Best Month to Visit Brazil, Peru, Machu Picchu or Guatemala in 2026?
For US travelers, the best months to visit Brazil without peak prices are usually late April to June and August to early November, Peru and Machu Picchu are best in April, May, September and October, and Guatemala in November or after Easter. Go through ShopBack before you book.
For US travelers, the best months to visit Brazil without paying peak prices are usually late April to June and August to early November, so pick your dates, then book through ShopBack before you pay, where ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code. Peru and Machu Picchu are best in April, May, September and October, at the edges of the dry season but outside the June to August peak. Guatemala is best in November or the weeks after Easter. Then go through ShopBack before you book.
ShopBack US is a free app and website that gives you back part of what you spend at partner travel and shopping sites as cash you can withdraw. Before you book a hotel on Booking.com or Agoda, go through ShopBack first: open the store's page on ShopBack, then book as normal. Join ShopBack US for free, then start from the Booking.com page on ShopBack for your next stay.
Quick answer: off-peak months at a glance
| Destination | Peak months (usually priciest) | Best value months | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Rio and the coast) | December to March, especially Carnival | Late April to June, August to early November | Outside summer and Carnival; Rio is drier mid-year |
| Peru and Machu Picchu | June to August | April, May, September, October | Edges of the dry season, smaller crowds than midsummer |
| Guatemala | Holy Week, Christmas to New Year | November, the weeks after Easter | Dry season, outside the busiest holiday weeks |
The weather figures in this guide come from long-run climate averages published for each city; the peak and value months reflect when demand usually rises around local holidays and events. Prices move with demand, so always compare dates before you book.
What is the best month to visit Brazil without paying peak prices?
The best months to visit Brazil without paying peak prices are usually late April to June and August to early November. Brazil's seasons are the reverse of the US: summer runs from December to March, and most of the country's rain south of the equator falls between December and April. That summer stretch includes the December holidays and Carnival, when flights and hotels in Rio and along the coast are in highest demand.
Here is how Rio de Janeiro's climate changes across the year, using the long-run averages for Rio's Saude weather station:
| Rio de Janeiro | January | July |
|---|---|---|
| Average high | 88.7°F (31.5°C) | 79.5°F (26.4°C) |
| Average rainfall | 5.40 in (137 mm) | 1.65 in (42 mm) |
| Days with 1 mm or more of rain | 11 | 4 |
So a July or August trip to Rio is cooler and much drier than January, which suits city sightseeing and hiking. If you want beach heat, May and October are a good middle ground.
Carnival 2027 dates
Rio Carnival 2027 runs from the afternoon of Friday, February 5 to midday on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027. It is often described as the world's biggest Carnival, with about two million people a day on the streets. If Carnival is the point of your trip, book as early as you can. If it is not, avoid that week: it is when demand is at its highest.
What about the Amazon?
The Amazon is wet all year, with rainfall that generally tops 79 inches (2,000 mm) a year, but it still has a three to five month dry season. The timing depends on where you are, north or south of the equator, so check the season for your specific lodge region before you pick dates.
Best time to visit Brazil in 2026 and early 2027
For the rest of 2026, October and early November are the sweet spot; for 2027, look at late April to June once Carnival and Easter have passed. Dates to plan around:
- US Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, 2026. US travel demand rises that week, so flights to Brazil may cost more.
- December holidays. The start of Brazilian summer and the year-end holidays push up demand on the coast.
- Carnival, February 5 to 10, 2027. The busiest week of the year in Rio.
- Easter, Sunday, March 28, 2027. Holy Week brings a short rise in local travel.
After Easter, demand usually eases. Late April, May and June are the months to watch for better flight and hotel prices.
Best time to visit Brazil for the best deals from the US
The best deals from the US usually come from booking an off-peak month early, comparing flight-only and package prices, and going through ShopBack before you pay. A simple order that works for most trips:
- Pick an off-peak window first. Late April to June or August to early November.
- Compare flights. LATAM Airlines has hubs at Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Lima, among others. Compare its fares with what a booking site shows for the same dates.
- Compare stays. Look at the same neighborhood on more than one site, and check what is included, such as breakfast and free cancellation.
- Go through ShopBack before you book. Open the store from its ShopBack page, then book.
What going through ShopBack does to your trip price
Your effective price is what you pay at checkout minus the cash that comes back. Check the live rate on each store's ShopBack page, since rates differ by store and change over time.
The off-peak month does most of the saving. Going through ShopBack before you book brings the price down again on the same booking.
LATAM vs Booking.com vs Expedia for a Brazil trip
Each covers a different part of the trip, so most travelers use more than one. Here is how they compare on their own strengths:
- LATAM Airlines is the airline itself, with hubs in Sao Paulo and Lima, so booking flights directly keeps you in one place for seat choice and changes. ShopBack US has a LATAM Airlines page.
