SeasonMapAguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) weather in January
Peru
January in Aguas Calientes: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 31 rainy days.
#10 of 12 months in Aguas Calientes · #767 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 67/100 (tier C)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Aguas Calientes in January
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 — January
| Daytime high | 21°C / 69°F | 😎 nice |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 15°C / 58°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 23°C / 73°F | |
| Rainfall | 309 mm / 12.2 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 31 days | |
| Humidity | 89% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 15°C / 59°F | |
| Sunshine | 8.4 h/day | |
| Daylight | 12.8 h | |
| Wind | 7 km/h / 4 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 16 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Aguas Calientes in January
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.
January coincides with Landslides on the rail line.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Aguas Calientes in January
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 ↗
- Hazard
Landslides on the rail line
1 Jan – 31 Mar · usuallyFlood seasonClosuresThe Urubamba runs high through the wet months and a huaico takes out a stretch of track most years, usually towards Hidroelectrica. Trains stop for a few days; there is no road into the town. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk31 rainy days and about 309 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 January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Aguas Calientes?
- January in Aguas Calientes: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 31 rainy days. It ranks #10 of 12 months for Aguas Calientes on SeasonMap's comfort score (67/100).
- What is the weather like in Aguas Calientes in January?
- In January, Aguas Calientes averages a daily high of 20.6°C and a low of 14.6°C, with about 309.2 mm of rain over roughly 30.5 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Aguas Calientes in January?
- Aguas Calientes has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 16 in January.
Other months in Aguas Calientes
Compare Aguas Calientes in January
Warmer or cooler than Aguas Calientes in January
Similar destinations in South America — January
Within 300 km: Ollantaytambo's Sacred Valley rainy season around 1 Dec – 31 Mar, and Cusco's Machu Picchu circuits and time slots on 1 Jan – 31 Dec.