The Inca Trail may be the most iconic multi-day trek in all of South America, leading from the heart of the Sacred Valley of Peru to Machu Picchu, one of the best preserved cities of the Incan empire. It’s also a little bit unusual for a backpacking trip—most of your food, gear, and even some of your personal belongings are carried by porters along the trail. So what should you pack for this bucket list trail—and what can you leave at home?
My husband, Justin, and I have done a TON of multi-day backpacking trips and recently applied all of that knowledge to packing for and tackling the Inca Trail. So, here’s everything you need to include on your packing list for the Inca Trail to have the best time on this epic hike.
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What is the Inca Trail?
We wrote an entire guide for you if you plan on hiking the Inca Trail, but, in short, it’s a 22.4 mile trek that’s typically hiked over the course of four days and three nights, passing dozens of ancient Incan ruins and some of the most spectacular vistas of the Andes Mountains along the way.
The trail departs from outside of the town of Ollytantambo and follows a stone pathway that was constructed across the Andes Mountains by the Incas in the 15th century. This path originally connected Machu Picchu, which was one of their most sacred cities, to Cusco, which served as the capital of the Incan empire.
To protect the dozens of archaeological sites along the way and to boost the local economy, visitors are now legally required to hike the Inca Trail with a certified guide. Accordingly, you need to hike the Inca Trail as part of a guided tour.
For example, after doing a ton of research, we chose this tour with Salkantay Trekking, due to the fact that it’s locally owned and operated and, from what we can tell, it pays its porters more fairly than most of its competitors. Alternatively, TreXperience is another popular choice, which, to our guide’s knowledge, was the only other 100% locally owned Inca Trail trekking company.
Signing up for one of these tours doesn’t just hook you up with a guide, though—any reputable Inca Trail tour operator will also provide your camping gear, your food (for multi-course meals whilst on the trails), and a cook and several porters to help carry and set up all of the equipment.
So your packing list for the Inca Trail is going to look a little different from what you’d bring on your average four day backpacking trip.
What kind of bags do you need for the Inca Trail?
For the Inca Trail, you’re going to want a medium-sized backpack (around 25-35L) to carry all of the items that you need easy access to throughout the day on your hike. I’ve used this 25L backpack for years and love it and this is the men’s equivalent.
Otherwise, most tour operators will provide you with a duffel bag that you can pack with up to 7.5 kg of your personal items, which will be carried by a porter and delivered to your tent each night. After your trek is done, you’ll return this duffel bag to your tour operator.
Accordingly, in our list below, I’m going to highlight what items that you should pack in your backpack, as opposed to what should be packed away in your duffel bag.
Packing list for the Inca Trail
So let’s get into it!
In your 25L-35L backpack
Again, the backpack that you wear during your Inca Trail should have everything you may need to readily access on your hike—think items like your jacket, refillable water bottle, a headlamp, and a roll of toilet paper.
Clothing
1. Puffer jacket
You’re going to hike up to almost 14,000 feet above sea level, so it’s going to get cold at times! Be sure to bring a warm outer layer, like this puffer jacket that I use and this one that my husband, Justin, uses.
2. Base layer
I’d suggest bringing along a warm base layer to throw on if you get chilly early in the mornings or in the evenings or while you’re at higher elevations.
Here’s a base layer option for men and here’s one for women.
3. Rain jacket
The weather at higher elevations is pretty unpredictable—it can be hot and sunny one second and then misty and cool the next. I’d definitely recommend having a rain jacket at the ready—here’s the rainjacket that I use and here’s the one that Justin uses.
Alternatively, you might want to consider packing along a poncho. We both have rainflies for our backpacks, but they can still get a bit wet in heavy rain. Because Justin carries all of our (very expensive) camera gear in his backpack, he prefers to use a poncho to throw over his backpack, in addition to the rainfly, to add another layer of waterproof protection.
Your tour company will usually provide a poncho, but I’d suggest trying it on when you get it at your pre-hike briefing. Our tour company gave us oddly short ponchos, which unfortunately didn’t cover our backpacks all the way—so we had to buy an overpriced one at the trailhead, instead.
