Cusco in May
Clear skies return in May and the nights turn properly cold, dropping to around 2°C in a city where heating is rare.
Is May a good time to visit Cusco?
May is a middling month in Cusco — crowds around 66/100. Not the worst, but February is noticeably calmer.
Book things to do
Tours and tickets in Cusco, from our booking partner.
What’s on in May
- Qoyllur Rit’i pilgrimage (movable, late May or June)
- Dry season begins in earnest
Best days in May
Weekdays are almost always calmer than weekends.
Tue is normally the calmest day of the week.
Best hours in May
The daily rhythm, hour by hour.
The 9:00 AM window is usually the calmest of the day.
Weather in May
Typical highs, lows and wet days.
How May compares
Every month in Cusco, ranked by how calm it is.
Quieter alternatives
If your dates are flexible, these months are calmer in Cusco.
Attraction guides in Cusco
The best day and hour for each monument, and when it is calmest across the year, not only in May.
Frequently asked questions
Is May a good month to visit Cusco?
May is a middling month in Cusco — crowds around 66/100. Not the worst, but February is noticeably calmer.
How crowded is Cusco in May?
Cusco sits at roughly 66/100 in May on our crowd scale, which is 5 points above the yearly average. The quietest month is February.
What is the weather like in Cusco in May?
Expect highs around 20°C and lows near 2°C in May, with about 4 wet days across the month.