Many people include participating in a trek in Peru on their so-called ‘bucket list’, and with good reason: hiking along miles of the famous Inca Trail is an experience of a lifetime. There are so many interesting sites you can see and explore along the trail, and if your guide is worth their salt, the trip is going to be an immense learning experience. To fully enjoy the trek, don’t forget the following three tips.
Book Months in Advance
It goes without saying that the Inca Trail is fairly popular around the world, more so when Lonely Planet featured it in one of its guides. This means that you’re among thousands of others trying to get on the trail on any given day. However, only five hundred people receive permits on a first-come-first-served basis every day, with only about two hundred of these tourists and the rest guides and porters. This is the reason why a trek in Peru must be planned and scheduled months in advance and at the very least, five or six months ahead.
Proper Physical Preparation
A typical trek in Peru requires you to hike a distance of at least 30 miles. Add to this the fact that the trail is like some sort of rollercoaster: it ascends and descends in places, and at the highest point the trail climbs up to more than 13,000 feet, and you will begin to understand that at the very least you need a decent level of physical fitness. Weeks, or even months, before the hike, you should spend an hour or two a day engaging in strength training and cardio workouts. Jogging is best, as well as walking around the neighbourhood. Moreover, you should arrive in Cuzco days ahead of schedule to acclimatize your body to the altitude. You should also rest and relax and abstain from drinking alcohol.
Packing Necessities
The answer to the all-important question of “what to pack” could not be taken for granted. Fail to consider all the basic necessities, and your trek in Peru could be disastrous instead of being a great adventure. For starters, bring your travel documents, ID, and passport with you, keeping these safe in an airtight and waterproof Ziploc bag to protect it from the elements. You should also bring enough cash as you’ll need to pay and tip your guides and porters, and you may also need to buy some snacks along the road. Some local Peruvian delicacies are high-calorie (and therefore high-energy) foods, and you need all the energy you can get to traverse the 30 miles of trail. You should also not forget about the often unpredictable weather in Peru, which can turn from bright sunshine into rain in a matter of minutes. So pack your clothes and store them in waterproof plastic bags, while keeping rainproof jackets handy. And most importantly, never forget the first aid kit, antibiotics, pain killers, insect repellent, the antiseptic hand gel and toilet paper.