Peru at the beginning of May

will the week's difference make an impact

Maybe. Maybe the earlier week will have better weather. Maybe the later week will have better weather. No one can predict.

Flip a coin.

We visited Machu Picchu on May 7 and May 8 of 2019. We didn't have outright rain, but did have some (welcome) cloud and a bit of a sprinkle on the second day, when we were walking to and from the Sun Gate.

May is part of the dry season, and I thought early May was a good time to be there. Even if it does rain, it would likely be short-lived. The citadel WILL be busy, but not as busy as later in the season. If you can manage to visit the ruins later in the day, it will be less busy, since most people want to see the sunrise (although mornings can be hazy, anyway, so there's no guarantee). Keep in mind that numbers are restricted, and you need to have a timed reservation for the ruins (and for the bus up, although if you are coming from the Inca Trail, that might not be an issue). Once inside, you can spend as long as you like, although there are no washrooms in the citadel, so there is that limitation.

We made two reservations, in case of weather, and we ended up using both of them. The first day, we visited the citadel late in the day and stayed until sunset, just before closing. It was fairly busy when we first entered, but there weren't many people there by sunset, and the chinchillas came out and sat on the rocks. It was magical. When we went to catch the bus, we didn't have to wait.

The next day, we went early--not on the first bus, but we had a reservation for about an hour later. We had to wait a while for the bus. We hiked to the Sun Gate and back, and then looked at the citadel in a different light than the day before. When we went to catch the bus down, we had to wait about an hour to get on one, because there was such a lineup. This is just to give you an idea of the difference in crowds in the morning/mid-day vs. late afternoon.

Enjoy! It's a spectacular and special place!

Another vote for seeing MP twice, once in the evening and once the next day. We went about that later time of May. We had a wonderful trip with Mountain Lodges of Peru, the 5 day Lares trek. Some sprinkling but nothing that impeded enjoying the trip. They have other treks and also provide other travel agent services. https://www.mountainlodgesofperu.com/

We were just there in early December - so no, not May, but it was unseasonably warm (but not too warm) and dry, considering it should have been the start of the rainy season. We found that Weather Channel and Weather Underground and other weather apps were NOT accurate in Peru, particularly in the Sacred Valley (Urubama and Ollantaytambo), Machu Picchu and Cuzco. I was prepared for 50-60 degrees, cooler at night, but the days were mid-to-upper 60s and low 70s. Brought a hat and sunscreen, but I needed another shortsleeve shirt or 2! Brought a raincoat, I think I used it twice in 10 days.

A couple of things. Access into Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail and Sun Gate is limited, so check on that. From MP, the trail to the Sun Gate is closed and has been since COVID with no word on when or if it will reopen. You can get to the Inca Bridge, and I think you can hike up Huyana Picchu for an extra fee. Also recommend 2 days - we were on an OAT tour and it included an afternoon at MP, and then an early morning trip the next day. That worked out great, plenty of time to see everything we wanted to see.

I understand that the Rainey season end in Peru at the end of March.

We did Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu in late March and had no rain. May is even better.

I was there in 2018 in about that timeframe (May 12-14). Got lucky with no rain, but it had been raining before we got there and it rained after. The clouds made for dramatic photos. No one can predict the weather in May (or even next week) so you'll have to pick a date and hope for the best.

You didn't say, but if you're not going with a tour company there are many logistics you will need to work out right away (permits for hiking, permits to visit MP, etc.). The site is very, very busy all the time. I ditto the earlier comments to go twice - once at the end of a day and another at the beginning. Since you'll likely arrive on the trail about mid- to late- afternoon, then plan to stay overnight in Aguas Calientes (down the hill from MP) and get a reservation to go back up the next morning. You do need your passport to enter the site, look for the special station at the exit where you can get a commemorative stamp. And yes only one WC on the entire site which is not terribly convenient.

Also I strongly suggest to plan a couple days to acclimate to elevation before you start hiking the trail (don't just fly from Lima to Cusco, and then start the trail the next day). Elevation change is no joke. You will likely fly to Cusco which is actually higher than MP, keep that in mind as you make arrangements. I used a company that took us immediately to lower elevation, then up to MP, then back up to Cusco.

Thank you all for your replies. It seems that May is still very varied and can be hard to predict. As long as it doesn't rain and is cloudy constantly then I would be happy.

TheOrdinaryRebecca, it's interesting that it didn't rain whilst you were there. I did have a look at the weather forecast now and it said it was raining, so it's odd. Whilst you were there did the locals think it would rain at all or later on in the season? Maybe this is El Nino...I wonder what it was like in May 2023.

I was in Peru in early-mid May of 2023 and the weather was great. We visited Lima, Ica, Puerto Maldonado, Cusco and the Sacred Valley. We did go to Machu Picchu, but did not hike the Inca Trail. I'm struggling to remember if we had any rain at all during our trip and I can't remember any, even in the jungle. I definitely didn't wear the waterproof pants I had packed. So based on my experience I would recommend May as a good time to be in Peru. It wasn't too hot in Lima and it wasn't too cold in the mountains. It was a bit chilly in Cusco, especially in the evenings, but that was a nice reprieve after coming directly there from the heat and humidity of the jungle.

I do second the idea to try to visit Machu Picchu more than once if you are able. We took the bus up to MP the afternoon we arrived to Aguas Calientes and it was sunny and warm and made for gorgeous pics. Then we got up early and took one of the first busses up the next morning. Totally different experience as it was overcast and almost foggy. Not nearly as good for picture taking, but the atmosphere was amazing and it seemed to be a little less crowded, maybe because the views weren't as good? Regardless, it was fun to see it at different times of the day and with different lighting.

Did anyone do any of the 1 or 2-day tours running out of Cusco? We have 7 of us in our group so I'm a little concerned about just putting together an ad hoc itinerary of trains/buses from Cusco to MP. We're going to be in Cusco from March 30 - April 5.