Trip Planning for Treks & Climbs | BY Rami Rasamny | PUBLISH DATE: September 28 2026 | READ TIME: 5 mins | UPDATED DATE: September 28 2026
Machu Picchu Trek Packing List: Inca Trail and Salkantay
Pack for the journey to Machu Picchu, not just the photograph at the citadel. A multi-day trek combines walking, changing conditions, camp nights and travel between overnight stops. The useful packing list starts with your booked route, the equipment included and what you must carry yourself. This guide helps you organise an LHO Inca Trail […]
Pack for the journey to Machu Picchu, not just the photograph at the citadel. A multi-day trek combines walking, changing conditions, camp nights and travel between overnight stops. The useful packing list starts with your booked route, the equipment included and what you must carry yourself.
This guide helps you organise an LHO Inca Trail or Salkantay trip. Use it alongside the final kit list for your departure. If you are still choosing the route, begin with our Inca Trail and Salkantay comparison.
Start with three separate groups
The current LHO Peru trip allows a personal duffle of up to 7 kg, with trekking support carrying it while you carry your daypack. Both published route versions include three camping nights, three hotel nights in Cusco and one hotel night in Aguas Calientes. The included camp setup lists tents, sleeping mats and a portable toilet; personal equipment and any rentals need checking separately.
| Group | What belongs here | Check before leaving |
|---|---|---|
| Your daypack | Water, needed walking snacks, weather layers, sun protection, passport, personal essentials and anything you need before camp | You can carry it comfortably and reach important items |
| Supported duffle | Spare clothing, dry sleeping layers, personal overnight items and the sleeping kit specified for your departure | The complete packed duffle meets the 7 kg allowance |
| Team-provided camp setup | Tents, mats and the listed shared camp facilities | Confirm the current inclusion list; do not buy duplicates automatically |
Ask which personal sleeping items count inside the duffle allowance and whether any rental you need is available, suitable and reserved. An equipment allowance is a guest’s baggage limit; it is not a statement about a porter’s total load.
Clothing and footwear checklist
Choose a small set of layers that work together. Think about walking in changeable weather, resting after the day’s activity and having dry clothing for sleeping. You do not need a different outfit for every photograph.
- ☐ Tested walking footwear with suitable grip and socks that work with it.
- ☐ Spare socks and a way to separate damp items.
- ☐ Comfortable walking layers, including leg coverage appropriate to conditions.
- ☐ An insulating layer and the warm accessories specified for the departure.
- ☐ Waterproof protection suitable for the expected weather.
- ☐ A dry sleep layer kept separate from walking clothing.
- ☐ Comfortable footwear/clothing for the hotel parts of the journey, within your travel baggage plan.
Test footwear and your packed daypack together before travel. If you need a new pack, read how to choose a hiking backpack rather than choosing by capacity alone.
Small items that need a deliberate place
| Item group | Packing action |
|---|---|
| Water | Bring the bottles or system specified for the trek; confirm refill arrangements with the team |
| Sun and weather | Keep sun protection and quickly needed layers accessible |
| Lighting | Test your headlamp and arrange the power it needs |
| Hygiene | Pack modest quantities, toilet paper if required, hand-cleaning supplies and a way to contain waste |
| Personal medicine | Bring your own prescribed or individually advised items; discuss personal medical questions with a clinician |
| Documents | Keep the passport and booking details required for checks protected and accessible |
| Electronics | Protect devices from weather and avoid assuming charging is always available |
| Trekking poles | Check suitability and the current trail and citadel rules; do not assume one rule covers both |
Protect anything that must stay dry inside the bag. Keep valuable or immediately necessary personal items with you rather than relying on later access to the duffle.
What changes between the Inca Trail and Salkantay?
Both LHO versions involve mountain walking and camp nights, so the broad packing system is similar. The routes differ in terrain and daily sequence. The Inca Trail includes substantial stone steps and archaeological sites; Salkantay involves a high-pass mountain journey and a valley approach. Read your selected itinerary and the conditions expected for your date before choosing warmth or weather protection.
Check every excursion as well as the main trek. Do not use the altitude or weather of Machu Picchu itself as a substitute for the conditions across the whole holiday. The departure kit list should reflect that complete journey.
Repack for the Machu Picchu visit
Trail equipment and citadel entry requirements are different. The official visitor rules restrict bags and equipment, including trekking poles. Confirm the current rules and the guide’s storage arrangements for your ticketed visit before arrival. Do not assume that poles or a bag used on the trail can automatically enter the citadel. See the official Machu Picchu visitor rules and follow the arrangements confirmed for your departure.
Do one complete packing rehearsal
- ☐ I am using the kit list for the route and date I booked.
- ☐ I know which camp items are provided.
- ☐ Any sleeping-equipment rental is confirmed, including its effect on bag weight.
- ☐ My duffle has been weighed fully packed.
- ☐ My daypack holds the essentials I need while the duffle is elsewhere.
- ☐ I have checked the separate Machu Picchu visit requirements.
- ☐ I have included personal equipment costs in my Peru trek budget.
See how your kit fits the journey: Read the current LHO Machu Picchu itinerary, then ask the team about any unresolved packing item. A lighter, better-understood bag starts with clear decisions before departure.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rami Rasamny
Rami Rasamny is the founder of Life Happens Outdoors, a premium adventure travel company that uses the outdoors as a catalyst for human transformation. His work brings people into the mountains not only for challenge, but for clarity, confidence, and connection. He believes that when people answer the call to adventure truthfully, they come back different.
