☀️ Inca Trail Hike Practical Guide: Risks & Firsthand Tips

Passing through cloud forests, ancient ruins, and breathtaking views, the iconic four-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu is a bucket list experience for many.

Hiking the Inca Trail is one of my most unforgettable experiences in Peru, and here, I share practical tips on preparing for the trek. This post covers:

• 💡 Hike difficulty, length, and cost
• 🚽 How to prepare & what to expect
• 🎒 What to pack for the trek
• 💥 Risks & bad scenarios
• 💰 Inca Trail tipping etiquette

Planning a trip? Here’s what to know about Peru.

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Inca Trail Overview

Before getting into safety tips and what to pack, here is some general information on the Inca Trail to help you plan your trip.

⛰️ What Is the Inca Trail?

The Inca Trail is a multi-day trek that ends at Machu Picchu, the site of the most famous Inca ruins and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The trek is known for its scenic beauty and challenging mountain passes.

The Inca Trail is believed to have been the same route the Incas took back in the 15th century.

🗓️ How Long Is the Inca Trail?

The classic Inca Trail route covers 26 miles and takes four days. It’s the most popular route with ~200 tourists hiking it each day.

The Peruvian government sets a limit on the number of Inca Trail hikers per day to slow erosion.

There are three other less popular routes to Machu Picchu with varying durations:

🥾 2-Day Inca Trail Route

The two-day trek does the latter segment of the classic route and is considered easy to moderate. It’s a good option for those who have limited time or are not in the physical shape to do the classic trek.

🥾 5-Day Inca Trail Route

The five-day trek takes the same route as the classic route, but stops and camps at Llactapata, a bonus Inca site. This route is considered a moderate hike.

Since it’s not as popular, you will likely have to book a private tour to do the five-day Inca Trail trek.

🥾 Salkantay Trek

The Salkantay trail is a six-day difficult trek with spectacular mountain sceneries. This route adds 20 miles and has a higher elevation than the classic trek.

In this post, I will give tips and write about my experience with the classic Inca Trail trek.

💪🏻 Is the Inca Trail Hard?

The Inca Trail is considered a moderate to challenging hike and requires a reasonable level of physical fitness to complete. It’s a hard hike for several reasons:

• High altitude – The Inca Trail reaches a maximum altitude of 13,828 feet. Almost everyone, regardless of their level of fitness, will likely experience fatigue or a headache at some point.

About 50% of people not accustomed to high altitude will have some altitude sickness symptoms starting at 10,000 feet of elevation.

• Steep – You’ll be hiking steep ascents and descents for several hours each day.
• Long – The trail is 26 miles long and takes four days to complete, so you’re hiking more than six miles each day at high altitude.

Here’s what you can generally expect each day on the Inca Trail:

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Hiking Time	6-7 hours	7-8 hours	5 hours	5 hours
Distance	7 miles	10 miles	6 miles	3 miles
Elevation Gain	1,900 ft	3,660 ft + 1,320 ft	-3,300 ft	-856 ft
Difficulty	Moderate	Hard	Moderate	Easy

For another activity that requires less fitness, consider visiting Huacachina.

🥾 Can You Hike the Inca Trail Without a Guide?

Every trekker requires a permit to hike the Inca Trail. Since tour operators apply for Inca Trail permits, you are legally required to have a guide to get a permit.

To slow down the route’s erosion, the Peruvian government has set a limit of 500 permits per day, which roughly splits into 300 guides/porters and 200 tourists per day.

There’s usually more demand than permits available. It’s a good idea to book a tour guide 3 months in advance. Book guides even earlier if you want to hike during the most popular months, June, July, and August.

🦺 Tips on Choosing an Inca Trail Tour Operator

Tour operators have Inca Trail licenses that are renewed annually. There are over 200 licensed operators that vary in quality, experience, and commitment to social responsibility.

Choosing an Inca Trail tour operator can be overwhelming. When booking a tour company, consider two things:

• The tour operator’s track record – Read their reviews and understand what they do well and don’t do well.
• Their treatment of their porters – The team of porters on the Inca Trail carry everything (your belongings, tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment) and are often indigenous Quechua-speaking locals from surrounding villages. Choose a company that seems to prioritize porters’ welfare (e.g., they are committed to providing them new shoes, they have bag weight limits well below the legal requirement).

