 50 °F) | Driest month; high season from 19 June (2026); Inti Raymi, 24 June 2027 |
| July | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 22.1 / 9.4 °C (72 / 49 °F) | Dry, coolest nights; high season; Peru’s national holidays, 28–29 July |
| August | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 23.1 / 10.0 °C (74 / 50 °F) | Dry; high season |
| September | 76 mm (3.0 in) | 23.4 / 11.1 °C (74 / 52 °F) | Mostly dry, warmest days; high season |
| October | 163 mm (6.4 in) | 22.8 / 11.5 °C (73 / 53 °F) | Showers return, mostly in the afternoon; still high season |
| November | 173 mm (6.8 in) | 22.8 / 12.0 °C (73 / 54 °F) | Rainy season starts; high season ended on 2 November in 2026 |
| December | 275 mm (10.8 in) | 21.2 / 12.0 °C (70 / 54 °F) | Rainy; 30–31 December are high season |
Rain and temperatures: SENAMHI climate normals 1991–2020, Machu Picchu station (annual total about 2,116 mm). Season dates: the official 2026 calendar; the 2027 calendar had not been published by mid-October 2026. Averages are typical conditions, not forecasts.
Two things stand out. Machu Picchu is not cold: average highs stay at 21–23 °C (69–74 °F) and lows at 9–12 °C (49–54 °F) all year, about 970 m (3,180 ft) lower than Cusco. And the rainy season is serious: from December to March the station records 275–341 mm a month, more than double the 140–150 mm that several travel sites quote for February or March. Showers can come in any month, even July.
Machu Picchu month by month: which season fits you
- May to mid-JuneOur favorite window for the citadel: 51–73 mm of rain, clear mornings and, in 2026, the lower daily cap of the regular season until 18 June.
- Mid-June to AugustThe driest, sunniest weeks and the busiest: Inti Raymi in Cusco, US summer vacations and Peru’s national holidays all fall here. This is also when the extra seasonal routes open.
- September and OctoberSeptember is still dry (76 mm) with the warmest days of the year. In October the rain doubles to 163 mm, but the Ministry still counts it as high season, so don’t expect it to be quiet.
- November to AprilThe green season. November and April get about half the rain of January or March and are easy compromises. December to March is wet, with fewer people except at Christmas, New Year and Holy Week.
Crowds and the official high season
The Ministry of Culture caps daily visitors. Under Ministerial Resolution 000285-2025-MC, the limit is 5,600 people a day in high season and 4,500 the rest of the year, and according to Peru’s state news agency Andina, 1,000 of those tickets are sold each day in person in Machu Picchu town. The cap goes up when demand peaks, so “high season” is a good guide to when the site is busiest.
| Season | Dates in 2026 | Daily cap | Routes you can buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| High season | 1 January · 2–5 April · 19 June – 2 November · 30–31 December | 5,600 | All 10 routes, including the seasonal 1-C Sun Gate, 1-D Inca Bridge, 3-C Great Cavern and 3-D Huchuy Picchu |
| Regular season | The rest of the year | 4,500 | The 6 year-round routes, including Huayna Picchu (3-A) and Machu Picchu Mountain (1-A) |
Capacity and dates: RM 000285-2025-MC, as reported by Andina. Seasonal routes: official Machu Picchu website. The 2027 dates and capacity are normally set by ministerial resolution at the end of the previous year.
High season has one real advantage if you arrive by train: it is the only time you can buy the Sun Gate (1-C) or Inca Bridge (1-D) routes, or climb Huchuy Picchu. Our guide to the Machu Picchu circuits explains what each of the 10 routes covers. Within any day, the morning time slots and the classic postcard routes are the first to go.
Tickets and Huayna Picchu: how far ahead, by season
Every visit needs a named ticket for a date, time and route. From what we see booking tickets for our travelers each season: for June to August, Easter and Inti Raymi week, buy as soon as your dates are fixed, ideally 2–3 months ahead, and 3–4 months ahead for Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. For April–May and September–October, 1–2 months is usually enough (2–3 for the mountains), and from November to March, 2–4 weeks. Tickets for 2027 are expected to go on sale around October–November 2026. Prices, the official platform and the buying steps are in our Machu Picchu tickets guide.
