Guide to Hiking the Inca Trail: Tips and Packing List

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most popular treks in Peru, with thousands of visitors each year. I booked my trek impulsively with my friend, dad, and brother, and it ended up being the highlight of my entire trip to Peru!

I’ve written about what to expect on each day of the trek in my latest posts: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 & Day 4, but thought I’d put together a  Guide to Hiking the Inca Trail to help future Inca Trail trekkers have an amazing trip like I had! 

I started this guide with a 4-day trek packing list because packing was the main thing bothering me about my trip. We also chose to go on our trek in November, the end of the dry season and the beginning of the wet season, so I had no CLUE what to pack. My advice to you is to layer like an onion. I’ve also included a few other tips about bathrooms (important), booking your trek, hiring a porter, and much more below. 

Guide to Hiking the Inca Trail: Tips and Packing List for the 4-day Trek

Clothing: Inca Trail Packing List

• 1 rain poncho
• 2 long-sleeved shirts – one for sleeping and one for hiking. Examples here and here.
• 1 tank top
• 1 short sleeve shirt/or another tank top
• Hiking pants – I loved my Columbia Saturday Trail stretch pants and wore them 3 out of the 4 hiking days.
• 2 pairs of leggings – One fleece lined for sleeping and one if you want to switch out of your hiking pants.
• Hiking boots – These are my absolute favorites and have great ankle support!
• Chaco sandals or flip flops –  I opted for the sandals so I could be a little more elevated and covered up when I went into the bathrooms
• 2-3 sports bras and 5 pairs of underwear
• 1 fleece pullover
• 1 puffer or warm jacket
• A raincoat
• 2-3 pairs of socks – I brought 2 for hiking and one for sleeping.  SmartWool is a great brand for hiking and staying warm.
• Ball cap and/or beanie
• Bandana – It may look weird, but it helped me from giving my neck a 3rd-degree burn
• Gloves
• Sunglasses

Gear: Inca Trail Packing List

• Hiking poles – I rented these from our trekking company at the beginning of our trek. They were really good quality but did cost about $30 just to rent.
• Headlamp
• Packing cubes – these are awesome and will help keep your stuff organized in the porter bag. You can also use one as a pillow if you stuff your coat inside.
• Fold up water bottle
• Camelback water bladder
• Daypack
• Battery pack extra chargers 
• Go-Pro
• Sleeping Bag (provided)
• DSLR camera– I carried this around, but I love taking photos, so it was worth it. If I were to go now, I’d bring my Sony A6000 mirrorless camera since it’s so light!
• Cell-phone
• Sleeping Mat (provided)
  

Toiletries: Inca Trail Packing List

• Toilet Paper – Bring an entire role because there isn’t any provided.
• Baby wipes – These were a lifesaver! They worked to clean off after a long day of hiking.
• Face wipes – I didn’t bring makeup on the trek, but my face would be caked with dust each night, so these were nice!
• Chapstick 
• Toothbrush/toothpaste  
• Hair ties
• Lotion
• Neosporin and band-aids
• Contacts and solution
• Deodorant
• Bug spray
• Sunscreen
• Hand sanitizer

Other Essentials

• Snacks – I brought a few shot blocks to curb my appetite and give me energy. The food they serve will keep you pretty full, but it’s smart to bring a few other snacks just in case. We also bought coca candies along the way to help with the altitude.
• Passport and ID – To get stamped at all of the stopping posts
• Soles (Peruvian money) – To tip the porters on the final night.
• Zip lock bags -to put trash in on the trail
  •  

More Essential Inca Trail Hike Tips

1 – Pick a reputable tour trek company

We went with Peru Treks and loved them. The food was awesome, the guides were great and they treated their porters well. If I did it over again I’d use them again 100%. I also have heard great things about Llama Path, but after experiencing Peru Treks first hand I would highly recommend them!

2 – Book your trekking company early 

We trekked in mid-November, which is the beginning of the rainy season. It rained one day of our trek (the last day), but the rest of the days were sunny and amazing. Be sure to book your trek at least 5 months in advance and even earlier if you’re going in high season, which is the North American summer months.

3 – Pack appropriately 

I’ve included a list of items I packed above, but make sure you don’t pack too much. Usually, if you get a porter, you’ll get to put 5.5kg inside. My sleeping mat and sleeping bag (that I rented) were 3kg, which left me 2.5kg (5.5 lbs) to pack in the duffle they provided. This ended up being fine for me! In the pack, I put my sandals, a large fleece, all of my toiletries, and the rest of my clothes. The rest of it I packed in my day pack.

4 – Hire a half porter

I highly recommend hiring a porter unless you hike quite a bit and enjoy walking up a steep incline for hours with heavy stuff on your back. My dad and brother and another dad and son on our trek all came with the notion of carrying their large backpacking backpacks and had to get a porter halfway through. Luckily, you can do that! But I recommend getting a porter before you even start the trek!

5. Rent a sleeping bag and hiking poles

We rented both of these items through Peru treks. Some people didn’t have poles, and I gave one of mine to a girl who didn’t have any, and it probably saved her life going downhill. It’s steep! You can bring your own sleeping bag, but it was easier for me not to haul one around the rest of Peru.

6. Bring enough cash and your passport

You’ll need money to tip the porters at the end of your trek. Usually, your trekking company will tell you the correct amount to tip the guide and porters. Make sure you bring this with you and try and get smaller bills if possible. You’ll also have a chance to buy water from local ladies, so have money for water and snacks at least for the first 2 days.

7. Be prepared for the toilets

I’m not going to lie; the toilets on the Inca Trail are nasty, but they aren’t AS gross as the horror stories I had heard. Pull your pant legs up high, bring your toilet paper and headlamp, and don’t look around. Most are squatting toilets with a hole in the ground and porcelain around the hole. They usually spray them down with water every few hours but still be prepared for the worst, and you won’t be as grossed out. Bring wipes and toilet paper with you.

8. Workout before your trip

You don’t need to train like crazy before hiking the Inca Trail (although it can’t hurt). I was doing HIIT workouts and running intervals on the treadmills before going, but my friend did yoga, which helped her with breathing in the altitude and climbing up the mountain. I’d probably recommend doing some constant workouts before the trek, and you’ll be fine. You certainly don’t need to run for 10 miles a day uphill with bags of bricks on your back, as some people say! 🙂

9. Prepare for altitude sickness

This is a real thing! My brother and a few others got altitude sickness on the trail. Be sure to drink your coca tea, chew coca leaves, and bring altitude sickness meds just in case. The guides will give you their natural remedies and will help you. Just take your time, and you’ll get through it!

10. Take your time hiking

My advice is to take your time on the trail. Stop and take pictures and enjoy yourself. Some people bolted up the mountain, but I preferred to look around, stop and take pics, and joke around with my fellow trekkers. You’re most likely only going to do this once in your life, so smell those roses. 🙂

11. Weather can be unpredictable

The weather can be unpredictable, with fog rolling in after a scorching hot stint, followed by rain, so be prepared and pack layers.

12. Know this about water

I thought I’d be drinking water from a stream I’d have to get myself, but that wasn’t the case. Never once did I use the iodine drops that I bought. For the first 2 days, you’ll drink water from water bottles you’ll buy from local ladies. I just filled up my Camelback pouch with those. The next two days, the porters will boil water for you. I wouldn’t even bring a water filter or iodine drops if I were you.

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