South America

Peru in February

The Inca Trail is closed all month for maintenance, and heavy rain can disrupt trains and trails elsewhere. Machu Picchu stays open; coastal Peru is at its sunny best.

Think twiceWettest month in the highlands, Cusco highs near 66F (19C)

Machu Picchu, Peru — PeruPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

February is a month to think twice about visiting Peru. The Inca Trail is closed all month for maintenance, and heavy rain can disrupt trains and trails elsewhere. Machu Picchu stays open; coastal Peru is at its sunny best.

Weather: Wettest month in the highlands, Cusco highs near 66F (19C)
Crowds: 1 of 5
Prices: 1 of 5

What February is like in Peru

February is the wettest month in the highlands, with Cusco highs near 66F (19C) and heavy rain that can disrupt trains and trails. The Inca Trail is closed all month for maintenance, every year. Machu Picchu itself stays open by train and bus, and crowds and prices hit their yearly low. On the coast, Lima is at its sunny best.

This is a month to avoid for a classic Andes trip, and certainly for trekking. If you must go, keep the plan to Lima plus a short, flexible Cusco and Machu Picchu visit. For dry trails and clear views, pick May, June or September.

Make the most of February

What is especially good about Peru this month.

Lima beach season

Coastal Peru is warm, sunny and lively, perfect for long lunches and the city's food scene.

Lowest prices

Hotels in Cusco and the Sacred Valley are at their cheapest, and Machu Picchu tickets are easy to get.

Salkantay as an option

The Inca Trail is closed, but alternatives like Salkantay may still run, weather permitting. Expect mud.

What to pack for February

A reliable rain jacket and rain pants
Waterproof boots
Warm layers for cold, wet evenings
Summer clothes and sunscreen for Lima

Our timing tip

Do not book the Inca Trail in February, since it is closed every year, and build two slack days around any Machu Picchu visit.

Book Peru for February.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Peru
Opens a hotel search for Peru in February, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for February
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Peru
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Peru
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Peru for February. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

Things to do in Peru

Full guide

Machu Picchu

Entry runs on timed tickets and fixed circuits, with daily caps; buy weeks or months ahead in high season. First-slot mornings and late afternoons are the calm ends of the day.

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The Inca Trail

The classic four-day approach through cloud forest and ruins to the Sun Gate. Permits are capped and sell out months ahead for May through September, and the trail closes every February.

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Cusco

The Inca capital wearing a baroque colonial shell: Qorikancha, the San Pedro market, and stone alleys at 11,150 feet. Arrive two days before any trek to acclimatize.

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The Sacred Valley

Pisac's market and ruins, Moray's crop-circle terraces, the Maras salt pans, and Ollantaytambo's fortress. Sleeping in the valley beats commuting from Cusco.

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A Salkantay or Lares trek

The great Inca Trail alternatives: higher and wilder on Salkantay, more village-based on Lares, with far easier booking and the same dry-season calendar.

Tickets and tours →

The Peruvian Amazon

Fly from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado for accessible lodges, or deeper via Iquitos. Warm and wet all year; dry-season months bring lower rivers and easier wildlife trails.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Aim for May or September: both sit inside the dry-weather window while dodging the June-through-August permit scramble and price peak.
At Machu Picchu, book the first morning entry or the final afternoon slots: the site breathes at the ends of the day, while late morning belongs to the train-tour wave.
Sleep in Aguas Calientes or Ollantaytambo the night before your visit rather than day-tripping from Cusco: you gain the quiet hours and lose the 4am bus panic.
Choose the Salkantay or Lares treks over the Inca Trail if permits are gone: comparable scenery, a fraction of the booking stress, and quieter campsites.

Know before you go

The Inca Trail closes for all of February, every year, for maintenance during the rains. Machu Picchu itself stays open year-round, reachable by train and bus, and alternative treks like Salkantay continue operating, weather permitting.
Machu Picchu runs on strict daily caps, timed entries, and defined walking circuits, with add-on peaks like Huayna Picchu capped even tighter: in high season, tickets must be secured weeks to months ahead, not at the gate.
Wet-season disruption is real but manageable: January through March can bring landslides that occasionally interrupt the rail line and close trails; build slack days around any rainy-season Machu Picchu visit.
Altitude is the invisible gatekeeper: Cusco sits at about 11,150 feet, higher than most visitors have ever slept. Plan two easy days before trekking, hydrate, and consider starting in the lower Sacred Valley.