Huayna Picchu (route 3-A) runs all year, but the season changes the climb: in the rainy months wet rock makes every section harder and the summit is often in cloud. Maintenance can also close it, as in June 2026, when the Ministry renewed its handrails. Read is Huayna Picchu dangerous? before you choose. It is a separate ticket (S/200 for foreign adults in 2026); added to one of our tours, it costs US$80.
Machu Picchu in February: the citadel is open
A common mix-up: every February the Inca Trail closes for maintenance, but Machu Picchu does not. In 2026 SERNANP, Peru’s protected-areas service, closed the Inca Trail routes for the whole month and reopened them on 1 March, while the citadel kept receiving visitors by train. If you only have February, you can still go:
- 325 mmof rain on average, so expect showers on most days and clouds over the mountains.
- Regular seasonthe lower daily cap, and tickets are much easier to get: a few weeks ahead is usually enough.
- Plan Bbook a morning entry and, if you can, sleep in Machu Picchu town so a wet morning doesn’t ruin a rushed day trip.
Want to hike in the wet months? That is a different question, with its own rules and closures: see the Inca Trail in the rainy season and the February closure.
Morning or afternoon: which entry time to choose
According to the Ministry of Culture’s entry schedule, tickets are sold for hourly entry times from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and most routes allow up to about 2.5 hours inside. On Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and Huchuy Picchu the checkpoints allow no late arrival at all. How to pick your slot:
| Entry time | Dry season (May–Sept) | Rainy season (Nov–Mar) | What it takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00–8:00 a.m. | Clear mornings are typical; cool air, so bring a sweater | Your best chance before the afternoon rain, though clouds may sit in the valleys | A night in Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes) |
| 9:00 a.m.–noon | The most requested hours; book early | Often still dry | Possible on a day trip only with an early train |
| 1:00–3:00 p.m. | Warmest part of the day; sunscreen | Showers are most likely in the afternoon | The usual slot for day trips from Cusco |
Entry hours: Ministry of Culture schedule. Weather patterns: typical conditions from our guides’ experience, not forecasts.
The timing of the trip decides the slot more than people expect. The train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes takes about 2 hours, and we leave 1.5–2 hours between its arrival and your entry time, so a day trip from Cusco usually means a late-morning or afternoon visit. In the rainy months, that is a good reason to sleep below the citadel and enter early.
What to wear and pack for Machu Picchu
With highs around 21–23 °C and lows around 10 °C, the answer is layers: a T-shirt, long pants, a sweater or fleece for an early entry and a light jacket. Then add what each season asks for:
- All yearrain gear (showers happen even in the dry season), sunscreen and a hat (the sun is strong at this altitude), insect repellent, a water bottle and your original passport, which must match your ticket.
- Dry seasona warm layer for 6:00–8:00 a.m. that fits in your daypack once the sun is out.
- Rainy seasona proper rain jacket or poncho, quick-drying pants, a plastic bag for your phone and spare socks for the train back.
- Shoessneakers or light hiking shoes with good grip; hard-soled shoes are not allowed, and grip matters on wet stone.
- Leave behindlarge bags, tripods and drones. Walking sticks are only for visitors who need them, with rubber tips. There is a luggage storage outside the gate.
Our recommendation, and how to plan it
- First visit, best odds of good weather: May or the first half of June.
- You want the Sun Gate or Inca Bridge without hiking: high season, mid-June to early November.
- Huayna Picchu: May to September for dry steps, with the ticket bought 3–4 months ahead.
- Fewer people and flexible dates: April or November, or January to March if you don’t mind rain (avoid the holiday weeks).
- You would rather walk in: the hiking calendar is different; see the best time to hike the Inca Trail.
Short on time? Our Machu Picchu day trip from Cusco includes trains, the bus, your entrance and a guide, from US$295. For an early entry, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour spends the night in Aguas Calientes and visits the citadel the next morning. Arriving on foot? Check live dates on our Inca Trail availability page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Machu Picchu?
What is the rainiest month at Machu Picchu?
Is Machu Picchu open in February?
When is high season at Machu Picchu?
Is it better to visit Machu Picchu in the morning or the afternoon?
How cold is Machu Picchu?
When should I book Huayna Picchu?
About the author
Raquel Sánchez co-founded Terra Quechua Peru in Cusco in 2012 together with Edwin Medina, both with extensive trekking experience. She writes our Inca Trail guides from the day-to-day work of securing permits and organizing every departure with our guides, cooks and porters.