What to do in Cusco in mayo

January is the heart of the Andean rainy season: the Cusco valley turns emerald green and you'll see Machu Picchu wrapped in mist with only a handful of visitors.

Cusco's Carnival (February 15th in 2026) fills the Plaza de Armas with yunzas, water balloons and dance troupes; in the villages people dance around a gift-laden tree.

Holy Week begins in late March (Palm Sunday falls on the 29th in 2026), and on Holy Monday the 30th the Lord of the Earthquakes leads the city's largest procession.

April is the year's sweet spot: the rains have gone but the Sacred Valley stays green, and June's crowds haven't arrived yet.

On June 24th Cusco celebrates Inti Raymi, the Inca Festival of the Sun, with a monumental reenactment on the Sacsayhuamán esplanade before tens of thousands.

On July 16th the Virgin of Carmen (Mamacha Carmen) takes over nearby Paucartambo: troupes of saqra devils dance across the rooftops in one of Peru's most spectacular fiestas.

August is the month of Pachamama: on the 1st, communities and families make offerings to the earth with despachos of coca leaves, seeds and chicha before planting season.

On September 14th thousands of pilgrims walk to the Sanctuary of the Lord of Huanca in San Salvador, 48 km from Cusco, one of the busiest pilgrimages in the southern Andes.

October is one of the gentlest, quietest months: mild days, mostly dry skies and Rainbow Mountain free of the high-season queues.

On November 1st-2nd, All Saints' fills Cusco's cemeteries and homes with 't'anta wawa' (baby-shaped breads) and roast pork shared among family.

On December 24th, Santurantikuy fills the Plaza de Armas with one of the oldest craft markets in the Americas: hundreds of imagineros sell nativity figures, baby-Jesus carvings and ceramics.