Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) weather in September
September in Ollantaytambo: nice, rainy, with clean air — fine if you can take 26 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#5 of 12 months in Ollantaytambo · #335 of 1413 destinations to visit in September · comfort 88/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 20°C
- Nights
- 11°C
- Wet days
- 26
- Sun
- 10.7 h
- Humidity
- 79%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Ollantaytambo in September
Notes from nearby Aguas Calientes (31 km away)
Ollantaytambo doesn't have its own notes for September yet — these are about Aguas Calientes, close enough to share the season.
Aguas Calientes-forum threads on September Machu Picchu trips describe genuinely mixed real-world experience, some posters reporting blue skies and full sun while another specifically recalled a forecast calling for showers and thunderstorms that never materialized. Regulars call daytime conditions comfortable enough for a t-shirt, though nights turn genuinely cold, a proper warm coat standing advice regardless of how mild the day felt. Posters recommend a real layering system for the climb, trail pants and a base layer paired with a lightweight fleece and waterproof shell to cover the full range of conditions possible in a single day. A light poncho is worth packing even on a promising morning, showers here capable of arriving with little warning. Regulars recommend carrying water bought in town given how expensive it runs once up at the site. The record: 20.8C days feeling like 21C, 12.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 214mm across nearly 24 days and 84 percent humidity.
Other months in Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo-forum trip reports on an October visit describe the town's granaries and cafes as genuine highlights beyond the main ruins, posters calling a stay in the village itself considerably more atmospheric than a rushed day trip from Cusco. Regulars call the Pinkuylluna hike a real standout, views over the town and the Sacred Valley considered worth the climb. Posters recommend real layers regardless of the daytime warmth, October evenings here still capable of a genuine chill at this elevation. Regulars call the archaeological site itself worth dedicated time rather than a quick pass-through, several posters describing it as underrated compared with the bigger Sacred Valley names. Posters recommend colectivos or a bus for the connection to Cusco, both considered practical, budget-friendly options for onward travel. The record: 19.7C days feeling like 20C, 11.9C nights, an extraordinarily high 169.6mm across nearly 30 days and 62 percent humidity.
Ollantaytambo-forum threads on February describe this as genuinely deep in the wet season, posters calling October through April the standing rain window with February often the wettest stretch within it. Regulars call the train running a real bimodal pattern during heavy rain, passengers sometimes switching bus and train partway through depending on tracks. Posters describe a typical wet day as rarely an all-day washout, showers here often lasting just a few minutes even during a genuinely rainy stretch. Regulars call one visitor's report of sunny conditions until boarding the train a fair example of how quickly things shift. Posters recommend real waterproof layers regardless of forecast, conditions capable of changing within the hour. Regulars call February a genuinely cheaper time to visit, hotel and taxi rates both typically lower than peak. The record: 19.2C days feeling like 21C, 12.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 263.2mm across over 28 days and 89 percent humidity.
Ollantaytambo-forum threads on March conditions in the Sacred Valley describe this as sitting within the Andean wet season, February usually called the worst single month with March a touch more settled. Posters describe a typical system as brief, a steady spell of an hour or two followed by clearing skies rather than an all-day washout. Regulars call the ruins and surrounding valley worth visiting regardless, most reporting a mix of sun and a passing shower rather than continuous rain across a full trip. Posters recommend real waterproof layers, conditions here genuinely variable within the same day. Regulars describe the valley floor as noticeably greener this time of year, a real visual upside of the wetter stretch. Posters recommend flexible plans and a spare day given how often a shower reshuffles an itinerary. The record: 19.2C days feeling like 21C, 12.5C nights, an extraordinarily high 262.6mm across over 30 days and 88 percent humidity.
Sacred Valley-forum threads covering late April into May describe this as a genuinely favorable stretch for Ollantaytambo and the surrounding valley, one traveler reporting comfortable daytime readings in the low 20s Celsius with cooler mornings and nights closer to 10 to 13 degrees. Posters describe the sky as often partly cloudy rather than fully clear, and recommend packing for a passing shower even though the heavier system that defines the earlier months has generally moved on by this point. Regulars call the archaeological site and its terraced granaries above town the standout reason to base here rather than just passing through en route to Machu Picchu, with fewer crowds than the more famous ruins nearby. Layering for a real swing between a cool morning and a comfortably warm midday is standing advice throughout the month. The record: 19C days feeling like 17C, 11.4C nights, an extraordinarily high 121mm across over 18 days and 81 percent humidity.
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Ollantaytambo climate normals — September
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Ollantaytambo in September
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.
BusyAndean dry season, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Ollantaytambo'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).
Fair weatherOllantaytambo's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Ollantaytambo in September
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Andean dry season
1 May – 30 Sep · usuallyCrowdedClear days, frost at night and dust on the terraces by August. The town works as the staging post for Machu Picchu in these months and the square is a car park of minibuses by nine.
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Ollantaytambo — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Ollantaytambo?
Ollantaytambo in September — FAQ
- Is September a good time to visit Ollantaytambo?
- September in Ollantaytambo: nice, rainy, with clean air — fine if you can take 26 rainy days. It ranks #5 of 12 months for Ollantaytambo on SeasonMap's comfort score (88/100).
- What is the weather like in Ollantaytambo in September?
- In September, Ollantaytambo averages a daily high of 19.7°C and a low of 11.1°C, with about 99.5 mm of rain over roughly 25.9 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Ollantaytambo in September?
- Ollantaytambo has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 41 in September.
Within 300 km: Cusco's Andean dry season around 1 May – 30 Sep, and Aguas Calientes' Timed tickets and fixed circuits on 1 Jan – 31 Dec.