South America

Peru in March

The trail reopens and the landscape is at maximum green. Still gamble-y for trekking early in the month; improving fast by the end.

TradeoffsRains easing late month, Cusco highs near 67F (19C)

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

The straight answer

March is a month of real tradeoffs in Peru. The trail reopens and the landscape is at maximum green. Still gamble-y for trekking early in the month; improving fast by the end.

Weather: Rains easing late month, Cusco highs near 67F (19C)
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What March is like in Peru

March is a turning month. Rains ease toward the end, Cusco highs sit near 67F (19C), and the Inca Trail reopens after its February closure. The landscape is at its greenest. Trekking is still a gamble early in the month but improves quickly by the end. Semana Santa, the week before Easter, can fall in March in some years.

It suits budget travelers and flexible hikers who can aim for late March. Crowds and prices are still low. If you want dependable dry weather for the Inca Trail, wait for May, when the dry season arrives.

Make the most of March

What is especially good about Peru this month.

Inca Trail reopens

The trail returns after its February maintenance break, and permits are far easier to get than in summer.

Peak green

The mountains and valleys are lush and dramatic, with waterfalls still flowing.

Semana Santa processions

When Holy Week falls in March, Cusco and Ayacucho fill with moving processions. It is also a busy domestic travel week.

What to pack for March

A rain jacket and quick-dry layers
Waterproof hiking boots
Warm fleece for cool nights
Sunscreen and a sun hat

Our timing tip

Book any trek for the last week of March, when the odds of dry days improve sharply.

Book Peru for March.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Peru
Opens a hotel search for Peru in March, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for March
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 March. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in March

Semana Santa

The week before Easter, dates vary year to year

Holy Week processions fill Cusco and, most famously, Ayacucho. Moving to witness, and a peak domestic travel week.

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.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

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.

Tickets and tours →

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.

Tickets and tours →

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.

Peru in March, quick answers

Is March a good time to visit Peru?

March is a month of real tradeoffs in Peru. The trail reopens and the landscape is at maximum green. Still gamble-y for trekking early in the month; improving fast by the end.

What is the weather like in Peru in March?

Rains easing late month, Cusco highs near 67F (19C).

Is Peru crowded in March?

March is one of the quieter months in Peru; most sights can be done without long waits.

What is happening in Peru in March?

Semana Santa (the week before easter, dates vary year to year).