Inca Trail in July

July is one of the best months to hike the Inca Trail. The weather in July is perfect. Cloudless skies mean you won’t have to wait around for amazing mountain views. This month brings the winter nights; cold, with temperatures, sometimes dropping below zero. The sky is clear so you are able to see the brilliant star filled skies.

Considered to be the best month to hike the Inca Trail, the Inca Trail is going to be at full capacity each day. This means fuller campsites and more traffic on the trail. July also is the summer vacation time in the northern hemisphere; the USA, European countries, and Peru’s national holiday at the end of July, so it is also peak time for Peruvians to tackle the Inca Trail. The Inca trail permits naturally run out quicker, hotel rooms are not so easy to find in Cusco. If you want to hike in this month reservations will need to be made many months in advance.

Did you know that only SAM Corporations provides proper trekking gear to their porters? Also they have satellite phone and private toilet tent. Click here to book with them your Inca trail 4 days.

Things to Know

• If you want to hike the Inca trail in July, you have to book your trip well in advance as permits sell out (sometimes a year in advance)!
• During the month of July, days are warm, nights are very cold, and rain is sparse.
• Inca Trail regularly meet its maximum visitor capacity.
• The sunlight is very intense, you need to be cautious and wear a lot of sunscreen and a sunhat.
• High altitude hills will be brown in July, but once the trail lowers into the cloud forest, the landscape is still Green.
• The temperatures are great for hiking, and the trails are busy.
• Be prepared for larger crowds than normal once you get to Machu Picchu during the Peruvian holidays: July 27-28 (Peru’s independence day).
• Rain: On average, rain falls 2 days of the month.
• Temperature: It ranges between -5 and 21.1-celsius degrees. (23 and 70 ° F).

Pros

• Sunny days with clear blue skies offer spectacular views during the hike.
• The Southern Milky Way appears in the night.
• A high chance to see Machu Picchu without the mist from the sun gate.
• Rainfall will be less.
• The drier weather increases animal activity as they flock to a smaller water ponds. For example: Andean deers come down to drink water.
• You will enjoy amazing views of snow-capped mountains in the distance while you are hiking.

Cons

• Inca trail permits run out quicker for July.
• Long queues at Machu Picchu entry and the train stations.
• Many people around the strategic photo spots.
• Cold nights.
• Prices in Aguas Calientes go up for some services.
• It has to be booked way in advance.

Recommendations

• Even though July is dry season, bring your raincoat, because isolated rains can find us at any time of the year.
• Bring layers of clothes because there are times you will be hot and sweaty, other times you will be cold like when you are at the top of the mountain.
• For bird watchers, bring a long zoom camera or binoculars.
• Booking Inca trail in advance is recommended. At least 8 months before.
• Bring sunglasses and hat for protection from harmful ultraviolet light rays.

Key activities in Cusco during July

Before or after hiking the Inca trail, you may come across festivities of Virgen del Carmen, to which in Cusco, Sacred Valley towns, even Aguas Calientes, homage usually on July 16th. The other is the independence day celebrations on July 28th, with parades of all kinds of government institutions, civic organizations, and schools in the historical plaza of Cusco.