!: The Inca Trail and Peru Treks: What to Take?

You don't need to buy expensive kit and you should not overload yourself but there are a few essentials that you should have. On the Inca Trail, you only need to carry the essentials for the day as porters carry everything else. For other Peru treks such as Lares, Huayhuash, Ausangate or Santa Cruz, you can carry everything yourself or hire local mules to take your hiking gear.
Good boots that are already worn in, not new. Socks - wearing liner socks with thicker ones on top can help prevent blisters. Alpaca socks are cheap and cosy to wear at night. You can pick up a pair in Cusco before you start your trek A back pack that fits as well as your boots. This might sound strange, but if it is not right for your body you can end up with back ache. A good one will have a strap to fasten around your hips so that the weight goes through your legs, not your upper back and shoulders. Most good outdoor shops will let you try them on with weights to see how it will feel when fully packed. 3 or 4 season sleeping bag, thermals, hat, gloves and a warm fleece or jumper - it can be below freezing at night in the mountains A metal water bottle can be filled with boiling water to be used as a hot water bottle at night, then you can drink the water the next morning. Plastic water bottles are not allowed on the Inca Trail. You will be given boiled water which is perfectly safe. High factor sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent Waterproof jacket or rain poncho (can be bought in Cusco). You can expect at least some rain between November and April. The Inca Trail is closed in February; the most rainy month of the rainy season. Hiking poles can save your knees on all those Inca steps. They should have rubber tips so as not to damage the stonework. Coca leaves. You can put them in your tea or chew them like the locals. Coca leaves are a mild stimulant that have been used in the Andes for centuries to help combat the effects of altitude sickness. They can be easily found all over Peru. A few phrases of the local language; Quechua. This will get you a long way in the mountains of Peru and with the porters on the Inca Trail.