Month guide · Lima · Peru
Lima in May
What May is really like in Lima: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Velvet, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 22°C (72°F), lows of 17°C (63°F), about 1 rainy days and roughly 11.6 hours of daylight. Cooler, with grey skies starting to dominate; a good time to combine Lima with dry-season Cusco.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 22°C (72°F) / 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days
- About 1
- Daylight
- About 11.6 hours
- Sea temperature
- 18°C (64°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 6th-warmest month in Lima: days average 22°C (72°F) against a yearly average high of 22°C (72°F), and nights fall to about 17°C (63°F). Rain falls on roughly 1 of its 31 days. Compared with April (24°C (75°F)), May is cooler; by June highs drop to around 20°C (68°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:17
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:51
- Daylight
- About 11.6 hours
- Sea
- 18°C (64°F)
Winter (June–September). Cool, damp and overcast under the garúa mist, with drizzle but almost no real rain; peak season for Cusco travellers passing through.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is January at 4) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in January). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Lima, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Experience · Miraflores
Paragliding over Miraflores
Flights depend on wind; go in the afternoon, when conditions are usually best.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Expensive
- Active
- Views
- Couples
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Landmark · Historic Centre
Plaza Mayor
Lima's main square, where Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535, is lined by the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace with its carved wooden balconies, the Government Palace and the City Hall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Religious site · Historic Centre
Monastery of San Francisco
Visits are by guided tour; join one in English and allow time to wait for the next group at busy times.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Pueblo Libre
Larco Museum
Set in an 18th-century mansion built over a pre-Columbian pyramid, the Larco Museum displays a superb collection of ancient Peruvian ceramics, gold and silver, textiles and its famous gallery of erotic pottery.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 22°C, lows near 17°C and 1 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Lima?
A shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, December–April are better overall. Compare every month.
Lima in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Lima?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cooler, with grey skies starting to dominate; a good time to combine Lima with dry-season Cusco.
+How warm is Lima in May?
Average highs are around 22°C (72°F) and lows around 17°C (63°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Lima in May?
Expect rain on about 1 days of the month, so it is usually dry.