SeasonMapAguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) weather in December
Peru
December in Aguas Calientes: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 31 rainy days.
#11 of 12 months in Aguas Calientes · #810 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 66/100 (tier C)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Aguas Calientes in December
Other months in Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes's forum calls July dry-season reliable — clear days for exploring, with regulars noting the town itself sees cool nights, typically 10-13°C year-round, rather than the harder freezes possible up at the ruins' higher elevation. Cold winds do sweep through some evenings, so a warm layer is worth having even though days are comfortable.
Add your own note from Aguas Calientes's card on the map.
Aguas Calientes climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 21°C / 69°F | 😎 nice |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 15°C / 58°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 23°C / 73°F | |
| Rainfall | 316 mm / 12.5 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 31 days | |
| Humidity | 89% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 15°C / 59°F | |
| Sunshine | 8.7 h/day | |
| Daylight | 12.9 h | |
| Wind | 6 km/h / 4 mph | |
| Snowfall | 0.2 cm / 0.1 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 22 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Aguas Calientes in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusySummer / year-end holidays in Peru, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Aguas Calientes's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherAguas Calientes's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Aguas Calientes in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Rule
Timed tickets and fixed circuits
1 Jan – 31 DecBook earlyEvery ticket names a circuit, a route and an entry hour, and you walk it one way from the gate above the town. Peak dates lift the daily cap to 5,600 and those slots go months ahead. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk31 rainy days and about 316 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Aguas Calientes — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Aguas Calientes?
Aguas Calientes in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Aguas Calientes?
- December in Aguas Calientes: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 31 rainy days. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Aguas Calientes on SeasonMap's comfort score (66/100).
- What is the weather like in Aguas Calientes in December?
- In December, Aguas Calientes averages a daily high of 20.8°C and a low of 14.6°C, with about 316.4 mm of rain over roughly 30.8 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Aguas Calientes in December?
- Aguas Calientes has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 22 in December.
Other months in Aguas Calientes
Compare Aguas Calientes in December
Warmer or cooler than Aguas Calientes in December
Similar destinations in South America — December
Within 300 km: Cusco's Santurantikuy on 24 Dec, and Ollantaytambo's Sacred Valley rainy season around 1 Dec – 31 Mar.