Best time to visit Colca Canyon
Month-by-month weather averages for Colca Canyon.
Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Peru
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.9 °C / 55 °F | 1.7 °C / 35 °F | 208 mm / 8.2 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 12.5 °C / 55 °F | 1.9 °C / 35 °F | 211 mm / 8.3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 12.5 °C / 55 °F | 1.6 °C / 35 °F | 199 mm / 7.8 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 13 °C / 55 °F | -0.6 °C / 31 °F | 93 mm / 3.7 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 13 °C / 55 °F | -3 °C / 27 °F | 29 mm / 1.2 in | good month |
| June | 13.1 °C / 56 °F | -4.1 °C / 25 °F | 7 mm / 0.3 in | good month |
| July | 13.3 °C / 56 °F | -4.3 °C / 24 °F | 8 mm / 0.3 in | good month |
| August | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | -3.5 °C / 26 °F | 14 mm / 0.5 in | good month |
| September | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | -1.7 °C / 29 °F | 34 mm / 1.4 in | good month |
| October | 15.6 °C / 60 °F | -0.4 °C / 31 °F | 54 mm / 2.1 in | good month |
| November | 16 °C / 61 °F | 0.7 °C / 33 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | good month |
| December | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 1.6 °C / 35 °F | 115 mm / 4.5 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- May–November
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: precipitation 29 mm / 1.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 8.4 days, average daily high 13 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 59%.
Against: feels like (high) 11.3 °C / 52 °F, average daily low -3 °C / 27 °F.
June · good
In its favour: precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, wet days 2 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 13.1 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 45%.
Against: feels like (high) 10.6 °C / 51 °F, average daily low -4.1 °C / 25 °F.
July · good
In its favour: precipitation 8 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 97%, wet days 2.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 13.3 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 39%.
Against: feels like (high) 10.7 °C / 51 °F, average daily low -4.3 °C / 24 °F.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 14 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 98%, wet days 3.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 14.1 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 38%.
Against: feels like (high) 11.9 °C / 53 °F, average daily low -3.5 °C / 26 °F.
September · good
In its favour: precipitation 34 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, feels like (high) 13.6 °C / 56 °F, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, wet days 8.8 days, relative humidity 41%.
Against: average daily low -1.7 °C / 29 °F.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.6 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 54 mm / 2.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, average daily high 15.6 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, relative humidity 45%, wet days 11.6 days.
Against: average daily low -0.4 °C / 31 °F.
November · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.1 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, average daily high 16 °C / 61 °F, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, relative humidity 47%, wet days 11.4 days.
Against: average daily low 0.7 °C / 33 °F.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- May–November
- Good
- April, December
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: average daily high 13 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 93 mm / 3.7 in, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, daylight per day 11.7 h, wind (daily max) 9 km/h / 6 mph, average daily low -0.6 °C / 31 °F.
Against: wet days 18.5 days.
May · best
In its favour: average daily high 13 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 29 mm / 1.2 in, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, wet days 8.4 days, feels like (high) 11.3 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, daylight per day 11.4 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
Against: average daily low -3 °C / 27 °F.
June · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.1 °C / 56 °F, precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, wet days 2 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, feels like (high) 10.6 °C / 51 °F, daylight per day 11.2 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
Against: average daily low -4.1 °C / 25 °F.
July · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.3 °C / 56 °F, precipitation 8 mm / 0.3 in, wet days 2.4 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 97%, feels like (high) 10.7 °C / 51 °F, daylight per day 11.3 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
Against: average daily low -4.3 °C / 24 °F.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.1 °C / 57 °F, precipitation 14 mm / 0.5 in, wet days 3.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, feels like (high) 11.9 °C / 53 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 98%, daylight per day 11.6 h, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: average daily low -3.5 °C / 26 °F.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 34 mm / 1.4 in, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, wet days 8.8 days, feels like (high) 13.6 °C / 56 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, daylight per day 12 h, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: average daily low -1.7 °C / 29 °F.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.6 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 54 mm / 2.1 in, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, feels like (high) 14.6 °C / 58 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 12.5 h, wet days 11.6 days, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph, average daily low -0.4 °C / 31 °F.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 16 °C / 61 °F, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, feels like (high) 15.1 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 12.8 h, wet days 11.4 days, average daily low 0.7 °C / 33 °F, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph.
December · good
In its favour: average daily high 14.6 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 115 mm / 4.5 in, feels like (high) 14.1 °C / 57 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, daylight per day 13 h, days with heavy rain 3.4 days, average daily low 1.6 °C / 35 °F, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: wet days 18.2 days.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Portillo, 1924 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 13 °C | 12.8 °C | 12.8 °C | 12.6 °C | 11.3 °C | 10.6 °C | 10.7 °C | 11.9 °C | 13.6 °C | 14.6 °C | 15.1 °C | 14.1 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 8 days | 7.5 days | 6.3 days | 1.6 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.6 days | 0.9 days | 1.2 days | 3.4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 10.1 h | 9.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.5 h | 10.8 h | 10.8 h | 11 h | 11.4 h | 11.5 h | 11.7 h | 11.9 h | 11 h |
| Relative humidity | 76% | 80% | 80% | 73% | 59% | 45% | 39% | 38% | 41% | 45% | 47% | 60% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 2.3 µg/m³ | 2.6 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 4.5 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ | 4.3 µg/m³ | 3.7 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 4.7 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 7.9 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.