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Packing List for a Trek

So you are all booked! Full of excitement - now the preparation begins! We want to help you feel as prepared as possible!


Below you will find a comprehensive packing list for a trip that includes multi-day trek. Please click here for a packing list to Peru that does not include a trek.


DOCUMENTS AND CASH

  • Passports

  • Cash for tips (not required, but encouraged). Plan on $60-$100 USD per person. Our guides, porters and chefs are all compensated fairly by Kusa Treks. However, nearly all of our customers provide additional tips for our crew because of the incredible service they receive throughout the trek.

  • Cash for souvenirs

  • STUDENTS ONLY: Valid, university issued student ID.


LUGGAGE


Good Daypack

  • Not too big, not too small, like Goldilocks. Something like this, Osprey Talon Backpack.

  • Daypacks can be any size for hiking, but we recommend that you bring a smaller sized bag. Bags that are larger than 25L are not allowed inside Machu Picchu. If you bring a bag larger than 25L you will simply need to rent a locker for your bag outside Machu Picchu (10 Soles).

  • You will carry all of the items you need during the day in this pack. This includes: 2-3L of water, snacks, rain poncho, camera, wet wipes, toilet paper, medicine, camera/phone, cash, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.

Large Bag or Suitcase

  • To travel to Peru you will want to pack most of your hiking equipment in a large bag or suitcase – including your clothes, hiking boots, toiletries, sleeping bag (if you choose not to rent one from us). You do not need to bring a tent or mess kit for meals. The night before your trek a Kusa Treks rep will meet you at either our office in Cusco or at your hotel for a Trek Briefing. During the briefing you will receive a Kusa Treks duffel bag that you can fill with your personal items that you will need for the trek. After the briefing you will transfer the personal items you’ll need throughout the trek from your suitcase/bag to the Kusa Treks duffel bag. For the luggage/personal items that you do not need during the trek, you’ll be able to store at your hotel during your trek. Our Porters will carry the duffel bags throughout the trek.

  • Our Porters will carry 6 kg (13.3 lbs.) of your personal items. If you exceed 6kg, you will be charged $10 for each additional kilo (2.2 lbs.).

  • CLASSIC INCA TRAIL ONLY: Hiring a Porter costs an additional $80/Porter. If you do not pay for a Porter you will be responsible for carrying all of your own personal items. Our crew will carry your tent and the food/materials for meals. If you hire a porter on the Inca Trail he will carry 8 kg (17.6 lbs.).


PACKING FOR CUSCO


We highly recommend that anyone going on a trek should arrive to Cusco at least 2 full days in advance of their hike to acclimate to the elevation.


One of the first things you’ll want to do when you get to Cusco is head to the City-Center, a short walk from most hotels, and exchange cash for the Peruvian Sole. We suggest exchanging at least $150-$200 USD/person in cash. You can exchange it back if you have extra Soles at the end of your trip.


PRO-TIP: Before you arrive in Peru, check the conversion rates using something like the XE Currency Converter. When you get to the City-Center you’ll notice a lot of merchants that exchange money, find one with the closest rate to the one you saw prior to your trip.


In addition to cash you’ll also need the following while you enjoy the sites of Cusco:

  • 1 pair of travel pants/chinos

  • 2-3 "every day" shirts

  • Underwear/Socks

  • Sunglasses

  • Cash for meals, snacks and souvenirs/clothing that can be purchased in local markets

  • Deck of cards or other games to play while you’re taking it easy and acclimatizing

    • You’ll most likely feel the effects of the high altitude on your first day in Cusco. We suggest really taking it easy on day 1, drink plenty of water and Coca Tea (served for free at most hotels). Eat plenty of small meals that are high in protein, kick back and read a book or play game, this is a vacation after all!

  • PRO-TIP: If you’re a light packer and want to wear your hiking clothes around Cusco, you should think about bringing travel laundry detergent so you can wash your clothes in your hotel bathtub or sink the day prior to your hike. Most hotels also offer laundry service at a reasonable price!


PACKING FOR THE HIKE


CLOTHES


2 hiking shirts. The key to a good hiking shirt is one that is lightweight and dries quickly. The weather in the Andes is unpredictable and subject to change from beautiful and sunny to cloudy and rainy in a matter of minutes. You don’t want your clothes to stay soaked for hours after it stops raining, pack 2-3 shirts that are comfortable and dry quickly. Something like these:

1-2 pairs of Hiking Pants. Similar to the shirts, pants should be lightweight, comfortable and moisture wicking. We also suggest finding hiking pants that can convert to shorts easily, as you can get pretty warm after hiking up a mountain for a few hours. Also, look for pants with plenty of pockets:

3-4 sets of Undergarments, oddly enough there are undergarments specific to hiking. We’ll let you be the judge here, as personal preference is usually the best guide to underwear, but here are some options that worked well for us. We suggest bringing 1 pair of thermal underwear to wear in your tent at night, the Andes get pretty cold when the sun goes down and it’s important to dress in layers.

