Pico Alto
Peru's big wave, and the reason Punta Hermosa has a name beyond its beach breaks. An outer reef that only exists when the swell is large — its atlas entry records it starting to work at 10–12 ft and holding past 16 ft, with rides of 150 to 300 m on a good day and waves reported to 24 ft. Hollow, fast and powerful over flat rock and sand, and famous as a right, though it throws the occasional left. Wikipedia lists it among the world's big-wave locations. It is empty almost all the time, for the obvious reason.
Live conditions
We don't have a current forecast for Pico Alto. The seasonal guidance below is based on long-run averages, not on today.
Surf Snapshot
Estimated seasonal guidance — not a live forecast.
When to surf Pico Alto, month by month
Estimated from our authored seasonality — not a live forecast.
Peak season: May, Jun, July, Aug (All-time).
| Month | Surf consistency |
|---|---|
| Jan | Rare |
| Feb | Rare |
| Mar | Moderate |
| Apr | High |
| Maypeak | All-time |
| Junpeak | All-time |
| Julypeak | All-time |
| Augpeak | All-time |
| Sept | Moderate |
| Oct | Inconsistent |
| Nov | Rare |
| Dec | Rare |
Does this wave fit your level?
Rated for Level 7 · Best at Level 7.
Take the 2-minute quiz to see if Pico Alto fits you today.
Find my Level →Beginner notes
Not a wave to surf, a wave to watch. Its own atlas entry grades the required experience as "pros or kamikaze only" and recommends a 9–10 ft gun; it breaks over rock well offshore, with rips and undertow and a long paddle to reach it. Graded 7 across the board because there is no version of this break that a Level 6 surfer should be talking themselves into. The Punta Hermosa camps teach on the sand beaches nearby — go and look at this one from the cliff.
Hazards
- rocks
- rip currents
- big wave
- long paddle
How this spot is sourced
Cross-checked against 2 sources, last checked August 2026.