One of the things that you must keep in mind before planning your trip is about how will be the Inca Trail weather during the dates of your trip.
The climatic conditions that we can find along the Inca trail are widely variable, mountaineers will cross different places, environments and altitudes, which influence considerably into the weather temperature.
With the aim of helping travelers we have made a chart with annual meteorological data of Inca Trail and the city of Machu Picchu. Through the analysis of these data, we can obtain conclusions that allow us to figure out the best time of the year to trek the Inca Trail.
Inca Trail weather forecast
| INCA TRAIL | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
| Weather | R | R | N | N | S | S | S | S | S | S | N | |
|
Day temperature |
18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| Night temperature | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Rainfall | 142 | 114 | 102 | 41 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 48 | 66 | 107 |
| Machu Picchu | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
| Weather | R | R | R | N | S | S | S | S | S | N | N | N |
| Day temperature | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 |
| Night temperature | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| Rainfall | 428 | 364 | 298 | 121 | 24 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 54 | 119 | 218 | 317 |
Generally, temperatures are mild and moderate during all months of the year. There is a period between November and March in which the rains are more frequent. This fact will possibly make the road become a mud, increasing the difficulty to finish it. After performing a monthly segmentation to analyze the inca trail weather forecast we obtain the following data to organize our trip:
A) The months where there are periods of heavy rain are those corresponding to January and March. It is necessary to remember that during the month of February the road is closed due to reasons of cleaning and maintenance.
B) The months of April, November and December are good options to make the trip, as we will enjoy mild and pleasant temperatures during the day, although there is a sudden drop in temperatures during the night. Heavy rainstorms usually take place in this season, so it is advisable to wear waterproof clothing and footwear. Here you can check a Inca Trail Packing List.
C) From our point of view, the best option to trek the Inca Trail is during the months included between May and October. Hikers will enjoy a mild climate both in the day and at night (alternating temperatures between 21º and 0º). Besides that are months where there is little rainfall. This does not imply the total absence of rainfall. When walking through typical rainforest environments, it sometimes rains with great intensity for a few minutes, to later show an open and sunny sky.
What is the best time to trek inca trail
As we have previously pointed out, in our opinion the best months to trek the Inca trail are those between May and October. During other months the temperatures are equally warm but we are in stations with high probability of rains. Taking into account these aspects and your preferences of climatology you can decide which dates seem more optimal. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help.