4. Rain pants
Especially if you’re hiking during the rainy season, from November through March. Here’s an option for men and here’s an option for women.
5. Beanie
6. Baseball hat
7. Waterproof hiking boots
Be sure to wear proper hiking boots here. The trail is pretty long and has INCREDIBLY muddy and uneven sections—this isn’t a hike you’d want to attempt in regular ol’ sneakers.
Here’s the ones that Justin has used and loved for many years and here’s my pair.
8. Sunglasses
Gear
1. Refillable water bottle
Drink LOTS of water a few days leading up to and while you’re on the trail. Staying hydrated helps you adjust better to high elevations and helps prevent altitude sickness—definitely not what you want to be battling with as you climb 5,000 feet of elevation in one day!
In case you’re worried about where to get water, your tour operator will boil water and offer you safe drinking water at each meal.
2. Rainfly
Most tour companies will provide you with a rainfly, but I’d suggest double checking with them and confirming that it snugly fits on your backpack.
3. Trekking poles
Our guide told us that Machu Picchu was spared from destruction by the Spanish, in large part, because their horses couldn’t get down the steep and rocky Inca Trail. So, suffice to say, your knees are going to be FEELING it on this trek.
Bring along trekking poles and thank me later!
4. Rechargeable headlamp
Headlamps come in handy when you start hiking before sunrise most of the days you’re on the Inca Trail (especially on the last day, where lots of groups start out around 3 AM) and to navigate around your campsites at night.
Toiletries
1. Toilet paper
Your company will probably provide you with one roll, but I’d recommend bringing along at least one extra roll, just in case. Kinda gross, but we used every inch of toilet paper we brought along!
2. Sunscreen
3. Bugspray
By the time we started the Inca Trail, we had already traveled and hiked all around Peru, from the Colca Canyon trek to Laguna 69 in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, for the preceding two months. And, on the many miles of hikes that we did, we didn’t encounter any bugs along the way. So, we decided to leave our bug spray back at our Airbnb in Cusco.
This was a HUGE mistake. There were SO many biting insects along the Inca Trail, many of them which left gnarly welts for weeks after we finished the hike.
So learn from our mistakes—bring bugspray and plan on using lots of it!
4. Hand sanitizer or hand soap
Along the Inca Trail, there’s bathrooms of some kinds (either with regular flush toilets or squatty potties) that have sinks with running water and varying degrees of cleanliness, from kind of okay to horrifyingly disgusting.
None of them had any kind of soap, though—which, TRUST ME, you’re going to want!
Miscellaneous
1. Peruvian soles
You’ll need cash for two things on the Inca Trail.
On the first day of your trek, you’ll pass through small Quechua villages where locals are selling fruits, drinks, and chicha (traditional fermented corn beer), as well as access to their bathrooms.
Additionally, lots of people forget about this expense when trying to figure out the cost of the Inca Trail, but you’re expected to tip your guide, cook, and porters, at the end of your hike. A good rule of thumb is to tip at least 15% of the cost of your tour, split amongst the crew.
There’s obviously no ATMs along the Inca Trail itself, so you’ll need to take out (or exchange your home country’s currency into) sufficient Peruvian soles in Cusco before your trip.
2. Passport
Your passport will be checked against your Inca Trail permit, as well as your Machu Picchu ticket. Unfortunately, copies (digital or otherwise) are not accepted!
3. Camera
4. Tripod
If you’re a photography enthusiast, I’d suggest bringing along your tripod for long exposures of the Rio Urubamba and for astrophotography—the stars are AMAZING out here!
Just be aware that tripods are not permitted to be used within Machu Picchu. However they can be stowed in a backpack or in a locker near the entrance.
5. Cell phone
6. Snacks
Most tour operators provide snacks after the first day on the trail, but it doesn’t hurt to throw some trail mix or dried nuts into your backpack.
