Making the most of Canadian holidays in Peru: March Break, Christmas and long weekends

A Peru trip from Canada fits almost every school break and long weekend on the calendar, as long as you match the region to the season. From December to March the desert coast (Lima, Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca) is in full summer while the Andes get their rain; from May to October it flips, and Cusco and Machu Picchu enjoy their dry, sunny months. Here is how to use each Canadian holiday, with three itineraries of 5, 8 and 12 days that slot into those dates.

Which holiday suits your Peru trip from Canada

Before choosing dates, it helps to know what each break gives you in Peru. A quick overview:

• March Break: one school week plus two weekends, up to 9 days. Hot, dry coast; rainy season in the Andes.
• Christmas and New Year: the longest window for families, often two weeks. Summer on the coast, rain in the mountains.
• Victoria Day (Monday 18 May 2026): a long weekend that becomes a great 8 to 9 day trip if you add a few vacation days. The Andes are entering their dry season.
• Summer (July and August): the heart of the dry season in Cusco and Machu Picchu, with sunny days and cold nights.
• Thanksgiving (Monday 12 October 2026): a shoulder season, with the warmest days of the year in Cusco.

March Break: sunshine on the coast, green in the Andes

March Break is the most popular window for a Peru vacation from Canada, and it lands at an interesting moment. On the coast it is still summer: Lima sits at around 25 to 30 C, and the desert around Paracas, Ica and Nazca barely sees rain all year (Nazca averages about 4 mm annually). In the Andes, the rainy season that peaks from January to March is winding down, so Cusco is green, with frequent clouds and showers.

A few practical dates to keep in mind for your March Break plans:

• Ontario: March Break 2026 runs from 16 to 20 March, so you can leave Saturday the 14th and return Sunday the 22nd.
• Quebec: each centre de services scolaire sets its own semaine de relâche, so check your calendar before booking flights.
• Ica: the grape harvest festival, the Vendimia, is usually held in the first half of March, right next to Huacachina.
• Inca Trail: the trail closes every February for maintenance and reopens on 1 March. Machu Picchu itself stays open all year by train.

Our advice: give the coast the most days. The Paracas Huacachina Nazca Lines Tour (3 days, from USD 595) covers the Ballestas Islands, the oasis and the Nazca Lines in one relaxed loop through the desert coast.

Christmas in Peru: summer holidays in December

Christmas in Peru is a summer holiday, and 25 December is a public holiday there too. For Canadians it means trading snow for summer: Lima's warm season runs from December to April, and Paracas has a February average high near 28 C.

In Ontario, the 2026 school break runs from 21 December to 1 January 2027, which gives you up to 16 days counting both weekends. That is enough for a 12 day circuit with a couple of spare days on each side. Keep in mind that Cusco is in its rainy season, which peaks from January to March, so pack a good rain jacket and leave some flexibility for outdoor visits.

Flights line up well too. For the winter 2025 to 2026 season, Air Canada flies nonstop from Toronto (Tuesdays and Fridays) and Montreal (Wednesdays and Saturdays), and Air Transat also connects both cities with Lima. Our guide to escaping the Canadian winter in Peru goes deeper into that season.

Victoria Day and late spring

Victoria Day falls on Monday 18 May 2026. Add four vacation days to the long weekend and you have 9 days, perfect for our 8 day itinerary. May is a sweet spot: the Andean dry season starts in April, so Cusco and Machu Picchu are sunny, and you arrive before the July and August high season. On the coast, Lima's grey sky starts to settle in toward the end of May, but Nazca and Paracas stay dry.

Travelling slightly later, from late May into June, also brings the Qoyllur Riti pilgrimage in the Cusco region, recognised by UNESCO, which begins 58 days after Easter Sunday (around 2 June in 2026).

Summer holidays: dry Andes, Inti Raymi and Fiestas Patrias

July and August fall in the heart of the dry season for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Days are sunny, but July is also the coldest month in Cusco, with nights that can drop below zero, so bring warm layers. On the coast it is winter: Lima is grey with a fine drizzle called garúa, while Pisco averages about 20 C in July.

Two dates are worth planning around:

• Inti Raymi, 24 June: the Inca festival of the sun in Cusco, on the same day as Quebec's Fête nationale.
• Fiestas Patrias, 28 and 29 July: Peru's national holidays, so it is wise to book early.

Canada Day (Wednesday 1 July 2026) and the Civic Holiday outside Quebec (Monday 3 August 2026) make good anchors for a summer trip. Machu Picchu sits at 2,453 m and Cusco at around 3,400 m, so plan a gentle first day at altitude.

Thanksgiving and the fall

Thanksgiving is on Monday 12 October 2026. October is the warmest month in Cusco, with highs around 21.7 C, and it sits at the start of the rainy season, which builds gradually. Along the coast, the low cloud over Lima lasts until about mid November, while Nazca stays dry.

Three itineraries that fit Canadian holidays

Each route can be adapted to your dates and pace, and these three lengths cover almost every break:

• 5 days, for a long weekend or a short March Break: arrive in Lima, join the City Tour of Lima (4 h, from USD 69), then spend three days on the coast with the Paracas Huacachina Nazca Lines Tour. If you only have one spare day, the Ballestas Islands and Nazca Lines tour from Lima (from USD 395) fits it all into a single day.
• 8 days, for Victoria Day, a full March Break or Thanksgiving: Peru Adventure (8 days, 7 nights, from USD 1,790) links Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, the Nazca Lines flight, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
• 12 days, for Christmas or summer: Peru Express (12 days, 11 nights, from USD 2,350) adds Arequipa, the Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca before ending in Cusco and Machu Picchu. See how we pace a similar route in Machu Picchu and Nazca in 12 days.

Prices are per person in US dollars and do not include international flights.

Nazca fits into every holiday

Whatever the season, the Nazca Lines are the most reliable stop on the calendar, because the desert is dry year round. You can fly from the Nazca airfield on the Nazca Lines Flight (about 35 minutes, from USD 100; an airport tax and tourist ticket of S/ 77 are paid in cash before boarding), or from Pisco on the Nazca Lines scenic flight from Pisco Airport (about 2 hours, from USD 350), which saves you the long drive south. Flights leave only with good visibility, and fog can cause delays, so it pays to leave some margin in your plan. Browse every option on our Nazca Lines tours page.

Flights and time zones from Canada

Nonstop flights to Lima leave from Toronto and Montreal; the trip takes about 8 hours, and in the winter season the Air Canada flight from Toronto departs at 22:10 and lands at 06:10, ready for your first day. From Vancouver or Calgary you will need a connection. Canadians do not need a tourist visa for stays under 90 days, but your passport must be valid for six months after arrival.

Time zones are easy on the body. In winter, Toronto and Montreal share the same time as Lima; in summer, Lima is just one hour behind. That means little or no jet lag, which is a real bonus on a short holiday.

Let's plan your dates

Tell us which break you have in mind, your province and how many days you can take, and we will shape a route around it. Write to us or try our trip planning assistant to sketch your first ideas in a few minutes.