About Peru
GEOGRAPHY
Information 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
particular characteristics which have turned its mountains,
plains, jungles and valleys into unique habitats.
An extraordinary variety of eco-systems shelters a wide
diversity of animals and plants.
THE COAST
Which 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 sea 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.
Humidity in these areas produces a sensation of cold, although
temperatures rarely dip below 12°C. During the summer, meanwhile,
the sun beats down and temperatures often top 30°C. The central
and southern sections of the coast feature two well-defined
seasons: winter from April to October, and summer from November
to March. The north coast, meanwhile, is not touched by the
effects of the cold current, which means it enjoys 300 days of
sunshine a year and warm temperatures all year-long (as much as
35°C in the summer). The rain season runs from November to March
THE HIGHLANDS
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 (generally more than 1000 mm). A
characteristic of the mountain region is the drop in temperature
during the day: temperatures commonly range around 24°C at
midday before plunging to -3°C at night.
The steep slopes of the Andes means temperatures gradually drop
in the highest region, known as the puna, the highland plain.
The dry and pleasant climate in the highlands makes it possible
to grow a wide variety of crops there.
THE JUNGLE
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 differentiated areas: the
cloud forest (above 700 masl), which features a subtropical,
balmy climate, with heavy rain showers (around 3000 mm a year)
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.
During this season, the river levels dip and roads are easy to
drive. The rainy season, meanwhile, which runs from November to
March, features frequent rain showers (at least once a day)
which can damage roads in the area.
The jungle features high humidity all year long. In the southern
jungle, there are sometimes cold spells known locally as friajes
or surazos, cold fronts which drift up from the far south of the
continent between May and August, where temperatures can drop to
8-12°C.
Note: To calculate Fahrenheit temperatures: 9/5 (ºC) +
32.
