December puts Peru back where January found it: 115 mm of rain at Cusco, a sunny coast, and a hot flooded Amazon. It also holds one of the best things in the Andean year – Santurantikuy, the Christmas Eve craft market that fills Cusco’s Plaza de Armas – and three national public holidays.
The weather, precisely
The wet season is properly back in the Andes. Rain comes as heavy afternoon downpours, mornings are often clear, and the mountains are green again. The coast, meanwhile, has entered its summer: Lima is sunny at 22°C and Peruvians head for the beaches.
Santurantikuy, 24 December
One of the largest and oldest craft markets in the Andes, held for a single day – Christmas Eve – in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas. The name is Quechua for “selling of saints”, and the market exists to sell figures for family nativity scenes: carved santos, animals, and above all the Niño Manuelito, the Cusqueño Christ child, in every size and style.
Artisans come down from villages across the region and lay their work out on cloths across the square. It runs all day and into the night, it is free to walk, and it is one of the few major Andean traditions that has not been reshaped for visitors. Dress warmly – December nights in Cusco are cold and it usually rains at some point.
Three public holidays
Continue planning your Peru trip
- Wednesday 8 December – Immaculate Conception, a national public holiday.
- Thursday 9 December – Battle of Ayacucho, marking the 1824 battle that secured Peruvian independence. A national public holiday.
- Saturday 25 December – Christmas Day, a national public holiday. Christmas Eve is the main family occasion, with the meal at midnight rather than on the 25th.
The three zones in December
- The Andes – wet, green, cheap and quiet. Machu Picchu at its lowest prices with a real chance of cloud; the Inca Trail open but muddy. Note it then closes for all of February.
- The coast – at its best. Lima sunny and warm, the southern desert clear, and the beaches filling with Peruvian summer holidaymakers from mid-month.
- The Amazon – hot, humid, rivers rising towards high water; good boat-based wildlife viewing.
The Christmas and New Year bump
From roughly 20 December to early January, domestic travel peaks. Flights within Peru, buses and coastal accommodation all rise and fill. Cusco is busier over Christmas and New Year than the wet season would otherwise suggest, and Machu Picchu entry for those dates should be booked ahead.
Altitude
Cusco is about 3,400 m. Altitude sickness is common and unrelated to fitness. Arrive gently, rest on the first day, drink plenty of water, moderate alcohol, and consider sleeping lower in the Sacred Valley first. Worsening symptoms mean descending. Speak to a doctor or travel clinic before travelling, particularly with any heart or lung condition or if pregnant.
Prices and crowds
Andean low season, apart from the Christmas and New Year fortnight. Coastal high season as the Peruvian summer begins. See what a trip to Peru costs.
What to pack
A proper waterproof and quick-drying layers for the Andes. Warm clothing for cold Cusco nights, especially if you are out for Santurantikuy. Strong sun protection at altitude and on the coast. Insect repellent for the Amazon. Swimwear for the coast.
The December 2027 calendar
- Wednesday 8 December – Immaculate Conception, a national public holiday.
- Thursday 9 December – Battle of Ayacucho, a national public holiday.
- From around 20 December – domestic travel peak; internal flights and coastal accommodation fill.
- Friday 24 December – Santurantikuy in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, all day and into the night; the main Peruvian Christmas meal is at midnight.
- Saturday 25 December – Christmas Day, a national public holiday.
- Through December – about 115 mm at Cusco; Lima sunny at 22°C; Amazon rivers rising.
Read alongside
- Peru in November – drier Andes, clearing coast.
- Peru in January – the wet season at its peak.
- Peru in February – and the Inca Trail closure.
- Best time to visit Peru – all twelve months compared.
- Peru in 10 days – how the three zones connect.
- Cusco itinerary – including acclimatisation days.
- Trip to Peru cost – low-season Andean numbers.
Frequently asked
What is Santurantikuy?
A craft market held for one day only – Christmas Eve – in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, selling nativity figures and above all the Niño Manuelito. Artisans come in from villages across the region. It is free, it runs into the night, and it is genuinely local.
How wet is Cusco in December?
About 115 mm, firmly back in the wet season. Rain arrives as heavy afternoon downpours with often-clear mornings.
Is December a good time for Machu Picchu?
It is among the cheapest and quietest, with a real chance of cloud. Book entry ahead if your dates fall in the Christmas and New Year fortnight, when domestic travel peaks.
What public holidays fall in December in Peru?
The Immaculate Conception on the 8th, the Battle of Ayacucho on the 9th, and Christmas Day on the 25th.
When do Peruvians eat their Christmas meal?
At midnight on Christmas Eve rather than during the day on the 25th. Christmas Eve is the main family occasion.
Is Lima good in December?
Yes – the coast is in summer, sunny and about 22°C, and the beaches fill with Peruvian holidaymakers from mid-month.
Can you hike the Inca Trail in December?
Yes, but it is wet and muddy. Bear in mind it then closes completely for the whole of February.
Is Cusco busy over Christmas?
Busier than the wet season alone would suggest, because Peruvian domestic travel peaks from around 20 December to early January.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
