Peru · South America

Longest and shortest day in Cusco

In Cusco, Peru, the longest day of 2026 is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 12h 56m of daylight, and the shortest is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 11h 20m.

Cusco sunrise, sunset and day length on the 2026 solstices and equinoxes, in local time
Turning pointDateSunriseSunsetDay length
March equinoxFriday, 20 March 202605:5117:5812h 7m
June solsticeSunday, 21 June 202606:0917:2911h 20m
September equinoxTuesday, 22 September 202605:3717:4312h 6m
December solsticeMonday, 21 December 202605:1818:1312h 56m
Cusco day length month by month (around the 15th)
MonthSunriseSunsetDay length
January05:3218:2212h 50m
February05:4618:1712h 32m
March05:5118:0212h 11m
April05:5417:4111h 48m
May05:5917:2811h 29m
June06:0817:2811h 20m
July06:1117:3511h 24m
August06:0217:4211h 40m
September05:4217:4312h 1m
October05:2117:4512h 24m
November05:1017:5412h 45m
December05:1518:1012h 55m

Why the day gets longer and shorter in Cusco

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Cusco leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Cusco sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.

Frequently asked questions about day length in Cusco

When is the longest day in Cusco?

The longest day in Cusco falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 12h 56m of daylight, sunrise at 05:18 and sunset at 18:13.

When is the shortest day in Cusco?

The shortest day in Cusco falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 11h 20m of daylight, sunrise at 06:09 and sunset at 17:29.

How much does day length change through the year in Cusco?

Between the longest and shortest day, Cusco gains and loses about 1h 36m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.

Every figure is computed from Cusco's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.

Day length in nearby cities

More light in Cusco