Cuzco Geography and Climate

Cusco Geography

Cuzco is nestled in the Huatanay river valley high in the Andes mountain range at a whopping 3,300 meters (10,800 ft). It is surrounded by rough and rocky mountainous terrain and is close to the Urabamba Valley, or the Sacred Valley, which was an important center of agriculture for the Incas. To fully appreciate the surrounding geography of Cusco, taking a flight into the city gives absolutely jaw-dropping views of the snow capped Ausangate and Salkantay mountains along with the entire Andes range stretching far to the North; make sure to sit on the side of the plane with north facing windows in order to catch this unforgettable picture of Cuzco’s geography. Buses to the city also give spectacular views.

Cusco Climate

The Peruvian Andes and Amazon have 2 main seasons: the rainy season and the dry season. The rainy season is during winter from October and April, with the dry season generally running over summer between May and September.

During the dry season rain is virtually non existent and Cuzco basks in sunshine and blue skies during daylight hours. The minute the sun disappears, however, Cuzco becomes bitterly cold, so be sure to pack some warm clothes. During the winter dry season, temperatures can run from anywhere between -1º C at night to the early 20º’s C during the day.

Precipitation can reach as much as 163 mm in January (midsummer) spanning over an average of 18 wet days. The wet season sees little change in temperature, although nights are not so cold and will rarely drop below 6ºC.

Not surprisingly the dry season is the best time to travel to Cuzco and conveniently this coincides with summer holidays in Europe and North America. Consequentially this is the busiest time of year (outside of Christmas) and the tourist high season so those looking for more peace and quiet may want to consider travel to Cuzco on other dates.