Comfortable hiking boots. Quite possibly the most important item you’ll bring. If your feet ache or get wet, it can make the entire hiking experience miserable. If you don’t have a pair of hiking boots, finding the right pair takes effort – take the time to do some real research. You’ll want to try on a few pairs to discover your personal preferences. Below are 2 solid options, we'll throw in an endorsement for Option 2, the Salomon GTX is an excellent hiking boot. They’re lightweight, yet sturdy and truly waterproof, but again, try on few a pairs of boots before purchasing – this is not a one-size-fits-all situation.

  • Hiking Shoes – Option 1

  • Hiking Shoes – Option 2

    • PRO-TIP: If you are buying new hiking boots make sure to break them in. Consider walking/hiking in them for 10-20 miles in various terrain before getting to Peru.

2-3 sets of hiking socks and 2-3 hiking sock liners.Most people understand the need for great hiking socks, but what saved my feet on the Inca Trail were hiking sock liners! You’ll put the liners on first as a great sweat barrier between your foot and the actual sock, the liners help keep your feet dry and blister free!

Comfortable Campsite Footwear. After hiking for most of the day it’s an incredible feeling to take off your hiking boots and slide your feet into something extremely comfortable and non-restrictive. They may look funny, but Crocs are an absolute go-to for giving your feet a break around the campsite. They are light, closed-toed, and comfortable.

  • PRO-TIP: bring a small container of Gold Bond or Baby Powder that you can sprinkle inside your Crocs before putting your bare feet in, you might get some weird looks from your fellow hikers, but your feet will thank you!

1 Fleece Jacket, The Cusco region of Peru has a very mild climate. The highs are usually around 70℉ (21℃) and the lows are close to freezing 32℉ (0℃). Once the sun goes down it can get pretty chilly and a mid-weight fleece jacket is the perfect thing to throw on around the campsite.

  • You can also purchase a handmade Alpaca wool sweater once you arrive in Peru for $5-10 (20-30 Peruvian Soles) depending on your bargaining skills.

1 Wool Hat (AKA Beanie or Toque). This is another item that you can find in the markets of Cusco made out of Alpaca Wool, that be can be purchased for cheap.

1 Hiking Hat. This is to wear while you’re on the trail throughout the day. Ideally, you’d like something that can protect your face, neck and ears as you’ll be hiking at a very high elevation. Something like this:

Neck Cover/Sun Protection. Again, you’ll be hiking at a very high elevation, as a result, exposed skin is more likely to get burned. In addition to a hat, we suggest bringing something to keep your neck and ears covered. I found a Buff to be extremely useful, simply get it wet with cold water at the beginning of the day and it would stay cool until lunch, then would soak it again to help stay cool and covered all day.

  • We suggest getting a Buff or something similar.


HIKING GEAR

The following gear is necessary. Items with a price listed are available to rent from Kusa Treks. The links below are examples of the type of gear you can rent from us, otherwise you will need to bring it with you. About half our trekkers will rent their gear – sleeping bags being the most popular rented item in our experience.

  • Sleeping bag ($25) – If you rent one from us, the weight is 2.5kg (5.5lb).

  • Therm-a-Rest (higher quality air mattress to sleep on) ($15) – ours weigh 1kg (2lb).

  • Personal Tent ($30) – Kusa Treks provides one 4-man tent for every two trekkers, if you would like your own tent you can rent one from Kusa Treks or bring your own.

  • Waterproof Rain Jacket. Mens | Womens

  • Camera, Phone or GoPro for pictures

PRO-TIP: You can also consider bringing a Solar Charger to recharge your phone or camera batteries on the trail


Gear you WILL NOT need to bring:

  • Meal materials (food for meals, utensils, plates, cups, bowls, etc.)

  • Hiking toilet

  • Basic sleeping pad

  • Shared tent for 2

  • Clean water (after the first morning)


WATER/SNACKS

  • Plan to bring at least 2L of water for the first morning of the trek. We will supply clean water at each meal for the rest of the trek.

  • Camelbaks are strongly encouraged and should be able to hold at least 2-3 Liters.

  • Water Bottle, like a Nalgene.

PRO-TIP: Bring powdered drink mixes to pour into your Nalgene, something with electrolytes, like these Gatorade Powder Packets.

  • Favorite snacks. Don’t go overboard on this – Each day of the hike we will provide 3 professionally prepared meals, along with 1 afternoon snack. You won’t need a ton of extra food, but we encourage hikers to carry some energy rich snacks to keep your momentum up during the trek:


TOILETRIES

Our crew will have a range of medical supplies in the event of an emergency. We do encourage you to bring your own personal Hiking First Aid kit for minor incidents that can occur while hiking, such as scrapes or blisters. In addition you should plan on bringing the following personal items:


If you have any questions about the items on this list or other items you think you’ll need, please reach out to us! We’re happy to provide direction and listen to suggestions!


info@kusatreks.com


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