Picking the best time to visit Peru's various
regions is complicated by the country's physical
characteristics. Summer along the desert coast
more or less fits the expected image of the
southern hemisphere - extremely hot and sunny
between December and March (especially in the
north), cooler and with a frequent hazy mist
between April and November. Sometimes though, in
the polluted environs of Lima , the coastal
winter can get cold enough to require a sweater.
Swimming is possible all year round, though the
water itself (thanks to the Humboldt Current) is
cool-to-cold at the best of times, except for
the most northern beaches. To swim or surf for
any length of time south of Máncora , you'd need
to follow local custom and wear a wetsuit. Apart
from the occasional shower over Lima it hardly
ever rains in the desert. The freak exception,
every ten years or so, is when the shift in
ocean currents of El Niño causes torrential
downpours, devastating crops, roads and
communities all down the coast. It last broke in
1998, and previous to that in 1983, both times
bringing with it the devastation to crops,
bridges and any houses constructed in or too
close to apparently dry river beds.
In the Andes , the seasons are more clearly
marked, with heavy rains from December to March
and a relatively dry period from June to
September, when, although it can be cold at
night, it is certainly the best time for
trekking and most outward-bound activities. Some
of the mountain rivers go up a few levels for
rafting and canoeing in the rainy season, but
anyone serious about this should contact the
experts in the field for advice on planning an
itinerary. And of course, there are always a few
sunny weeks in the rainy season and wet ones in
the dry. A similar pattern dominates much of the
jungle , though rainfall here is heavier and
more frequent, and it's hot and humid all year
round. The lowland rainforest areas around
Iquitos have a fairly consistent pattern of rain
and sun all year, but they are affected by
rising or dropping water levels, according to
the rainy season or dry season in the mountains
where the headwaters starts. This means that
water levels are higher between December and
January, which offers distinct advantages for
spotting wildlife and access by canoe to remote
creeks.
At the risk of over-generalizing then, the coast
should be visited around January while it's hot,
and the mountains and jungles are at their best
after the rains, from May until September,
except for the Iquitos region. Since this is
unlikely to be possible on a single trip,
there's little point in worrying about it - the
country's attractions are invariably enough to
override the need for guarantees of good weather
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