Today, I am gone talk about the third-largest country in South America, Peru. Charming landscapes, historical background, delicious cuisine, and more attracts millions of people per year. The number of visitors was more than five million in 2019. However, what is the best time to visit Peru? If you want to find an answer to this question and more, then this blog is for you.
Peru Visa Policy
Let's firstly talk about the visa policy of Peru. Most people need a Peru visa travel to Peru. The country divides visa types into three main categories: short-term, long-term, and transit visa.
- Transit Visa. Yes, such as in most countries, you must have a visa, even if you are transiting from the territory of Peru. The transit visa is valid for 48 hours. Passengers who will board a plane within 24 hours do not need a visa.
- Short-stay Visa. People who want to realize short-term travels must get a Peru visa travel to Peru. Reasons to apply for a short-term visa are visiting family (friends), tourism, business trips, exchange programs, short-term work/ study, and numerous other temporary nuances. Regardless of the purpose of the visit, you must give a 30 USD application fee.
- Long-term visa. Regardless of your nationality, you need to get a long-term visa if you plan to stay for a long period in Peru. The main reasons to apply for this type of visa are working education and family reunion.
Such as in a short-term visa, you will need to pay a 30 USD visa application charge.
You will need the following documents during the application process (the list may vary depending on the applied type):
- Peru visa application form
- Passport
- Photo
- ID card copy
- Visa copy or residence permit
- Photocopies
- Certificate about marriage
- Health insurance
- Criminal record
- Evidence of accommodation
- Proof of having enough financial means
- Cover letter
- Documents for minors
Do I need a visa to visit Peru?
After getting general information about the visa policy of Peru, it is time to answer this question: do I need a visa to visit Peru? If you visit Peru for non-permanent reasons and if you are from the visa-except country, you don't need to have a visa. All other nationalities should get a proper visa for realizing their trip. How can I check the list of visa-free countries? You can get the complete list and more detailed information about the Peru visa via our website (Pickvisa.com). You just need to follow these steps:
- Enter services section of our website
- Choose your country of origin
- Choose the country that you want to travel
- Some of the countries on the visa-except country list are:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brunei Darussalam
- Czech Republic
- Dominican Republic
- Hong Kong
- Marshall Islands
- New Zealand
- Papua New Guinea
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- South Africa
- South Korea
Weather in Peru
Peru has one of the most diverse and complicated climates for tourists. You will find entirely different climatic conditions in the peaks, on the coast, and in the rainforest. So, it would be better to check the weather of the exact destination before visiting. Peru has two seasons rainy and dry. The rainy season lasts between December and March. Weather in Peru becomes wetter between January and February. When to visit Peru mountains? It would be better to visit mountainous areas during the dry seasons. During the rainy season, the peaks of the country are extremely cold. The dry seasons continue from April to October. During this period, people can enjoy friendly weather, sun, and clear skies.
What is the best time to visit Peru?
Tourists must choose the best time to visit Peru related to regions. We can divide the territory of Peru into three regions. They are Coast, Andean Mountains, and Rainforest areas. Each of these regions has unique weather conditions. So, you should take it into consideration before realizing your journey. So, let's check the details about each part to find the best time of the year to visit Peru.
Coast region
Fortunately, it does not rain much on a long coastal strip. Especially, Humboldt Current is very dry during the rainy season. During the winter, it is very rare to see rain in this area. In February, the temperature mostly changes between 26-28 degrees. If you want much warmer weather, you can go to the northern part, the coastal town of Chiclayo. Here, the temperature reaches 30 degrees during the daytime. Also, I should mention that the northern part is more humid.
So, when is the best time to visit Peru (coast)? If you want to enjoy the sun and summer vacation options, you should visit between January and April. Visiting during the period of May to September is the worst time.
Andean Mountains region
This part of the country is so popular among tourists. The main reason for fame is locations such as Cusco and Machu Picchu. Probably, most readers want to know the best time visit Peru Machu Picchu. First, let's get some general view about the weather of the Andean Mountains region. We can say that this region is cooler than the rest of Peru. Depending on the altitude of where you are temperature, changes between 12-25 degrees. For example, the temperature falls under 15 degrees above an altitude of 3,500 meters. If you want to reach the peak points of Peru, you can experience zero or below zero degrees at over 5,000 meters. So, the best time visit Peru Machu Picchu is the period from May to September. You should avoid visiting Machu Picchu and other locations in the area from October to April. It rains almost the whole month during this time.
Rainforest region
This part of the country is the place where you will find some unique places and features. The largest town in the world that is not accessible by road is here, in the Rainforest region. The name of that city is Iquitos. Being located on the riverside of the mighty Amazon river makes Iquitos one of the most attractive locations in Peru. That is why it is crucial to know the best time of the year to visit Peru, Iquitos.
Firstly, let's talk about the climate. Actually, the east part of the country has a hot, tropical, and humid climate. The temperature is stable at 25 degrees. The region is very rainy between October and March (almost 19 rainy days for each month). So, visiting the Rainforest region from May to September will be the best choice. This period is also known as a Peruvian winter.
The cheapest time to visit Peru
Besides the weather, there are some other crucial nuances, and money is one of them. When to visit Peru? While answering this question, we must examine some details. For example, if you want to buy a ticket for a reasonable price, we can advise the off-season (late October to mid-December and from mid-January through April). Moreover, keep in mind that weekend flight tickets are more expensive than other days. So, take this detail into consideration while buying the flight ticket. What about crowdedness? If you don't like the crowd and the hustle and bustle, you can plan your voyage for October to April. People who want both affordable prices and fewer people can travel to Peru during these months: April to June or late September to October.
Reasons to visit Peru
We have mentioned some brilliant climate details for people who want to visit Peru. However, what about the people who can't decide? What are the reasons for visiting Peru? There are plenty of reasons to visit Peru. I have already mentioned some of the reasons above, but let's get more.
• The cuisine
One of the main reasons to travel to Peru is delicious cuisine. It is always fun to taste something new. Tasting new flavors become more exciting when there is a mix of different cultures. Yes, there is the dominance of cooking traditions of Inca and other indigenous people, but you will see some European/Asian touches, too. Some of the meals that all guests must try are Ceviche, Lomo Saltado, Aji de Gallina, Papas a la Huancaína, Cuy, Rocoto Relleno, Anticuchos de Corazón, etc.
● Places to visit Peru
Furthermore, there are plenty of locations to see. Some of them are the heritage of ancient times, and some are evidence of modern Peruvian culture. While visiting ancient Inca towns and temples, you will feel like a traveler in time. You will get a chance to go back in time to the 13 century, before the Spanish conquer. Some places to visit Peru are the Inca Trail, Cusco's Architectural Treasures, Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon, Nazca Lines, The Sacred Valley, Arequipa's Historical City Center, etc.
• Diverse biodiversity
Another reason to visit Peru is its rich flora and fauna. The country has one of the richest biodiversities in the world. Peru belongs to the elite group of mega-diverse countries thanks to the Andes, Amazon rainforest, and the Pacific Ocean. There are more than 1,800 kinds of birds, 500 mammal species, and more than 300 reptile kinds. Undoubtedly, nature lovers will fall in love with Peru.
