Ayabaca is a town in the highlands of the Piura Region in northwestern Peru, near the border with Ecuador. It is located in the Ayabaca Province and is capital of that province and Ayabaca District, to the southeast of the Ecuadorian border town of Macará. The town is situated in the Andes above the Piura Desert at 2,815 meters above sea level. Its Señor Cautivo festival attracts many followers who come in pilgrimage from several northern zones of Peru and even from Ecuador. It had a population of about 10,000 people in 1975.

Climate

Ayabaca has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwb) characterized by consistent mild temperatures and a marked contrast between dry and wet seasons. Ayabaca experiences relatively consistent temperatures throughout the year, with minor variations between months. The yearly average high temperature is 18.2°C (64.8°F), while the yearly average low temperature is 10.1°C (50.2°F). The total annual precipitation is close to 1300 mm. Ayabaca receives the majority of its precipitation during the wet season, which typically spans from December to May. March is the rainiest month, with over 300 mm of precipitation on average. The dry season, from June to September, experiences little precipitation, with July and August being the driest months.