I have wanted to visit Machu Picchu via hiking the Inca Trail since I was in the sixth grade. I have a vivid memory of opening a textbook (yep, a real-life textbook with hard covers and actual pages) in my first Spanish class and seeing a photo of this wonder of the world. That one image hooked me and a Peruvian trip had been on my bucket list ever since. What I hadn’t been dreaming about was what to wear on the Inca trail.
After booking a trip with G Adventures, you would think the hard part was over, right? I picked the dates, secured our spots on the Inca trail trip, and found flights. Job over, yes? No! If you are at all like me, you know that the planning of the trip is the best part and the packing for the trip is the worst part. I have LONG been a panic packer. Ask my college friends about the voicemails I left them while packing for past trips. It hasn’t been pretty.
Packing for the Inca Trail
The Inca Trail trip was a particular challenge for me. I spent hours perusing blogs, analyzing photos of Inca Trail hikers on Instagram, and googling and re-googling, “what to wear on the Inca Trail”. What I found through this exhaustive research is that there are basically two schools of thought on what to wear for every single item you might need. It was honestly quite difficult for me to decide what to pack. If you are now in this boat, I hope that my experience will be at least somewhat helpful as you wrestle with these same decisions.
Here is my quite detailed packing list featuring analysis of why I brought what I did, what I actually wore on the Inca trail, and if I would make any adjustments if I could go back in time.
1. Footwear (hiking boots versus trail shoes)
Possibly the most difficult decision for me, I debated boots versus trail runners for way too long. I actually took both with me in the car and didn’t decide until we got to the airport. I ultimately went with my trail runners because they were smaller, way lighter, and could be worn off-trail if needed. This was 100% the right decision for me.
I was worried about how rocky/slippery the trail looked in photos and concerned that I would regret not bringing my very comfortable worn-in hiking boots. I’ve had this pair of La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX boots since September of 2020 and have hiked many cozy miles in them. Conversely, I had just purchased a new pair of trail running shoes (the On Cloudsurfer Trail) and only had a few good hikes in them. While they had been super comfortable on these long-ish hikes, I didn’t know if they would hold up to four straight days of hiking.
Ultimately, I (and most of our group) went with trail running shoes. What I hadn’t considered in my deliberations was this very important fact: there are a ton of stairs on the Inca trail. Every time you pick up your foot, you are lifting the weight of your footwear. If that footwear is a heavy hiking boot, you are adding resistance to every single step. On day two as we were slogging up the steepest pass, I was incredibly happy to not be lifting my bulky boots with each step.
2. Pants (quick dry hiking pants versus leggings)
I’m a hike-in-leggings girl much of the time. I find that leggings generally allow for more range of movement and are less likely than hiking pants to chafe or fit uncomfortably. However, going into this hike, I knew that rain was going to be very likely each day and that cotton leggings would likely not dry efficiently. For this reason I purchased my very first pair of hiking pants (these, the REI Trailmade Pull-on pants).
These pants are lightweight but comfortable in cool weather. They dried extremely quickly. We were rained on daily but my pants were always dry within an hour of the rain ending. They also didn’t absorb odors (ideal when you are wearing the same pants three days in a row). Also, there are a bunch of pockets that are large enough to fit an iPhone Pro, which is a.) not very common in ladies pants and b.) a feature I used hundreds of times per day on this trip. You don’t want to be carrying your phone in your hand while also juggling snacks, water, and a hiking pole.
I did end up wearing leggings on the last day of our hike, thinking that since it was a shorter day I would be fine. Also I vainly wanted to look “nice” in my photos at the Sun Gate. It rained so much on this day that I ended up soggy and slightly uncomfortable. Also, I hadn’t slept much or showered for four days, so a pair of leggings wasn’t necessarily going to make me photogenic. In hindsight, I might have left the leggings and brought one more pair of lightweight hiking pants to swap in.
