What to pack for the Inca Trail
All the must haves, tips & tricks for one of the most epic hikes in the world: The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru.
Are you planning to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu anytime soon? If you’re like me and want to have peace of mind before departing for the Inca Trail, get some inspiration from my packing list!
We hiked the Inca Trail in the beginning of May and it was one of the most incredible experience in my entire life. You can read all about our Inca Trail experience here.
Our tour operator provided a very comprehensive list of things to pack for the Inca Trail. While temperatures and weather conditions change between rainy and dry season, at the end of the trek we felt we had pretty much everything we needed.
TIP: You can leave your suitcases at your hotel in Cuzco and pick them up at the end of the Inca Trail.
My packing list for the Inca Trail 4 days / 3 nights
In the backpacks:
Headlamps
Powerbank - There are no power outlets on the Inca trail. We had a 10,000 mAh powerbank each + another powerbank for backup. That was enough to power up our phones, one Gopro, one Fitbit tracker and two headlamps for 4 days. I would recommend this Powerbank
Energy snacks (nuts, energy bars, dates, etc.)
Water bottle
Action Camera - I managed to capture some pretty epic footage on the Inca Trail. Doing it with my phone was out of question, since I had walking sticks and needed to focus on steep, sometimes slippery stone steps. Thankfully, I had a GoPro fixed on my chest and could easily record spectacular footage like this:
Portable rain jacket
Small hot water bottle - This is super handy when the nights get cold. We asked the cook to fill it up with hot water before lying down in the sleeping bag. I bought this one on Amazon.
Sunglasses
Sun hat
Light scarf
Sunscreen
Mosquito spray (Note: we didn’t find a single mosquito during our tour)
Bath soap
Toilet paper
Medicines / bandages
Passport
A passport copy (I always carry one with me)
Tickets for Machu Picchu and for the return train (very important!)
Enough cash for small expenses - Mainly a few extra energy beverages and a few soles for some toilets on the way.
Cash for the tips - This is not mandatory, but it’s encouraged if you’re happy with the service. Most tour operators provide recommendations on their websites about how much you could tip.
In the duffel bags (carried by the porters):
Neck pillow
Thin towel
Warm clothes for the night
Hiking trousers
T-shirts (with short and long sleeves)
Hiking boots
Gloves
Sweater
Chargers
A book - (You won’t really have time to read as each day is packed with action! However, I’d recommend this book as the perfect companion for this adventure: The Last days of the Incas )
Plus, we had our sleeping bags with us (it’s also possible to rent them from the tour operator).
The package we booked included a max. of 7 kg baggage per person, which were carefully weighed by our guide when he picked us up at the hotel. On the Inca Trail, heavy baggage are carried by porters, who should carry no more than 25 kg each.
Our guide told us that until some years ago, the maximum was an incredible 45 KG each!
Therefore, be mindful of the porters’ backs and only pack what is strictly necessary!
In our backpacks we were allowed to carry as much as we wanted, but given the challenging trek, we tried to stick to essential items only.
If you are struggling to fit all the items for the Inca Trail into your suitcase when travelling to Peru, check out my suitcase packing tips.
The Inca Trail was an unforgettable experience where we saw incredible places, disconnected from the outside world and learned a lot about the history of the Incas. It’s easy to understand why this is considered one of the most spectacular hikes in the world!
About me:
As a passionate traveler and airline & hospitality expert I've been lucky to experience travel from behind the scenes -From crossing the Andes by bus, to flying Business class to the Maldives.
Some fun facts about my trips:
I’ve visited 5 of the 7 New World Wonders
Lowest point I’ve reached: Death Valley, California at -86 mt (-282 ft) altitude
Highest point I’ve reached: The Andes, 5,050 mt (16,568 ft) altitude
I've stayed at 100+ accommodations, from a tent in the Savannah to a houseboat on a French river
I’ve travelled 350,000+ km across 45+ countries and 5 continents by bus, car, boat, bike, hiking and so much more…
In my blog Beating Jetlag I share my travel experiences, insider tips and behind-the-scenes content for smart adventurers, as well as travel marketing recommendations for Creators. You can read more about me here.