A 16-day journey that included seven flights, some exciting (and possibly hair-raising) bus rides, and eight different lodgings. We visited some of the most breathtaking and iconic locations in Peru, including Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, the Amazon rainforest, and the Colca Canyon.
Essential travel companions to pack
If you’re planning a trip, I recommend checking out Lonely Planet guides (the extended versions are my favorite). It’s also a good idea to do some research on blogs to get a feel for the best tours and activities to do, If you don’t want to miss out on the hidden gems or fall into tourist traps, Reddit and Pinterest are great resources for finding insider tips and recommendations.
Download the application Wanderlog. I stumbled upon this app by chance and I loved how it makes it easy to organize even the longest and most complex itineraries.
Everything that can protect you from the intense sun in Peru, so: wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and light, long-sleeved clothing.
Technical clothing, such as short-sleeved shirts that dry quickly, thermal shirts (the cold might catch you unprepared), leggings or hiking pants. Don’t forget a pair of hiking boots as well.
If you’re planning a trip to the Amazon rainforest, I recommend bringing both a body and clothing-specific mosquito spray. Sandals or flip flops are also convenient for wearing in the lodge and in case you participate in any water activities.
Bring some cash to exchange (it’s much more convenient than withdrawing from ATMs)
Given the reasonable price, I recommend (if your phone supports it) an eSIM card with 3 or 5 GB. I’ve had good experiences with Airalo (discount code: COSTAN1544)
Don’t forget to bring some essential medications with you, especially something for diarrhea like Imodium, something for pain/fever, and motion sickness pills like Itinerol B6. I didn’t want to experience traveler’s diarrhea again. That’s why I made sure to take some probiotics called Lactibiane Voyage 20M for the duration of the trip (starting a day or two before the trip). I had no stomach problems at all during the whole vacation. Better safe than sorry, right?
Bring lots and lots of protein bars to get you through those intense hikes/treks. They’ll be a lifesaver!
Things that I brought on my trip and that, if I could do it over again, I wouldn’t bring!
I’m not great at packing light and always tend to think of every possible scenario, which means I usually end up with one (or more) overstuffed suitcases. Below are a few things that, if I could do it over again, I definitely wouldn’t bring:
A roll of toilet paper! I had read in several blogs to bring one just in case, but it ended up being completely unnecessary. You can definitely do without it and save some room for other things. At worst you go and buy it!
A wool hat. There are so many stalls in Peru that sell all kinds of hats, you’ll probably end up buying one there anyway.
Walking sticks. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I brought two pairs of shoes, hiking sticks, dry bags, etc. Many of these things ended up being unnecessary. If you have a lot of space in your luggage, you can bring them. Otherwise, just stick with a good, comfortable pair of hiking shoes.
Clothing, as always. Despite my efforts to pack as few pants and shirts as possible, I always end up bringing too many. In my case, I brought some evening clothes, but the truth is that we were always exhausted in the evenings and ended up dressing in gym clothes.