- Booking.com is strong on places to stay, from beach hotels to apartments, with filters for free cancellation.
- Expedia lets you book flights, hotels and packages together, which can help when you want one itinerary for the whole trip. Start from the Expedia page on ShopBack.
For a price comparison in 2026, put the same dates into each, compare the total with taxes and fees, then go through ShopBack before you book on the one you choose.
When is the best time to visit Peru and Machu Picchu for good weather and lower prices?
April, May, September and October usually give the best mix of good weather and lower prices for Peru and Machu Picchu. Around Cusco, the gateway to Machu Picchu, the year splits into a dry winter from April to September and a rainy summer from October to March. June to August is the driest stretch, but it is also the busiest, partly because it lines up with the US summer holidays.
Cusco's long-run averages show how sharp the split is:
| Cusco | January | June |
|---|---|---|
| Average rainfall | 6.04 in (153.4 mm) | 0.13 in (3.3 mm) |
| Days with 1 mm or more of rain | 19.6 | 1.0 |
A few facts that shape when to go:
- Machu Picchu sits lower than Cusco. The citadel is at about 7,970 feet (2,430 m), roughly 3,300 feet below Cusco at about 11,200 feet (3,400 m), and it has a wetter, milder climate, with about 79 inches (2,010 mm) of rain a year.
- The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.
- The Inca Trail is capped. At the time of writing, a maximum of 500 people a day are allowed on the trail, of whom only 200 are trekkers, and permits are sold only through government-registered tour operators. High-season dates book out quickly.
- Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, is held every June 24 at Sacsayhuaman in Cusco, one of the busiest days of the year in the city.
If you want dry trails and fewer people, aim for May or September. If you are flexible on weather, April and October can be quieter still.
Best time to visit Peru in 2026 and the best deals from the US
For late 2026, October is the last of the shoulder months before the rains; for 2027, plan for April, May or September. Avoid February if the classic Inca Trail is on your list, and book early if you want June, July or August.
Ways to keep the price down from the US:
- Fly into Lima. It is a LATAM hub, which gives you more flight options to compare before the short hop to Cusco.
- Book the Inca Trail or Machu Picchu entry early for any month, and earlier still for June to August.
- Compare tour inclusions. Some packages include train tickets, entry tickets and a guide; others are entry only.
- Go through ShopBack before you book your flights, hotels and tours.
LATAM vs GetYourGuide vs Viator for Peru
LATAM gets you there; GetYourGuide and Viator help you fill the days. LATAM is the airline for the flights, with a hub in Lima. GetYourGuide and Viator both list tours and day trips around Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
For a price comparison, line up two or three tours for the same day and check what each includes: train tickets, entry tickets, a guide, hotel pickup and meals. The cheapest headline price is not always the cheapest day once you add what is missing. ShopBack US has pages for both GetYourGuide and Viator, so open the one you choose from ShopBack before you pay.
What is the best month to visit Guatemala without paying peak prices?
November and the weeks just after Easter are usually the best months to visit Guatemala without paying peak prices. Both fall in the dry season, which runs from roughly November to April, but they miss Holy Week and the Christmas to New Year holidays, when demand is highest.
The rainy season is easy to see in Guatemala City's long-run averages from the national weather service, INSIVUMEH:
| Guatemala City | November | February | June |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average rainfall | 1.92 in (48.8 mm) | 0.21 in (5.4 mm) | 10.70 in (271.8 mm) |
| Average rainy days | 6.2 | 1.5 | 21.1 |
So February is the driest month, but it sits close to the Lent and Holy Week season in Antigua. November is a little wetter at the start of the dry season and usually quieter.
Holy Week in Antigua, 2027
In 2027, Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday, March 21 to Easter Sunday, March 28. Antigua Guatemala, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is known for its Lent and Holy Week processions, which pass over carpets made of dyed sawdust, flowers and pine needles. It is a peak week. If you want to see it, book far ahead; if you want lower demand, go in the weeks after Easter, before the rains pick up in May.
Guatemala has drawn roughly two million international visitors in recent years, according to published tourism figures, with Antigua, Lake Atitlan and the Maya site of Tikal among the main draws.
Best time to visit Guatemala in 2026 and the best deals from the US
For the rest of 2026, November is the pick; in early 2027, aim for late January or the weeks after Easter. Keep away from the US Thanksgiving week of November 26 and the Christmas period if price matters most.