🍀 My Tour Company: I booked my tour with Alpaca Expeditions as it was highly recommended to me. I found them professional and engaging, and would happily recommend them (note that I am not paid to say this).

I ran into a challenging situation due to Peru protests that impacted my Inca Trail hike, so I had the opportunity to see how capable and willing Alpaca Expeditions was at ensuring my safety.

☀️ When’s the Best Time to Hike the Inca Trail?

The Inca Trail is popular enough that people hike it year-round, but the best time to hike it is during the dry season (April to October) when there’s a lower chance of rain and fog.

The rainy season runs from November to March. The high season is from June to August when the trail is the most crowded.

The Inca Trail is closed in February every year to allow the trail to recover.

📍 Where Does the Inca Trail Start?

The Inca Trail begins with an early 4 am to 5 am pickup by bus in the city of Cusco in Peru in South America.

From Cusco, you are driven about 50 miles (approximately 3 hours) to kilometer 82 on the railroad, aka “Camino Inca,” which is the start of the trail in Aguas Calientes town.

On the way to the Inca Trail start, you typically stop for breakfast at an in-between town, usually at Urubamba or Ollantaytambo.

🗓️ What’s the Inca Trail Itinerary?

The classic Inca Trail hike is 26 miles of hiking and here’s what you can expect each day

Day 1 on the Inca Trail

The first day is dedicated to getting adjusted to the Inca Trail. You’ll make some stops along the way, including one at the archeological site, Patallacta, and another for lunch, before reaching the campsite around sunset.

Day 2 on the Inca Trail

The second day is the most challenging day of the Inca Trail where you’ll be hiking almost entirely upwards or downwards for most of the day.

The first ascending hike is to Dead Woman’s Pass, which is the highest point on the trek (the guides fondly call it the “Gringo Killer” or “Tourist Killer”).

Day 3 on the Inca Trail

The third day of the Inca Trail is almost an entirely downhill hike and is considered one of the most beautiful days. You’ll pass by stunning views and two Inca sites, the ruins of Intipata and Wiñay Wayna.

Day 4 on the Inca Trail

The last day of the Inca Trail is the easiest and most exciting day where you wake up at 3:30 am to do the Inti Punku hike to the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu.

Before concluding the tour, operators usually include a one to two-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu and the stunning Huayna Picchu mountain that rises above the ruins.

See how to incorporate the Inca Trail into your Peru itinerary.

How Much Does the Inca Trail Cost?

The cost of an Inca Trail tour ranges between $650 and $1,500. When you’re paying for an Inca Trail tour, you’re typically paying for all the following things:

• Knowledgable guides
• Chefs who cook fresh meals along the trek
• Porters who carry everything
• Inca Trail permits
• All the camping equipment
• Machu Picchu $45 adult entrance fee

All prices mentioned here are in USD 💵 .

On average, a standard Inca Trail tour should cost around $700 to $800.

• Lower price limit – If you pay less than $650 for an Inca Trail tour, the tour operator is likely not paying its porters well. This is not socially responsible as porters are usually locals from surrounding villages.
• Upper price limit – If you paying close to $1,500, you should expect a luxury camping experience with inflatable mattresses and giant tents.

🍀 How Much I Paid for the Inca Trail

I paid $870 to hike to Machu Picchu, making it the most expensive activity I did in Peru. The Inca Trail tour cost $715 and I gave $155 for tips. See the Inca Trail tipping guide below.

I share all my travel expenses in this Peru trip cost breakdown.

Is Hiking to Machu Picchu Worth It?

More than a million people visit the ruins of Machu Picchu annually and most of them choose to see it by train and bus.

Less than 5% of visitors hike to Machu Picchu, so is it worth hiking it? To help you decide whether it’s worth hiking the Inca Trail, below are the experience’s highlights and lowlights.

🌟 Highlights of the Inca Trail

Here are some of the best things about the Inca Trail:

• Breathtaking landscapes – While Machu Picchu will be the most impressive Inca site you’ll see, the other views and ruins along the trek are remarkable and will not be nearly as crowded.
• Personal achievement – As mentioned above, the trek is not easy. Reaching Machu Picchu on foot is very satisfying. Personally, it’s one of my most memorable experiences.

