Travel Tip 167

How low season travel is sustainable

Last November I was the only customer at this café in Arequipa and they were so glad to see me.

September is when tourism slows down around the world.

In Peru everything slows down, which is why we’re approaching two of my favorite months in Peru: October and November. (My other favorites are March and April).

This is the time of year that the crowds melt away, the rains start to come back, flowers bloom and soon baby birds will start to hatch. I travel around Peru a lot from May through August, but this is the time of year I try to be home in Cusco more often.

La Bohème in Cusco is so popular that it’s hard to get a table June through August. The rest of the year, it’s much more pleasant.

Restaurants are more pleasant in the low season.

Going out to eat in Cusco is so much nicer now. Employees are less harried and exhausted from being overworked every night. If I’m the only person in the restaurant, they’re even more welcoming and sometimes simply grateful to have a customer. Going out to eat in the low season means I can support my favorite small businesses when they need it most.

My flights to and from Huaraz last week were August prices but my upcoming October and November flights were just as expensive.

Prices used to go down too.

Yet studies are showing that the travel deals that have popped up the past few decades in September and October aren’t there this year. There’s a lot of reasons, including the price of gas and how miserably hot July and August are now. So while I’ve previously told people to travel in the low season for lower prices, now I’m recommending you travel in the low season because it’s more sustainable – and not as miserably hot as July and August.

Here’s 3 ways low season travel is sustainable.

Florencia y Fortunata is a small woman-owned company that replies on tourism in Cusco.

1. Small businesses need income to keep their employees

Hotels, restaurants and tour companies may be booked solid for a few months of the year but even savings can’t see every company through the low season. Many companies lay off employees between October and April, only hiring them back for a couple weeks for the holidays in December. The fluctuation of needing lots of employees and then hardly any is hard on both the employees and the companies.

Traveling in the low season spreads out income to the slow months so that employees don’t get laid off and companies don’t have to survive just on their savings.

Desert cities like Lima struggle to have enough water for residents June-August and tourism exacerbates the strain.

2. There is less strain on natural resources

The amount of water used in hotels and restaurants can quickly drain reservoirs and aquifers during the high season. Traveling in the low season means that you’re not contributing to strained systems that may not be able to supply enough water or electricity during the busiest weeks.

Countries and communities that rely on tourism are likely to prioritize tourists over locals when resources run short. Hotels may have plenty of water and electricity while neighborhoods where locals live may suffer water rationing and blackouts.

The endemic and critically endangered San Martin Titi Monkey is negatively impacted by crowds and habitat loss.

3. There is less impact on delicate ecosystems

Let’s say 1,200 people a year hike a particular trail to see the endemic and endangered San Martín Titi Monkey. If 400 people go each month of the high season (June, July & August) then the noise and impact of that many people can scare away wildlife. If 100 people go each month of the year, there is less impact on the trail and surrounding ecosystem.

Traveling in the low season means that impact is spread out, decreasing the consequences of large crowds.

New blog post: Pamuri Andes Lodge

I had a fantastic five days at Pamuri Andes Lodge which included a lot of hiking but also relaxing. I think the term “hidden gem” is overused, but this lodge truly is a gem and its location in the Huancavelica region, far from any city, makes it feel very hidden.

Article: Why Visit Cusco in the Low Season

Published by Low Season Traveller, my guide for visiting Cusco in the low season. If you’re interested in low season travel in general I highly recommend subscribing to Low Season Traveller!