Explore. Experience. Engage.
Peru
Planning a Trip to Peru
- 9 Places You Haven't Visited -- But Should
- International Foods to Try Before You Die
- 12 Places That Shine in Shoulder Season
Peru on a Budget
Peru is a decently budget-friendly country, with a large cottage industry of hostels and campsites catering to the many backpackers who come to visit the jungle and/or hike the Inca trail. The majority of visitors come to Peru in July and August -- so avoiding those months will save you money. Places with significant tourist infrastructure, like Cuzco, gateway city to the Inca Trail, offer plenty of over-priced dining venues, so try to find where the locals eat. The bus system can be a cheap way to get around -- but patience (and possibly a motion sickness pill) is a virtue. Be careful when considering certain budget busters, like taking a flight over the famed Nazca lines.
Best Time to Go to Peru
Roughly speaking, the best time to go to Peru is in May or September -- what amounts to the shoulders around the country's "dry" season. Peru's weather can be roughly split into wet season (November - April) and dry season (May to October), but there is regional variance depending on whether you're hiking the highlands (Andes), visiting the Amazon jungle or on the more desert-like coast, which includes Lima. During the dry season in the Amazon basin, the mosquito annoyance quotient reaches its nadir. Meanwhile, Inca trail trekkers will find that the dry season offers the clearest, warmest weather for wandering the landscape and ruins (it still can get to near freezing at night at higher elevations).