• Unplugged and unique experience – There’s no cell service for 98% of the Inca Trail, so you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the present moment of the trek.
• Incredible meals – Experienced tour operators bring well-trained chef(s) on the hike to make a feast for everyone to enjoy every night. I didn’t expect to have some of the best meals of my Peru trip while camping on the Inca Trail.

👎 Lowlights of the Inca Trail

Here are some of the worst things about the Ha Giang Loop:

• Early start every day – To have enough time for the trek, you’ll have to wake up before sunrise (5 am to 6 am), and at 3:30 am on the last day. This schedule can be exhausting for some.
• Unpredictable weather – The Inca Trail is located in the Andes Mountains and winds through a cloud forest, so if you’re unlucky, it can be foggy or rainy for most or the entire time of your trek.

Hiking during the dry season (April to November) reduces the chance of rain. I went in April and still got some foggy and rainy days, but they didn’t last long.

• Diverse hiking abilities – The Inca Trail is a moderate to challenging hike, so people in your group will move at different speeds. The faster group will have to inadvertently stop at certain points to wait for the rest of the group. Sometimes, this means waiting at cold stopping points for up to an hour or more (which happened to me).
• Camping is required – For people not used to camping, note that there are no cabins along the Inca Trail so you will have to camp or glamp.

The Inca Trail is a challenging trek, but it’s an unforgettable experience that holds a special place in my heart as my first multi-day hike.

Can You Hike the Inca Trail Without Camping?

Camping (or glamping) is the only accommodation option on the Inca Trail. You are in a remote mountain and there are no hotels or lodges along the route.

Some Inca Trail tour operators specialize in providing luxury camping experiences that can include things like inflatable mattresses and shower tents. Those typically cost over $1,000.

If you’re like me and don’t have much camping experience, here are three things to know about a standard Inca Trail camping experience:

🔦 1. You don’t need to bring most camping equipment.

Tour operators will provide basic camping equipment, including chairs, tables, a sleeping bag, and a two-person camping tent that you can share with someone you know or another same-gendered person in the group.

Some tour operators will provide a single tent or other equipment (e.g., sleeping pad, pillows which were included with Alpaca Expeditions, etc.) for an additional cost.

You will be required to bring some things like a headlamp, but your tour operator will let you in advance.

⛺️ 2. You won’t have to set up your tent.

No matter how fit you are, porters will be faster and better at hiking the Inca Trail than you, so all your equipment will arrive at each campsite before you.

Most tour operators will have tents set up by the time you arrive at each night’s campsite, but you should double-check with your operator if this is important to you.

🏕️ 3. You’ll be sharing campsites with others.

There are a limited number of campsites on the Inca Trail, so all tour groups will share spaces and facilities.

However, your group will stay close together and your group’s “space” will be clearly separate from other group’s.

What Are Bathrooms Like on the Inca Trail?

The shower and toilet facilities on the Inca Trail will vary by stopping point and campsite.

Here are three things to know about the bathroom experience on the Inca Trail and tips on how to prepare for them:

🚽 1. Prepare to use squat toilets.

Most of the toilet facilities you’ll encounter will only have squat toilets. Also, given the trail’s remoteness and high foot traffic, they’re not going to be the cleanest toilets you’ve used.

Make sure to bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Some tour operators will bring TP for the group, but it’s convenient to carry some on you.

💧 2. Don’t expect hot water.

Most campsites do not provide a shower facility, and when they do, only cold water is available. Brushing your teeth will be chilly and many hikers forgo showering.

Bring large wet wipes to use. You’ll be very thankful when you sweat a lot under several layers of clothes during the colder days.

I thought I was going to shower, but I went four days without showering and I don’t regret my decision. Even if you go in the summer, it’s very cold at night at that altitude.

Even during the warmest months, the Inca Trail rarely goes above 70 °F. Most nights will dip below 40 °F.

💵 3. There are regular toilets (for a small price).

Some operators, like Alpaca Expeditions, will provide a portable toilet tent, which I found more pleasant to use than squat toilets.

Some locals set up toilets for trekkers to use for about $0.50 per person on some parts of the Inca Trail, but those are rare. Make sure you’re carrying some Peruvian soles if you want to use these.

How Much To Tip on the Inca Trail

Tipping is customary and encouraged in Peru, so you should expect to tip on the Inca Trail.

The Inca Trail tipping guideline below is based on my experience and the guidelines of several established tour operators.

