Peru
 

Hi when would be the best time to travel to Peru. I am looking for good weather and not the rainy season. Initially I wanted to go last week of August, first week of September, but then heard that is beginning of rainy season. Is this correct? I am also looking for a reliable travel service to organize trip for us. Thank you. Anna

August and early September is still mostly in the dry season.

I don't really like to use agencies. It is very easy to plan and book this yourselves.

But you can look a the trip reports and find a number of recommendations.

Hi Anne!

Well, the weather really depends on where you're going to travel in Peru.
In the Andes, the driest months are May to September. It can get hot during the day (20°c -25°c) in the strong sunlight. Meanwhile the altitude means very cold nights, sometimes below zero.
In the Amazon, May to October is a little dryer than the rest of the year, with clearer skies and less humidity but it gets very hot.
In the North, almost all year long you have pleasant and stable climate (mild rainy season between January-March).
Finally, in Lima, summertime is from December to April.

Booking all yourself is possible and there is nothing wrong about that but if you're looking to have a better meaning of the places you're visiting and being safe surrounded by local guides that really know the area, people and customs, you better book through a tour operator agency.

Hope that helps!

You don't need to go through a travel agent to hook up with local guides.

Search for Percy Salas.

That's true mlgb but I mean, certainly Anne don't want to spend to much time with this and have something well-organised, as she said she was looking for a reliable travel service to organize the whole trip. But anyway, Anne, plenty of guides are also available on site, if you wish to deal directly with locals. ;)

We spent all of August and most of September in 2008 in Peru and had great weather the whole time. I agree totally with mlgb, if you have the time then it is very easy to either DIY or search out a reputable local guide or agency. The most expensive way to organise such a trip is to use a travel agent in your own country, the mark up on prices will be substantial and all they will usually do is sub contract to a local operator anyway so you end up paying at least two profit margins for the same trip. If you are happy with this extra cost then fine, that is the way to go.

http://www.andeantravelweb.com/ is a good resource providing ideas andnunbiased info on local tour operators. One word of caution when booking with any TA or TO pay by credit card rather than wiring money even if it means paying an extra% , that way you will get the usual consumer protection if things go wrong.

If you have teh luxury of time then planning the trip is half the fun and the reasearch will provide a greater insight into the country before you arrive making the trip even more enjoyable.

Have a great time, Peru is one of he most amzing countries I have ever visited.