Season guide · Cusco · Peru
Cusco in the shoulder season
April and October: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Pavel Špindler, CC BY 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Mostly dry with occasional showers, green landscapes in April and fewer crowds. Expect highs up to 21°C (70°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F), with about 28 rainy days across April and October. May–September are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- April and October
- Temperatures
- 0°C (32°F) to 21°C (70°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 28
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the shoulder season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April | 20°C (68°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 8 | 11.8 h | 3/5 |
| May | 20°C (68°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 3 | 11.5 h | 4/5 |
| June | 19°C (66°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 1 | 11.3 h | 5/5 |
| July | 19°C (66°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 1 | 11.4 h | 5/5 |
| August | 20°C (68°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 2 | 11.7 h | 5/5 |
| September | 21°C (70°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 5 | 12 h | 4/5 |
| October | 21°C (70°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 8 | 12.4 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 20°C (68°F) against a yearly 20°C (68°F), and 28 of the year's roughly 101 rainy days fall in these 7 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the shoulder season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- April: Semana Santa (March or April)
- May: Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage in the mountains (late May or June)
- June: Inti Raymi — Inca festival of the sun at Sacsayhuamán (24 June)
- June: Corpus Christi (May or June)
- July: Virgen del Carmen festival in Paucartambo (around 16 July)
- July: Fiestas Patrias — Independence holidays (28–29 July)
- August: Pachamama offerings — traditional Mother Earth ceremonies (August)
Good choices for the shoulder season
Museum · Historic Centre
Museo de Arte Precolombino (MAP)
A compact, high-quality museum for an hour on a rainy afternoon; the courtyard restaurant is a calm place for lunch.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Historic Centre
Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco
This non-profit centre on Avenida El Sol works with weaving communities around Cusco.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Religious site · Historic Centre
Cusco Cathedral
Use the audio guide to find the Last Supper painting and the Señor de los Temblores, Cusco's patron crucifix.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Historic Centre
Qorikancha and Santo Domingo
The Inca Empire's most important temple, dedicated to the sun god Inti, was once covered with sheets of gold.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Day trips in the shoulder season
- Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) (About 3 hours each way by road) — Mineral-striped slopes of red, yellow and turquoise rise above 5,000 metres in the Andes southeast of Cusco.
- Humantay Lake (About 3 hours each way by road) — A turquoise glacial lake at about 4,200 metres below the snow-capped Humantay peak, reached by a steep 1.5-hour hike from Soraypampa.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the shoulder season a good time to visit Cusco?
Yes: May–September are among the best months. Mostly dry with occasional showers, green landscapes in April and fewer crowds.
+What is the weather like in Cusco in the shoulder season?
Highs of up to 21°C (70°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F), with about 28 rainy days over the season.