3. Coat (rain coat versus poncho)
My favorite raincoat (pictured above), another REI Coop purchase, has traveled with me more than any other item of clothing I own. It is comfortable, with big pockets and an adjustable hood. I don’t love ponchos and didn’t plan on bringing one but tossed a small plastic emergency version in my bag at the last minute. Guess what? You need both. While my raincoat provided an additional layer for warmth and was definitely functional, it wasn’t water-resistant. After several minutes walking in rain showers, it started to soak through, so I ended up putting on my poncho every time it started to rain.
The poncho also covers your day pack and keeps it protected from weather. This is particularly handy if you don’t have a rain cover for your pack, and a nice secondary protection if you do have a cover. The plastic versions definitely are not quick-dry however, so you will likely be putting a soggy poncho on once or twice if traveling during the rainy season.
4. In my day pack (head lamp, snacks, portable charger)
Don’t overlook the necessity of having essentials in your day pack while keeping that thing light! I overloaded my pack the first day and it was brutal – I struggled more that day than on the next day’s long climb which was significantly longer and steeper.
I packed way too many snacks, but at least I could eat those or share them to get rid of extra weight. Besides the absolute essentials, try to limit your weight. You need a head lamp for early starts and around camp, a portable phone charger so your battery lasts until you make it to Machu Picchu, and a reasonable amount of snacks. You and your back will be much happier with less.
5. My luxury must-haves (slipper boots, thin wool base layers for sleeping, candy for Summit cheers)
I did indulge in a few luxury items that you could certainly get away without but that made my experience a bit sweeter. You definitely don’t need a pair of camp shoes, but after wearing the same shoes all day to hike in, it is especially nice to slip on soft and cozy footwear. I packed these camp slipper boots, which were comfortable and warm in the evenings. They also don’t require any shoe tying in case you have to trek to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
You could also sleep in your clean clothes for the next day’s hike, but I opted for a set of thin wool base layers to change into at the end of each day’s hike and for sleeping. I was worried about being too cold at night, but with these I was warm enough. They were super thin and light to pack while being really comfortable for evenings at camp.
To make the hike literally sweeter, I packed a bag of Swedish Fish to snack on. I ended up sharing these with our group at each summit (Summit Swedish Fish cheers are now a thing), and it was a fun little reward and new tradition at the end of a tough effort.
6. Rental equipment (split a pair of poles, sleeping bag is fine)
If you are traveling with a travel group (which is required for every one on the Inca trail last I checked), they will have rental equipment and it is probably just fine. I debated bringing my down ultra light sleeping bag since I knew it would be lighter than the rental version. You are required to put your sleeping bags and mats into the duffle provided to you by the travel company, and the weight of those items does count towards your 12kg limit.
I certainly could have brought my bag to save weight/room, but it would have been a pain to lug it around for the additional 8 days that we weren’t on the trail. In the end I was glad that I left it at home. The rental bags are warm and cozy enough and the porters pack them up for you each day, so it isn’t worth worrying too much about.
Hiking poles were another debated item as I am used to hiking without them. I worried that they would be cumbersome rather than useful and my husband and I opted to split a pair rather than each get a full set of two. That was ultimately the right decision for us and I really liked using one hiking pole as a walking stick. It was helpful to have as a tool when the trail was particularly steep downhill or slippery, or as a dance tool when I started to lose my mind. You can also rent just one pole if that’s your preference.
7. Don’t bring (deck of cards, book)
Even if I’m just running a quick errand, I often have a book with me and I was thisclose to packing one in my daypack. I’m glad I didn’t. The extra weight would have bothered me and there was only one night at camp (the first) where I had enough energy or leisure time that I could have read.
Ditto on bringing a deck of cards. I had read to bring these for the wait at the gate on the final morning, but it was dark, wet, and there was no good spot to play cards. You’re better off trying to catch a nap, chatting with your group, or just taking in your surroundings when you have a few minutes of free time.
TLDR: What To Wear On the Inca Trail
I hope this packing list breakdown was helpful if you are having your own packing breakdown in advance of your Inca trail trip! Here’s a graphic packing list that shows absolutely every item I brought with me. Feel free to save or Pin this if it’s helpful to you.
To simplify this all, don’t overpack. Bring the essentials (and probably a flexible attitude) and it will be an incredible experience that you’ll remember long after your suitcase has been unpacked.
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