The Colca Canyon is situated higher than Arequipa city and surrounded by snowcapped mountains. The Colca area is surrounded by large “Altiplanos” andean flat highlands, temperatures in this region do fluctuate a lot. In general there are two seasons here as in most Andean regions (dry and wet season).
Colca Canyon has 2 seasons: wet season starts around december and ends in march and the dry season makes up the rest of the year. In the transition periods (November to April) rain can still fall dowm but days will start to brighten up until they are with clear blue skies all day long. The sun is due to the altitude and a factor to keep in mind is the solar radiation is very strong in this region. This makes day temperatures in these months quite warm at times. When the sun goes down, the temperatures go down significantly. In June, July and August temperatures at night are frequently well below freezing . The morning takes a couple of hours to warm up again but once the sun breaks through, the canyon will quickly warm up before cooling down at night again. The climate is generally cool and dry. The Andean Summer (November through March)is reliably dry, with sunny days and clear, cold nights. Be prepared for temperatures below freezing, particularly in June, July, and August. The rainy season begins, usually, in December, and lasts through April, with February being the wettest month. Temperatures remain cool, with rain or rain showers most days. The valley is at its most beautiful in April and May, when the fields are green and the mountains snow-capped. In the highlands of Peru are two well-defined seasons: the dry season from April to October, characterized by sunny days, cool nights and no rain (the ideal time to visit), and the rainy season from November to March , where rainfall is abundant (generally above 1,000 mm). Some general characteristics of Andean climates are dry air, the sunshine, which decreases in summer, and the temperature differences between sun and shade, night and day, morning and evening.
Colca Photo Gallery
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.jpg "Arequipa Cathedral")
.jpg "Colca Canyon and Valley")
