Packing for Peru in August - Recommendations?
 

Hi, I'm currently in the process of packing for my upcoming trip to Peru next week, and have been following the weather forecasts for the regions I'll be visiting. It seems to range anywhere from 50 degrees at night to mid-70s or high 80s during the day. I'm planning on visiting Lima, Cusco, Puno/Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, and Ica/Huacachina.

So far, I'm considering packing t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, leggings, hiking pants + boots, a fleece, and a light rain jacket (a combination of summertime and fall-weather clothes). Should I be packing more layers for the nights? For example, Lonely Planet cautions that nights in Puno can be extremely cold:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/peru/lak...ation/health#0

It does get cold at night but many places have heating at night these days. After many years of using them herself, my wife persuaded be to buy a set of merino thermal underwear. Best thing I ever did! They pack up incredibly small and are very warm. Unlike cotton or man made fibres, they never seem to stink even if world continuously for a few days ( too much information maybe??)

Your list seems pretty comprehensive, I would just add a wide brimmed sun hat for days out on the lake and a woolly hat and gloves for night time. Good sunglasses are, of course, essential.

Hello Ellstah!

Depending on your tolerance for cold (and for wearing the same clothes), I think you'd do well to have some extra warm layers. August is mid-winter in Peru, one of the coldest months, though it is the dry season, so the days can often be very pleasantly sunny. At night in the higher elevations however (Cusco, Titicaca, Colca) once the sun goes down, the temperature plummets. I was in most of these places exactly last August, and Puno for instance was little more than freezing (Celsius) in the evenings, so about 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit would be typical.

Cheers!

Dave

Your forecasts don't sound right, are you sure they cover Puno, Cusco and Colca Canyon? As said it is pleasantly cool to warm in the sun, but can be cold at night (below freezing).

Many hotels in the Cusco, Puno & Colca Canyon have only space heaters and warm blankets. There were a few times I slept with my clothes on.

I would double check your forecasts. Pack less summer clothing and more fall to winter. I doubt you will want more than one set of summer clothing (for Ica).

Thanks for all the thorough responses!

It sounds like the majority of my clothing should be long-sleeved/long pants, hoodies, fleeces, and less summer-oriented. I guess I'll be ditching some of my tank tops and shorts. I'm using weather.com as my reference for the weather there, and it's giving me 70s-80s during the day and 50s at night. Might not be completely accurate, but I'd rather trust those who have visited in August than the weather forecast, I suppose.

Ellstah,

We always use www.wunderground.com for local weather forecast, they're very accurate!

Dave

You can also use the Peruvian weather service, senamhi.gob.pe, which has a box for "Informacion Turistica" on the right. You can "mouse over" the cities on the map and they'll give temps and a symbol for the upcoming 3 day forecast.

Click the tab for "Principales ciudades del Peru" and select English. You'll get a pdf for August 1-10 with average highs and lows and English forecasts.

Puno is shown below freezing. Cusco is just above freezing. Chivay should be similar, if not colder than Cusco.

Those are overnight/early morning lows. Once the sun is out it is nice. Ica etc. is in the desert so will be warmer, but it isn't bad this time of year.

I had the same problem with weather reports - I realized that weather.com has THREE locations each for Cusco, Arequipa, and Lima, and I have yet to determine what the difference is - even though each listed highs and lows that were vastly different (one has Cusco at 98 degrees!). Definitely plan, as far as I can tell, for 50's-low 70's during the day in most places. And bring LAYERS - granted this is my first time in Peru, but I live in Colorado with similar elevations and I'm packing leggings/long pants and then a tank top under a long sleeve shirt (button up/cardigan weight) under a hoodie under a lightly lined waterproof shell. Plus a scarf, always a scarf. And I figure I can buy another fleece or NorthFace zipup knockoff in-country if need be (I guess I should add I'm also going to Peru in August - today in fact! - and I only ever travel with a backpack).

Happy travels!

Possibly it is confusing because Cusco is also a region (like a State in the US) as well as a city. Part of the region extends into the Amazon jungle.

Cusco city today would be 59 degrees High and 35 degrees overnight Low. Puno (L. Titicaca) will be lower.

So I would for sure be bringing a fleece.

BTW do you live at 11,000 feet altitude?

I'd ditch the shorts and tank tops--maybe just one set for the Ica area. Instead of summertime/fall, think fall and winter.