Duffel bag
As mentioned above, a duffel bag is typically provided by your tour operator—no need to purchase your own! This should include everything you need for your four days on the trail that you don’t need CONSTANT access to, like extra clothing or your toothbrush.
Clothes
1. Tops x3-4
I’d suggest bringing along a mix of warm and cool layers—we were CONSTANTLY putting on and taking off layers!
For example, I’d consider packing:
- A fleece pull-over (mens and womens)
- Long sleeve t-shirt (mens and womens), and
- 2 t-shirts or tank tops (mens and womens).
2. Bottoms x2-3
Bring along at least one pair of shorts to wear on the second day, which has a LOT of steep elevation that will get your heart rate up (here’s an option for men and one for women), and a pair of pants that are durable and comfortable enough to hike in (these are the pants that Justin uses for hiking and here’s the leggings I swear by).
Make sure you don’t mind getting whatever you bring along a little dirty—we encountered a LOT of mud on the trail!
Insider tip: If you want to look cute for your photos in Machu Picchu, you might want to figure out and pack away an outfit that’s comfortable enough to hike in on your fourth day on the trail, where you’ll wake up well before sunrise and hike from your campsite at Wiñay Wayna to the iconic viewpoint that overlooks Machu Picchu.
I didn’t really think about the outfit that I wore when we hiked into Machu Picchu, which I now kinda regret! Just make sure that it’s comfortable, durable, and can get dirty on your hike—you’ll still need to prioritize function over form on this one!
3. Pajamas
It gets pretty cold at night, high in the Andes Mountains, so I’d suggest bringing along pajamas that are on the warmer side.
4. Hiking socks x3
5. Underwear x3
6. Hiking sandals
There’s NOTHING that feels better than whipping off your hiking boots after a long day on the trail.
Plus, you’ll spend around 12 hours a day around your campsite, getting in and out of your tent and walking around to the dining tent and bathroom—surely, you don’t want to have to keep putting on and taking off your hiking boots, right?
We each wear our Tevas 99% of our waking lives—here’s the pair that Justin uses and here’s my pair.
Gear
1. Sleeping bag
For whatever reason, most tour operators provide all of the camping gear you need, other than your sleeping bag. If you can, I’d suggest bringing your sleeping bag from home—we had a tough time finding high quality sleeping bags for rent in Cusco.
Some of the campsites you’ll stay at along the trail are well above 11,000 feet over sea level and can get frosty in the middle of the night. Accordingly, I’d recommend ideally packing along a four-season sleeping bag—i.e., one that’s rated for -10°C (14°F).
2. Camping pillow
Our tour company provided a pillow that somehow managed to be thin and lumpy at the same time. Thankfully, we packed along our inflatable camping pillows, which were SO much more comfortable (and came in handy on the long shuttle rides to and from Cusco).
Toiletries
1. Any medication you might need
Our guide had a first aid kit at the ready, but was very clear during our pre-hike briefing that he wasn’t allowed to give us any kind of medication, including things like aspirin.
So consider packing over-the-counter pain relievers, like acetaminophen, for muscle soreness along the trail or any medication you’ve been prescribed by your doctor (like Diamox, which helps with altitude sickness).
2. Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
3. Deodorant
Miscellaneous
1. Battery pack
There generally isn’t any place for you to charge your cell phone, camera, headlamp, etc. along the trail, so be sure to bring a power bank. Justin and I each have had one of these power banks for close to a decade(!!) and they’re still going strong!
2. Charging cables
3. Wireless headphones
4. Ear plugs
It’s actually kind of surprisingly noisy along the Inca Trail—it’s not unusual to be woken up by other groups that are getting an early start or by porters that are packing up camp or getting your breakfast ready.
5. Credit card
To buy a celebratory meal, overpriced drinks, and in the neighboring town of Aguas Caliente after you finish the Inca Trail before heading back to Cusco.
There you have it—a complete packing list for the Inca Trail. Do you have any questions on what to bring along—and what to leave at home? Let us know in the comments below!