💰 Tipping the Inca Trail Guides

The guides are the most knowledgeable people on the trek. They lead you, ensure your safety, and provide historical and cultural knowledge.

Most Inca Trail operators will have more than one guide and it’s fairly easy to tell who the head guide is. When tipping guides, consider:

• Tipping at least $20 (or roughly 74 soles) per guide – $20 is a good baseline and you can increase that amount based on your experience. My Inca Trail group ran into a challenging scenario that required the guides to go above and beyond to take care of us, so I tipped closer to $30 to $60 per guide.
• Tipping each guide individually – Unless you’re giving all the guides the same amount, it’s best to tip individually.
• Tipping the guides at the very end – Inca Trail guides will stay with you until the end of the entire experience, so you can tip them after the Machu Picchu guided tour or lunch on the last day.

🎒 Tipping the Inca Trail Porters

The porters are the people who carry all equipment and supplies on their backs to transport things from one campsite to another. On the Inca Trail, they’re typically indigenous Quechua-speaking locals from surrounding villages.

When tipping porters, consider:

• Tipping enough so that each porter gets $10 (or roughly 37 soles) – Work with other hikers in your group to tip enough so that each porter receives at least an extra $10 for four days of labor.
• Tipping porters as a group – Since you won’t get that much exposure to the porters (they’re hiking ahead of you), you won’t know who contributed more or less, so it’s best to tip them as a group. My tour had a head porter, so we gave our tips to him to distribute fairly.
• Tipping porters on the third night – The porters do not attend the Machu Picchu tour on the last day so you’ll usually say goodbye on the night of the third day.

There’s consensus that you shouldn’t overtip porters as they often don’t have the financial education to save, meaning they may end up drinking the excess tip away for days after the trek.

🧑‍🍳 Tipping the Inca Trail Chef

Tour groups will have an experienced chef who cooks all the food for everyone every night along the hike. When tipping chefs, consider:

• Tipping at least $15 (or roughly 55 soles) – Inca Trail chefs go through nontrivial training to provide their service and ensure they can cook a feast every night.
• Tipping on the third night – The chefs do not attend the Machu Picchu tour on the last day so you’ll usually say goodbye on the night of the third day.

Bring enough cash to tip the porters and chef before the start of the Inca Trail as there are no ATMs on the trail.

💵 Inca Trail Tipping Guideline

Below is a summary of how much to tip for a standard $700 to $800 Inca Trail tour.

My tip is high for the guides because my group was affected by the Peru protests, which required them to go above and beyond to take care of us.

	Suggested Tip	My Tips
Guides	$20/guide	Head guide: $55 Guide 1: $35 Guide 2: $35
Chef	$15 total	$20
Porter	$10 total	$10
Total	$65-$85	$155

Remember to bring small bills so it’ll be easier to break up the tips. This will also make it easier for the head porter and guide to split the tips if necessary.

Is the Inca Trail Safe?

Inca Trail guides have years of experience to ensure the comfort and safety of visitors. Every year, tens of thousands of hikers complete the trek safely.

That said, the Inca Trail is an unforgiving hike and you can run into risky or challenging situations.

Here are six bad scenarios you may run into and some tips on preparing for them.

🧠 1. Altitude Sickness on the Inca Trail

The Inca Trail has a maximum altitude of 13,828 feet, so altitude sickness is common. An estimated 50% to 85% of hikers feel some symptoms, including headache, nausea, and shortness of breath.

Here are some ways to alleviate altitude sickness:

• Arrive in Cusco one to two days early – Most hikers get to Cusco early enough to adjust to the higher elevation.

Some hotels in Cusco will provide oxygen tanks to help alleviate altitude sickness. Nicer hotels will even pump oxygen into the rooms.

• Drink coca tea or chew on coca leaves – Experimental findings and years of anecdotal evidence suggest that coca leaves can help relieve symptoms. My tour operator offered coca tea every morning on the trek, which everyone happily drank.
• Hydrate a lot – Research shows that hydration is key.
• Bring medication – If you know you’re prone to altitude sickness, come prepared with medication.

In the US, you will need a prescription from your doctor to access certain kinds of altitude sickness medication. You can find the

😥 2. Physical Inability to Complete the Inca Trail

Some people are not able to physically complete the Inca Trail on time (i.e., they can’t make it to the campsite before sunset each day). This blog tells an honest account of such an experience.

