Peru in March: Weather, Crowds and Festivals

The noon mass ends on Holy Monday in Cusco, and the cathedral doors open. The dark figure of the Lord of the Earthquakes comes out on the shoulders of his bearers, and red ñucchu petals rain down on him from every side of the Plaza de Armas. Above the rooftops the hills are as green as they get all year, and the clouds are already stacking up for the afternoon shower.

Short answer: Yes, for green landscapes and few people. March is the end of the rainy season: Cusco gets 3.8 in (97 mm) of rain over about 16 days, Machu Picchu 13.4 in (341 mm). The Inca Trail reopens on 1 March. Lima is still sunny near 80°F (26.7°C). Holy Week falls on 21 to 28 March in 2027.

March is the month the Andes start to dry out, slowly. The first half feels like February. The second half often brings longer dry spells, and the hills are the greenest of the year. The Inca Trail is open again, the citadel is still quiet, and the coast stays in summer. Below are the numbers, the dates and a route built from our packages. To compare months, read the best time to visit Peru and our guide to the best time to visit Machu Picchu.

Peru weather in March, region by region

March is the last rainy month in the Andes and the last summer month on the coast. The SENAMHI 1991 to 2020 climate normals in the table show the rain still falling in Cusco while Lima stays dry.

Peru in March: weather, crowds and what to do by region

Place	High (°F / °C)	Low (°F / °C)	Rain (in / mm)	Rain days	Crowds	What to do
Cusco and the Sacred Valley	69 / 20.4	44 / 6.8	3.8 / 97	about 16	Low, busy in Holy Week	Green valley, Holy Monday procession
Machu Picchu	70 / 21	53 / 11.9	13.4 / 341	No official count	Low, 4,500 a day	Mid-morning entry, Inca Trail open
Lake Titicaca (Puno)	60 / 15.6	42 / 5.5	4.6 / 116	No official count	Low	Uros and Taquile on calm mornings
Lima	80 / 26.7	69 / 20.6	under 0.1 / 0.4	under 1 (drizzle)	Medium, beach season ending	Last beach weeks, food
Ica and Huacachina	92 / 33.4	64 / 17.8	under 0.1 / 1.2	almost none	Busy around the Vendimia	Vendimia, dunes, Ballestas

Cusco and the Sacred Valley in March

Cusco averages a high of 69°F (20.4°C) and a low of 44°F (6.8°C) in March, with 3.8 in (97 mm) of rain over about 16 days, down from about 20 in January. Rain still comes most afternoons. The difference is that more mornings stay dry for longer, and late March sometimes hands you a full week of sun.

This is the month for photographers who like green. The terraces of Pisac, Moray and Ollantaytambo are at their brightest, and the corn in the valley stands taller than you. Rainbow Mountain is still hit and miss, since cloud often sits on the ridge until April.

Machu Picchu in March

Machu Picchu averages 70°F (21°C) by day and 53°F (11.9°C) at night in March, with 13.4 in (341 mm) of rain, as wet as January in the SENAMHI normals. The site is open every day with the low-season limit of 4,500 visitors a day (as of the 2026 calendar). That calendar marked the Easter days of 2026, 2 to 5 April, as high season with 5,600. In 2027 Easter falls on 28 March, and the Ministerio de Cultura had not published the 2027 calendar when we checked, so expect the Easter high-season days to move with it.

Trains from Cusco usually still run as the bus and train service while Poroy stays closed, which lasts until about April. Take a mid-morning entry so the cloud has time to lift, carry a rain shell and keep a buffer before your flight.

The Inca Trail reopens on 1 March

The Inca Trail reopens after the February maintenance, on 1 March for the current year (as of January 2026, Andina). Early March means mud, fresh repairs on the stone steps and cloud on the passes. The upside is permits, which are much easier to get than for May to August. Read our Inca Trail permits guide for the rules.

Lake Titicaca in March

Puno averages a high of 60°F (15.6°C), a low of 42°F (5.5°C) and 4.6 in (116 mm) of rain in March. The lake is at its fullest after the rains, the fields along the shore are green, and the storms ease toward the end of the month. Go out to the Uros and Taquile in the morning, when the water is calm and the reed boats glide instead of rocking.

Lima and the coast in March

Lima still has summer weather in March, with highs of 80°F (26.7°C), lows of 69°F (20.6°C) and practically no rain. Ica reaches 92°F (33.4°C), its hottest month of the year. Ica's grape harvest festival, the Vendimia, takes place in March. The 2026 edition in Ica ran from 7 to 13 March, according to La República and Libero. The 2027 dates were not published when we checked.

Festivals and holidays in March

Holy Week in Cusco, 21 to 28 March 2027

Easter falls on 28 March 2027, which puts Holy Week in March. Holy Thursday (25 March 2027) and Good Friday (26 March 2027) are national holidays. In Cusco the big day is Holy Monday (22 March 2027). The Señor de los Temblores, the Lord of the Earthquakes, leaves the cathedral after the noon mass and is carried around the Plaza de Armas while families throw red ñucchu flowers, as Andina describes. The devotion dates from the earthquake of 1650. On Good Friday many families sit down to a meal of twelve dishes. Hotels and trains fill around Easter, because Peruvian families travel too.

Ica's Vendimia harvest festival

See the coast section above. It suits travelers already doing the Paracas and Huacachina day.

Crowds and prices in March

March is quiet in the Andes except during Holy Week. Outside Easter, trains, tickets and hotels open up two weeks out. Around Easter, book four to six weeks ahead. On the coast, beach season ends when the school year starts in March, and Paracas goes quiet.

What to pack for Peru in March

• A rain shell and a pack cover.
• Shoes with grip that dry overnight.
• Sun protection for Lima and Ica.
• A warm layer for Cusco and Puno evenings near 42°F (5.5°C).
• Insect repellent for Aguas Calientes.

Our Peru packing list covers the rest.

A 7 to 10 day Peru itinerary for March

For March we like Peru in 7 days for its sunny coast days, or Peru in 10 days at an easier pace if you want slack days in Cusco to absorb a wet afternoon. Hikers can take the Classic Inca Trail with little competition for permits, as long as they accept mud. If you are in Cusco for Holy Week, Machu Picchu and Cusco in 5 days keeps you in the city on Holy Monday.

Our packages that fit a March trip

Package	Days	Why it fits March	From (US$ per person)
Peru in 7 Days: Lima, Nazca, Cusco and Machu Picchu	7	Sunny coast and Machu Picchu	US$900
Peru in 10 Days at an Easier Pace	10	Slack days for a wet afternoon	US$1,720
Classic Inca Trail, 4 Days	4	Trail reopened, permits easy to get	US$797
Machu Picchu and Cusco in 5 Days	5	Holy Week in Cusco with Machu Picchu	US$914
Nazca Lines, Paracas and Huacachina, 2 Days	2	Desert in the Vendimia month	US$307

Send your March dates through the Get my free quote form, and a planner on our team in Cusco checks the Easter calendar for your year before you pay.

Planning around a different month? Read our guides to Peru in February and Peru in April, or compare every month at once in the best time to visit Peru.