Geography of Peru

Peru is divided into three regions. Although this simple division is a fair portrait of Peru's geography, the reality is much richer and far more complex: in Peru nature appears to have taken on characteristics which have turned its mountains, plains, jungles and valleys into unique habitats. An extraordinary variety of eco-systems shelters a wide diversity of plants and animals.

The Highlands

The Highlands of Peru are a mountainous area dominated by the Andes, where Mount Huascaran soars to 6,768 meters.

In the Peruvian highlands, there are two well-defined seasons: the dry season (from April to October), marked by sunny days, cold nights and the lack of rain (the ideal time for visiting); and the rainy season (November to March), when there are frequent rain showers.

The Coast

The coast of Peru features deserts, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys. The Peruvian coastline is formed by a long snaking desert hemmed in between the sea and the mountains. The Andes to the east and the cold Humboldt Current that runs along the coast are what make this area so arid. From the Sechura desert to the Nazca plains and the Atacama Desert, the dry coastal terrain is occasionally split by valleys covered by a thick layer of cloud and drizzle in the winter.

The Jungle

The jungle of Peru includes a vast region of tropical vegetation in the Amazon River Basin, home to Peru's largest natural reserves.

The vast Peruvian jungle, which surrounds the wide and winding Amazon river, is divided into two areas: the cloud forest (above 700 masl), which features a subtropical, balmy climate, with heavy rain showers between November and March, and sunny days from April to October; and the lowland jungle (below 700 masl), where the dry season runs from April to October and is ideal for tourism, with sunshine and high temperatures often topping 35°C.