If you’re training for the Inca Trail, make sure to wear a daypack, walk on uneven terrains, and hike some hills to best replicate the conditions you’ll be facing. Hiking on a flat surface for a couple of hours is likely not sufficient.

🤢 3. Getting Sick on the Inca Trail

An experienced hiker in my group, unfortunately, got food poisoning from the food they ate before the trek.

If you get very sick on the trail, here’s what you can expect:

• Backtrack – The guide will likely ask you to turn around and not complete the trek if you haven’t yet reached Dead Woman’s Pass on day 2. The way back is easier than the way forward at that point.
• Extra support – If you can hike, an assigned guide or porter will hike with you while the rest of the group moves ahead.
• Carry you – If you can no longer hike or are hiking too slowly, porters will carry you for the remainder of the day’s hike.

While animals are not allowed on the trail, I’ve heard (but cannot verify) that they can be brought in for certain emergencies to carry sick or injured trekkers.

🪧 4. Getting Affected by Peru Protests

Unfortunately, protests and strikes in Peru are not uncommon and they can impact your Inca Trail trek by preventing you from getting to the starting or ending point of the trek.

My partner and I were the unlucky two people in our group to have been impacted by strikes not only right before the start, but also right after our Inca Trail hike.

Peru Protests Affecting the Start of the Inca Trail

Here are two tips to reduce the chances of your Inca Trail hike being affected by a Peru protest:

• Avoid traveling during the Peru holidays – I have since learned that protests in Peru are often planned during a holiday or busy travel time, giving the group on strike more negotiation leverage. I traveled to Cusco the weekend of Peru’s Easter holiday when we ran into protests.
• Arrive in Cusco two to three days early – Arriving more than a day in advance will give you more time to respond to a last-minute strike impacting your ability to get to Cusco.

What Happened to Us

We landed in Lima and had planned to arrive in Cusco a day before the start of our trek. An hour before our flight to Cusco, all of Peru’s air traffic control went on strike and all flights were canceled for the day.

We looked for alternative ways to get to Cusco in the next 24 hours with no luck (e.g., the drive is long and potentially unsafe, and a bus journey would take more than 30 hours).

After hours of disappointment and frustration, we managed to get on a flight that would land at 10 am on the first day of our Inca Trail hike. We had to coordinate with Alpaca Expeditions to see if it was feasible to make our trek since our group was scheduled to leave Cusco at 6 am.

Alpaca Expeditions left two porters and one guide behind to meet us at Cusco. We got off the plane, took a taxi straight to the start of the trail, and caught up to our group by taking fewer rests and making fewer stops along the way.

Making our Inca Trail trek given the above circumstances required a few things to come together:

• The tour operator has to be collaborative – Alpaca Expeditions’s willingness to be flexible and coordinate with us allowed us to make the trek. This is why choosing a tour operator with a good track record is important.
• The strike ended – Peru’s air traffic control strike ended within 24 hours, so we could get on a flight the next day.
• Flight availability – We called the airlines every hour to check availability. After racking up $50 worth of international phone bills, we were put on a flight around midnight, about six hours before our Inca Trail group departed.
• Hiking ability – We’re generally strong hikers, and despite the five-hour deficit, we were able to catch up to our group.

Peru Protests Affecting the End of the Inca Trail

After finishing our 26-mile trek on the Inca Trail, we received news that the trains back to Cusco were not running due to more protests.

Our group was given two options:

• Stay in Aguas Calientes until the strike ends – This was the safer option, but there was no way of knowing how long the strike would last (hours or days?), and some of us had to catch flights out of Cusco.
• Hike an additional four hours to a bus stop and get on an eight-hour bus drive back to Cusco – The strikes caused road blockages which meant the train couldn’t run and buses couldn’t go through regular roads, so buses had to take the backroads.

Most of our group chose the second option and thus began our 12-hour journey back to Cusco after an exhausting four-day trek.

The additional hike and bus ride was exhausting, frustrating, and anxiety-inducing for everyone. Having survived it, it is now one of my most memorable experiences.

