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, but good enough to see the starry sky as quite a stargazer wrapped in warm clothes.

As it is 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 along the Trail. July goes in line with the summer vacation in the northern hemisphere; the USA, European countries, and Peru’s national holiday at the end of July so it is also a peak time for Peruvians to tackle the Inca Trail. And the Inca trail permits naturally run out quicker, and hotel rooms are not easy to find in Cusco.

Did you know that only AB Expeditions provides proper trekking gear to their porters? Also they have satellite phone and private toilet tent. 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 meets its maximum visitor capacity.
• The sunlight is very intense, so you need to be cautious and wear a lot of sunscreen and a sunhat.
• High-altitude hills will be pretty brown in July, but once the trail lowers into the cloud forest, the landscape is still Green.
• The temperature is nice for hiking, and the trails are overrun with crowds.
• 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 a 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 of seeing Machu Picchu without the mist from the sun gate.
• Rainfall will be less.
• The drier weather increases animal activity as they flock to 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.

Recommendations

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

Do you have a rough idea of when the permits for July sell out by?

It all depends on the political situation of Peru. In 2019 before the pandemic, the permits were sold out 5 months in advance for July. However, because of the strike we had in January 2023 and Inca Trail was closed for 2 months. Travelers could still find Inca trail permits even upon arrival to Cusco. Only for some dates the permits run out 1 week in advance.  Many travelers changed their plans and traveled to different countries because of the strike.

Key activities in Cusco

Before or after hiking the Inca trail, you may come across festivities of Virgen del Carmen, to which various 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.