Cusco · Peru
August
Second peak month — still superb weather, still peak prices; consider September instead for identical conditions with fewer visitors.
Strong option
#7 of 12 months
There are better months for Cusco — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
20°C
Low
4°C
Rain
23mm
Sun
8hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How August scores in Cusco
Weather
Outstanding
Value
Low
Crowds
Low
Events
Good
Atmosphere
Very good
What you gain in August
- ↑Near-identical weather to July: 23mm rainfall, 8.0 sunshine hours, and clear skies across virtually every day — the dry season remains in full effect
- ↑Slightly easier to get Machu Picchu timed-entry tickets than in July, particularly for late August — the absolute peak begins to ease
- ↑Inca Trail permits for August are sold out well in advance but alternative treks (Salkantay, Lares, Choquequirao) operate in perfect conditions
What you sacrifice
- ↓Hotel prices remain at their annual peak; August is still firmly high season and the discounts of September have not yet arrived
- ↓Machu Picchu crowd levels are essentially identical to July — the site is managed at capacity and a truly uncrowded experience is not available at any price point
- ↓Inca Trail Classic permits have been sold out for months — any booking at this stage will be for an alternative trail
How August compares to May (best month)
| Factor | August | May ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 9 | 9 |
| Value | 2 | 6 |
| Crowds | 2 | 6 |
August in other destinations
Lisbon (26.5°C)Barcelona (28.6°C)Tokyo (32.1°C)Bali (29.9°C)Santorini (26°C)Paris (24.3°C)New York (27.7°C)Marrakech (35.8°C)Amsterdam (21.4°C)Maldives (30.3°C)Rome (30.4°C)Bangkok (31.5°C)Istanbul (28°C)Vienna (25.9°C)Seoul (29°C)Dubrovnik (28.5°C)Rio de Janeiro (25.9°C)Kyoto (33.7°C)Phuket (31.3°C)Cape Town (17.2°C)Prague (26°C)Amalfi Coast (31°C)Mexico City (23°C)Medellín (29°C)Fiji (26°C)London (24°C)Sydney (18°C)Iceland (14°C)Tulum (33°C)Dubai (42°C)Singapore (32°C)Hoi An (33°C)Chiang Mai (31°C)Miami (33.3°C)Florence (31.8°C)Queenstown (9°C)Madrid (35.2°C)Porto (27°C)Edinburgh (19°C)Copenhagen (22°C)Budapest (28°C)Kraków (24°C)Tbilisi (31°C)Palawan (30°C)Hanoi (32°C)Osaka (34°C)Goa (30°C)Buenos Aires (15°C)Mykonos (30°C)Zanzibar (26°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Cusco, not across destinations. Methodology →