If you’re unlucky enough to face a similar situation during your Inca Trail hike, here are my three pieces of advice:

• Pack plenty of snacks and water – It wasn’t immediately obvious how long the journey back to Cusco would take and after a four-day hike, you will likely get hungry quickly. My group didn’t pack enough snacks and had to quickly buy water at the last minute.
• If you’re risk-averse, stay in Aguas Calientes – The unexpected, additional four-hour hike on the railroad tracks was unpleasant, but doable. The eight-hour bus ride through the backroads was terrifying for even the most adventurous of us. It might be worth missing your flight to avoid this bus ride.
• Pack headlamps – We spent two hours walking in almost complete darkness by the railroad track and people who didn’t bring headlamps had to stick to people who did. I was one of those people without a headlamp and can now say in that situation, you’ll want your own.

☠️ 5. Deaths on the Inca Trail

The worst of the bad scenarios on the Inca Trail is fatalities. Deaths are very rare given how many people hike the trail annually, but they do happen.

Deaths on the Inca Trail occur primarily for three reasons:

• The victim was not paying attention – In 2013, a hiker slipped and fell off a ledge. In 2016, a hiker fell while posing for a photo.
• The victim was extremely unlucky – In 2004, a hiker was struck by lightning. In 2010 and 2020, heavy downpours led to a landslide that led to three deaths.
• The victim had health issues – In 2022, a tourist died because his health issue was exacerbated by the Inca Trail’s high altitude and difficulty.

This is all to say that no matter how tired you are, you should always pay attention to your surroundings while hiking the Inca Trail.

At certain points, Alpaca Expeditions’s guides would remind us to stick close to the mountainside when passing others and ensure no one in the group got too close to the ledge during photos.

🌧️ 6. Bad Weather on the Inca Trail

Since the Inca Trail is located on Andes Mountain, it can get foggy and rainy at any time of the year, leading to low visibility and slippery terrain.

Here are two tips when preparing for and dealing with bad weather on the Inca Trail:

• Pack for rain and cold, and ensure you have good hiking shoes – The Inca Trail’s average temperature varies throughout the year, but it’s rarely warmer than the mid-70° Fs. Make sure to pack warm, waterproof layers and comfortable, waterproof hiking shoes with good traction.

The wet season runs from November to March.

• Be careful when passing other hikers, especially on day 4 – Given the Inca Trail’s popularity, you will likely get passed or pass others at some point on the trail. In some instances, the passing will occur next to steep ledges while the ground is slick.

Day 4 is the most crowded day and many hikers will try to pass each other trying to be one of the firsts to reach Machu Picchu. When I did the trek, it was raining on day 4 and I saw hikers jog and squeeze past others in precarious areas.

What to Pack for the Inca Trail

One of the best ways to ensure you have an enjoyable trek on the Inca trail is to pack well while staying under your bag’s weight limit.

By law, each porter is allowed to carry up to 44 lbs of weight. Alpaca Expeditions limited each person to 15 lbs of things they could bring, including a sleeping bag and pad, for porters to carry.

Below is a comprehensive Inca Trail packing list with essential items.

The Peru trip planner below has this packing list in a downloadable Notion.

🥾 Shoes

• Waterproof hiking shoes – Bring waterproof hiking boots that you’ll feel comfortable hiking in for four days; test them in advance for multiple days to ensure you won’t get blisters. Some ankle support is also recommended.
• Comfortable shoes for camp – You’ll spend three to five hours each day at the campsite and will want to walk around in something other than your hiking shoes. Something lightweight and easy to slip on and off like a pair of Crocs is great.

👕 Clothes

When packing clothes for the Inca Trail, remember that during even the warmest months, it rarely goes above 70 °F, and most nights will dip into the 30s °F and 40s °F.

• Warm hiking socks (4 sets) – You’ll be hiking for hours each day so maximize your comfort with hiking socks that have cushions and are moisture-wicking. Ensure they’re also warm for the chilly nights.
• Warm base layer (top and bottom) – Bring a warm top and bottom base for when the sun goes down. I brought my Merino wool top and bottom which keeps me warm, but also doesn’t become suffocating when it’s hot.
• Moisture-wicking tops (3-4) – I brought 2 lightweight athletic tanks and 2 sun hoodies that didn’t take up much space. It was nice having fresh clothes for each day, but that’s not necessary if you want to save space or weight.
• Hiking pants and leggings (2-3) – Bring at least one bottom for warmer weather and one for cooler weather. I brought a pair of hiking pants and leggings.
• Undergarments (4)
• Warm, down jacket – You’ll need a warm jacket at high elevations. During the cold nights, you might even sleep in it.
• Fleece layer – For colder nights, you’ll need another layer underneath your down jacket.
• Waterproof gloves – You’ll want gloves at high elevations and you’ll especially want them if you’re using hiking poles.
• Warm hat – You’ll need a warm hat during the night and for sleeping. On the colder days or in the early mornings, you’ll also likely hike in it.
• Sun hat – There are days when you’ll be exposed to the sun without shade for hours, so bring a hat.
• Rain gear – Moments of rain are common on the Inca Trail even during the dry season. Some tour operators will provide rain ponchos. I brought my light rain jacket that I could easily layer over my down jacket or fleece layer as a windbreaker.

