PERU PACKING LIST – General, Trekking, and Hiking the Inca Trail
WHAT TO BRING
On your expedition you will be experiencing all of the Peruvian climates, from cold and windy Altiplano evenings to hot sunny days in the valley. On sunny days, it will generally be warm enough for shorts and t-shirts, though we recommend keeping a fleece jacket and rain gear handy. It will get chilly in the evenings, so bring a warm fleece jacket and warm clothes (i.e. long underwear, gloves, scarf and warm hat). As a general rule, we discourage packing lots of cotton clothing that takes a long time to dry (pack synthetic materials instead). Also, keep in mind that Cusco is a bustling city with great museums, restaurants and bars; consider packing some clothes appropriate for going out on the town. Finally, there will be lots of opportunities to purchase locally made Alpaca sweaters, which double as warmth and a great souvenir.
SUGGESTED PACKING LIST
• Night-life / City clothes
• Synthetic hiking clothes (comfortable)
• Zip-off / lightweight hiking pants
• T-shirts and shorts
• Long-sleeved t-shirts
• Warm fleece, down jacket, or Alpaca sweater (available in Cusco and in surrounding market towns)
• Rain-jacket and rain-pants or poncho
• Socks and underwear
• Long underwear
• Sturdy, broken–in walking / hiking shoes
• Day pack (with rain-cover)
• Money belt/secret documents pouch
• Sunglasses (with leash)
• Warm hat
• Sun hat
• Refillable water bottle
• Headlamp / flashlight
• Sunscreen (recommended at least 15spf, biodegradable is preferred) & lip balm
• Swim suit
• Personal hygiene / toiletries kit
• Camera
• Book, Notepaper & Pen
• Personal first aid kit to include: painkillers, band-aids, moleskin, antiseptic cream, itch cream, anti-diarrhea medicine, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication. (Most guided trips carry an extensive first aid kit & oxygen on all trips, but these are generally for emergencies only)
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PACKING
For the majority of your adventure you will have vehicle support. Any spare clothes / equipment can be stored in the bus, but please bring a small daypack to hold your belongings.
Luggage on the Machu Picchu train is restricted to 5kg(10lbs) / 20ltrs(1300 cubic inches) carry-ons only.
Top quality outdoor equipment is difficult to find in Peru. If you wish to donate any clothing, gear, etc. it will be gratefully received by any guides or staff for your trip.
If you would like to give a donation to charity while in Peru, just ask your guide for a good recommendation.
Hiking the INCA TRAIL Packing List
EQUIPMENT LIST
On this expedition we will be experiencing all extremes of Peruvian climate, from freezing Altiplano to extremely hot sunshine. During the day hopefully it will be generally sunny enough for shorts and t-shirts though having a fleece and rain gear handy is advisable. It will get cold (as low as -5’C whilst camping) especially in the evenings so bring a warm fleece jacket, a good waterproof and some warm clothes – including thermal underwear, gloves, scarf and woolly hat as well as one set of smarter clothes for Cusco. Good quality Alpaca jumpers are available in Cusco. A good quality sleeping bag is essential for your enjoyment of this trip.
WHAT TO BRING
– Comfortable clothes for travel
– Smart clothes for night life
– Shorts
– T-shirts
– A warm fleece or down jacket
– Thermal underwear
– Warm hat, gloves, scarf
– Sweater (available to buy in Cusco)
– Water proof coat & trousers
– After trekking trousers & t-shirt
– Good, well worn-in walking boots
– After trek shoes (sandals)
– Sleeping bag (- 5’C) (some tours will have bags to rent – check with Detour)
– Therm-a-rest or sleeping pad (many tours provide these – check with Detour)
– Towel
– Water bottle
– Sunglasses
– Swim suit
– Sun hat
– Head lamp and spare batteries
– Book, notepaper & pen (optional)
– Suntan lotion factor 15+ / After sun care
– Lip balm
– Insect repellent
– Camera & spare film 100 & 400 (optional)
– Trekking poles & protective cover
– Personal toilet kit
– Money belt
– Day sack & rain cover
– Personal first aid kit to include: painkillers, plasters (band-aids), moleskin, antiseptic cream, after bite, anti-diarrhea tablets, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication. (Your travel provider will almost always have an extensive first aid kit & Oxygen all trips, but these are generally for emergencies only)
Please Note
* For most trips the porters carry all you heavy camping gear but this is inaccessible during the day so please bring a small day-pack to carry your personal day gear in (i.e. water bottle, camera, sun block, insect repellent, light fleece and rain jacket).
* Due to Inca Trail rules limiting the numbers of porters and the weight they carry, you will have to limit your heavy gear to 8kg (17.6 lbs). This is usually more than adequate. Kit bags are supplied for these porter carried items.
* Any excess gear can usually be stored in Cusco at your hotel whilst on the Inca Trail.
* New rules at Machu Picchu limit the number of visitors to Huayna Picchu to the first 400 people before 10 am. Please let your guide know early if you wish to climb this peak so they can plan ahead.
* Inca Trail regulations stipulate ski poles are only allowed with plastic protecting covers. This is to prevent trail damage. ‘Native’ tree walking sticks are also banned on the trail. This is to prevent de-forestation.
* We recommend trekkers take around 600 soles in local currency for any emergencies and expenses in Machu Picchu.
* We implement a ‘porter protection policy’ that ensures all porters are well treated, paid, insured, fed and looked after.
* Most good quality sporting equipment is unavailable in Peru so if anyone wishes to donate any outdoor clothes, sleeping bags, etc they will be gratefully received by any of the travel company staff.