The Colca Canyon is one of the best treks in Peru, taking you into one of the deepest canyons of the world and past hot springs, oasis towns, and some of the oldest pre-Incan ruins on the planet. This trek is pretty unique, allowing you to traverse stunning landscapes by day and, by night, sleep in comfy hotel beds. So what exactly do you need to bring along for a trek like this? After hiking this trail myself, I’ve put together the perfect Colca Canyon packing list with everything you need to have an incredible time on the trail.

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Colca Canyon Packing List

Clothing

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that Colca Canyon is kind of a choose-your-own adventure hike. We wrote an entire guide to the Colca Canyon trek, so we won’t get into too many of the hairy details here, but, in short, there’s a zillion different options on how to hike this trail, from a one day 6.3 mile trail to a 19 mile hike over the course of three (or more!) days. 

So you may have to pack differently depending on how you’re hiking the Colca Canyon trail—so, be sure to adjust what you pack accordingly.

1. T-shirt or tank top (x2) 

Be sure to pack clothes that are cool and moisture-wicking. My husband, Justin, and I hiked the Colca Canyon trek in April, which is one of the cooler months, and were still SERIOUSLY sweating whenever we hiked in an area that was exposed to the sun in the mid-afternoon (even while hiking downhill!). Here’s the hiking t-shirts that Justin swears by and I LOVE these crop tops.

2. Shorts (x1) 

Again, we were seriously surprised by how hot the Colca Canyon got—I only brought long pairs of pants for the trek and I was getting so hot that I was seriously considering hiking in my underwear (I wish I was joking!). 

So don’t be like me and be sure to bring along a pair of shorts to change into if the weather gets too spicy—here’s the kind that Justin uses and here’s my go to pair to hike in.

3. Hiking pants (x1)

Despite all of my warnings about how hot the Colca Canyon can get, it usually is cooler in the early mornings and evenings here and when you’re hiking in the shade of the canyon. So bringing along one pair of pants is a good option—here’s an option for men and here’s an option for women.

4. Warm layers

As mentioned above, the Colca Canyon can get pretty cool (especially when your body isn’t warmed up from hiking), so bring along a warm coat (this is the coat Justin uses and here’s mine) and a beanie to throw on when it gets chilly.

5. Hiking socks (x2)

6. Underwear (x2), plus a sports bra for the ladies

7. Swimsuit

Depending on what trail you do, you may get to visit pools, hot springs, and even some swimming holes in the Rio Colca.

8. Hiking boots

Most of the Colca Canyon trekking options are pretty long—at least 12 miles—along a rocky, steep, and uneven trail. You’ll definitely want to wear proper hiking boots for support and traction on the trail. Justin has had these boots for years and loves them and this is the pair that I swear by. 

9. Rainjacket (men’s | women’s)

10. Pajamas

Or, really, any loose, comfortable clothing to lounge around the hotel and sleep in.

11. Hiking sandals 

Is there anything better than taking your hiking boots off after a long day on the trail? Hiking sandals are perfect for puttering around the hotel or tiny remote towns after you’re done hiking for the day and can double as water shoes, if you need them, in hot springs or in swimming holes along the river. You’ll find Justin and me in Tevas about 99% of the time (here’s his pair and here’s mine). 

12. Baseball hat

13. Sunglasses

Gear

Unlike a lot of multi-day hikes, you don’t need to bring a tent or a camp stove—there’s plenty of hotels with comfy beds and restaurants along the trail. Still, you’ll need to bring along some gear to stay comfortable and safe on the trail. 

1. Hiking backpack 

Since you don’t really need to bring your bulky camping gear on this trek, a 20L to 40L backpack should do the trick. I’ve used an Osprey Sirrus 24 for years and years and here’s the male equivalent.

2. Trekking poles

This trail is essentially nothing, but steep climbing up and downhill. Bring trekking poles—your knees will thank me later! 

3. Refillable water bottle

You can either buy bottled water from vendors or hotels along the trail or, to avoid unnecessary single use plastic, consider bringing along a water filter to use on water from either the tap or Rio Colca.

5. Rechargeable head lamp

You should start hiking super early (like, before sunrise early) on the day that you’re climbing out of the canyon, so you’ll need a headlamp to light the way. 

6. Travel towel

7. First aid kit

Toiletries

1. Sunscreen

2. Bugspray

To be honest, we didn’t encounter any insects, other than bees, on the trail, but I’ve read other reports that people had issues with lots of mosquitoes here.  And, if you plan on hiking the Inca Trail, you’ll DEFINITELY need bug spray for that, so having some bugspray stored in your backpack isn’t a terrible idea!

3. Toothbrush and toothpaste

4. Shampoo

All of the lodges that we stayed at provided a small bar of soap, but none of them offered shampoo. 

5. Deodorant

6. Any medication you might need

Electronics

1. Cell phone

2. Camera

If you’re hoping to spot and photograph some Andean condors along the trail or at the Mirador del Condor, I’d suggest bringing along a telephoto lens as well.

3. Tripod

4. Universal adapter plug

If you’re like us and have a bunch of electronics to plug in every night, like a camera, cell phone, headlamp, etc., it’s nice to have a plug that lets you charge multiple devices at once. 

5. Charging cables

6. Headphones

Miscellaneous 

1. Cash

Bring LOTS of Peruvian soles! 

You’ll need at least 70 soles per person for an entry ticket to the Colca Canyon (cash-only). Additionally, most of the businesses in Cabanaconde, where the trailhead and endpoint are located, as well as the hotels and restaurants located in the canyon themselves, are cash-only. If these businesses do take credit cards, they often charge a pretty steep service fee (like, 5% or more). 

There’s no ATMs in Cabanaconde. The closest town with an ATM is Chivay, over an hour away, and I’ve read the ATM is frequently out of service. So be sure to take out enough cash in Arequipa (or whatever other major city you head here from)!

2. Snacks

You’ll likely be eating breakfast and dinner at a hotel or restaurant along the Colca Canyon trail. However, it can be a bit trickier to eat lunch along the way—you might not want to have to plan your trek around hitting one of the handful of towns along the trail around lunchtime. 

Accordingly, I’d suggest bringing along plenty of snacks to enjoy around midday to keep you going. You can easily find nuts, dried fruits, and the like from grocery stores in Arequipa.

3. Toilet paper roll

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There you have it—everything you need on the Colca Canyon trek. Do you have any questions about what you need to bring on this incredible trail? Let us know in the comments below!