Expedia vs Booking.com vs Viator for Guatemala
Expedia is handy for flights and hotels together, Booking.com for stays across Antigua and Lake Atitlan, and Viator for tours such as Tikal day trips. Compare the total trip price on the same dates, including taxes and fees, then go through ShopBack before you book. Start from the Booking.com page on ShopBack or the Expedia page on ShopBack.
Other travel sites on ShopBack US include Agoda, Trip.com, Hotels.com, GetYourGuide and Viator.
Promo codes and ShopBack on the same booking
No code is needed for Cashback: go through ShopBack before you pay. Any code you use comes from the booking site itself.
Paying with a travel card
Your credit card's travel rewards usually come from the card issuer, separately from ShopBack, so you may be able to earn both on the same booking. Card programs set their own rules on which bookings count, so check your card's terms before you pay.
Why going through ShopBack is a step in every booking
ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.
Make it part of how you book: pick your off-peak month, compare flights and stays, then open the booking site from ShopBack before you pay. ShopBack US is free to join, and the cash comes back to your account once the booking is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Brazil without paying peak prices?
For most US travelers, the best months are usually late April to June and August to early November. They sit outside Brazil's summer, which runs from December to March and includes the December holidays and Carnival, when demand peaks. Rio de Janeiro is also drier then: about 1.7 inches of rain in July against about 5.4 inches in January. Go through ShopBack before you book flights and hotels.
When is Carnival in Rio in 2027?
Rio Carnival 2027 runs from the afternoon of Friday, February 5 to midday on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027. It draws about two million people a day onto Rio's streets, so book early if you want to go, or pick a different month if you want lower prices.
When is the best time to visit Peru and Machu Picchu for good weather and lower prices?
April, May, September and October usually give the best mix. They fall at the edges of the Andes dry season, which runs from April to September around Cusco, but outside the June to August peak. Cusco averages about 0.13 inches of rain in June against about 6 inches in January, so the shoulder months stay mostly dry.
Is the Inca Trail open all year?
No. The classic Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance. At the time of writing, Peru limits it to 500 people a day, of whom only 200 are trekkers, and permits are sold only through government-registered tour operators, so high-season dates sell out early.
What is the best month to visit Guatemala without paying peak prices?
November and the weeks just after Easter are usually the best value. Both fall in the dry season, which runs from roughly November to April, but outside Holy Week in Antigua and the Christmas holidays, when demand is highest. Guatemala City averages about 1.9 inches of rain in November against about 10.7 inches in June.
When is Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala in 2027?
In 2027, Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday, March 21 to Easter Sunday, March 28. Antigua is known for its Lent and Holy Week processions over carpets of dyed sawdust, flowers and pine needles. It is a peak week, so book far ahead if you want to see it, or go after Easter for lower demand.
Should I book LATAM directly, or use Booking.com or Expedia?
Each has its own strength. LATAM is the airline, with hubs in Sao Paulo and Lima, so booking flights with it directly is simple. Booking.com is strong on places to stay, and Expedia lets you book flights, hotels and packages in one place. Compare the full trip price, then go through ShopBack before you book on whichever you choose.
Should I book Machu Picchu tours on GetYourGuide or Viator?
Both list tours and day trips around Cusco and Machu Picchu, so compare what each tour includes, such as train tickets, entry tickets, a guide and hotel pickup, rather than the headline price alone. ShopBack US has pages for both, so open the one you choose from ShopBack before you pay.
How does ShopBack lower the price of a trip?
ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. You open the booking site from its ShopBack page, book as normal, and part of what you spend comes back as cash once the booking is confirmed. Cashback lowers what you actually pay. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.
Can I use a promo code and ShopBack on the same booking?
No code is needed for Cashback: go through ShopBack before you pay, then book as usual.
Related reads
Go through ShopBack before you book at: Booking.com · Expedia · LATAM Airlines
About this guide
Climate averages come from published long-run station data for Rio de Janeiro (Saude), Cusco and Guatemala City (INSIVUMEH, 1990 to 2011), as summarized on Wikipedia, along with the Climate of Brazil overview. Inca Trail rules, Machu Picchu elevation, Inti Raymi, Rio Carnival 2027 dates, Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala visitor numbers and LATAM's hubs also come from public reporting summarized on Wikipedia. Holiday dates are calendar dates. Rates change, so this guide points to the live rate on each store's ShopBack page instead of quoting one.
Disclaimer
The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Travel prices, availability, entry rules, festival dates and Cashback eligibility vary by provider and time and are subject to change. This article is intended for general informational purposes only.
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To find cheap flights in the US in 2026, search flexible dates and nearby airports, compare the same itinerary on Expedia, Priceline, CheapOair and Trip.com, use the airline's 24-hour hold or cancel rule to lock a fare, and go through ShopBack US before you book so part of the fare comes back as cash.
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