Salkantay Trek Packing List
I just finished the Classic Salkantay 5 Day Trek with Salkantay Trekking in Peru and had an amazing experience! I paid $550 for a 5 Day, 4 Night Trek that hiked just over 45 miles with the highest elevation being 15,190ft. Included in the rate is accommodations each night (glamping dome x3, hotel x1), a private chef for your group, transport for you duffle bag from site to site, entrance to Machu Picchu, small groups (max of 12- mine was 10. I heard one couple say they were just the 2 of them), and transport to/from your hotel in Cusco.
Here is my modified packing list for the Class Salkantay 5 Day Trek with links to all of my gear. You have a 15 pound weight limit for your duffle bag (duffle provided by Salkantay Trekking), but you will be a wearing your heaviest clothes to start, so make sure you leave room to get them all packed up by the end of the trip when you hit the hot weather. Salktanay Trekking will also provide you with a roll of toilet paper and a poncho. I rented a sleeping bag for $30 which came with a fleece liner.
Clothes:
Baselayer Top (x2)
Baselayer Bottoms (x1)
Hiking Pants (x3)
Sun Shirt (x2)
Short Sleeve (x3)
Tank Top (x1)
Sports Bras (x5)
Underwear (x6)
Darn Tough Socks (x5)
Sock Liners (X2)
Pajamas (x1) I just brought a t-shirt and thick sweatpants
Bathing Suit
Shoes:
Camp Shoes (I don’t suggest flip flops as the first night is VERY cold and you will not want to put anything on without socks)
Accessories:
Outerwear Items:
Poncho (if you want a different on from the one will be supplied by Salkantay Trekking)
Life Straw Water Bottle All your water on the trek will be boiled for you, but this water bottle does hurt to be extra careful and filter out your water!
Quick Drying Towel (x1)
Kula Cloth This allowed me to save space in my day pack and leave the toilet paper roll in my duffle.
Sunscreen Salkantay Trekking suggests 70+, I brought 50 and reapplied OFTEN and only got some slight sunburn on my hands (which I forgot about) and on my face from the first day before I knew better.
Medication/ First Aid: This is the list of medication that either I or people in my group took during our trip (with the addition of Senna and Imodium because you DO NOT want to be in need of either of those)
Vaseline This one is a life saver! Your face will be so dry and wind burnt that no moisturizer will really help. Every night I put this on my nose/ surrounding area and one night I just had to put it all over my face because it was so dry.
Diamox- Prescription needed
Ginger Hard Candy (For nausea relief)
Foam Tape (my favorite for rubbing spots/blisters)
Electronics:
Food: Each day you will have stops at little huts along the trail that sell snacks and drinks for 1-5 soles. Powerade, Coke, Fresh Fruit, Water, Juice Pops, Chips… Bring a couple snack you really enjoy but don’t waste too much room with food.
Sour Patch Kids This is the one snack I knew I would eat if I was dizzy, nauseous, or exhausted. It was well worth it as there were any times I had no appetite and didn’t want to eat much but needed some sugar/carbs to sustain me.
Optional Trek Add Ons:. Brings plenty of soles for your trip, see what add ons you might want and then bring extra!
Horse for Day 2 up to Salkantay Pass (120 soles)
Cocalmayo Hot Springs during the evening of Day 3 (50 soles)
Perurail Trail to Aguas Caliente on Day 4 (140 soles)
Tips for group staff (we gave 50 soles for our horseman, 50 soles to each of our chefs (one main and one sous chef in training), and 100 soles for our guide).
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Happy Hiking!