🧼 Personal Items

• Wet wipes – Since you likely won’t shower, bring large wet wipes to feel more refreshed. You’ll be thankful when you sweat a lot under several layers of clothes during the colder days.
• Soap – Bring a bit of soap to wash your face and hands every night. Alpaca Expeditions provided each trekker with a warm bowl of water to freshen up each night.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Earplugs (optional) – Your group’s tents will be set up close to each other, so if you’re a light sleeper, you’ll want earplugs in case someone snores and shifts a lot at night. I brought mine and it helped a lot
• Sleeping mask (optional) – If you have trouble sleeping in tents or outside, a sleeping mask can help.
• Quick-dry towel (optional) – Some tour operators will provide you with a small towel to dry your face and hands after washing them. Otherwise, bring a quick dry towel.
• Hair tie (optional) – Don’t forget to bring a hair tie if you have long hair.

🔋 Miscellaneous

• Original passport – Your passport will be checked before you start your Inca Trail hike as foreigners need a valid one to enter Machu Picchu.
• Battery pack – There are no places to charge on the Inca Trail, so bring a fully charged battery pack if you want to take photos with your phone or need to recharge your headlamp.
• Large plastic bags (optional) – Bring a large plastic bag to keep dirty and clean clothes separate and to help keep things somewhat organized inside your porter’s duffel bag.
• Hiking poles (optional) – A couple of us didn’t have hiking poles and were fine, but in retrospect, they would have been helpful. This is especially true during day 2 when it’s almost entirely an uphill and downhill hike. You can rent one from your tour operator or bring one in advance.

🎒 Daypack Items

Aside from the bag that your porter will carry that has a weight limit, you will also need to carry a daypack during your hike. Here are the items to pack in your Inca Trail daypack.

• Reusable water bottle – Your tour operator will provide filtered water every day, but you need to bring your own water bottle to get it refilled. Because you only get a refill once a day, I recommend bringing a large water bottle like this one (which is what I brought).
• Sunscreen – Bring sunscreen since there are days you’ll be exposed to the sun for hours if the weather holds up. This is a great sports sunscreen I pack everywhere now, but if you want something lighter since you likely won’t shower, I packed this sunscreen.
• Sunglasses – There are days when you’ll be exposed to the sun for hours, so bring sunglasses. I brought my athletic pair of sunglasses.
• Headlamps – You’ll need headlamps to navigate at night around the campsite and during the mornings since you’ll always wake up before sunrise and may even hike in the dark for a bit.

• Hand sanitizer – The Inca Trail bathroom facilities often don’t have soap, so bring hand sanitizer. You’ll also want it when you need a snack and there are no facilities around.
• Toilet paper – Bring a stash of toilet paper as most bathroom facilities won’t have them. I carried a few in a zip-lock bag. Some tour operators will bring TP for the group, but it’s convenient to carry some on you.
• Cash – Bring cash to tip your guides, porters, and chefs and to buy snacks at certain stopping points on the Inca Trail.
• Insect repellent (optional) – There are some mosquitos on the Inca Trail, but the cold and elevation make them uncommon. Unless it’s a sunny day, you’ll also be mostly covered up.
• Altitude sickness medication (optional) – You need a prescription for these in the US, but you can get them over the counter in Peru pharmacies.

The Inca Trail is an unforgettable experience and there are good reasons why it’s on many people’s bucket lists. Good luck on your hike!

Peru Trip Planner

To make your travel planning easier, download the trip planner below and use it as a starting point. The planner has country-specific travel information, an itinerary, a packing list, and a map with key places pinned.

The trip planner is built on Notion, which I use for all my travel planning (I genuinely love this tool). If you don’t have Notion, creating an account is free.

Thoughts? Questions? Leave a comment below.