Peru 2025
Tuesday, May 13: It Only Takes 4 Flights In 24 Hours To Get To Cusco, Peru
Wednesday, May 14: Cusco Land – San Blas
Thursday, May 15: Cusco – San Blas Walking Tour + Trail Prep
Friday, May 16: Salkantay Day 1: Sweaty Humantay Lake, Chilled Lateral Moraine Terminus Lunch And A Pachamama Offering Ceremony
Saturday, May 17: Salkantay Day 2: Sunny Incachiriaska Pass And The Long Descent Of Pampacahuana Canyon
Sunday, May 18: Salkantay Inca Day 3: Paucarcancha Ruins, Jungle Flower Parade, Joining The Inca Trail At Huayllabamba And Llulluchapampa Camp
Monday, May 19: Salkantay Inca Day 4: Salud To Warmiwañusca Pass, Yo-Yo Through Runquraqay, Sayaqmarca, And Phuyupatamarca Cloud Camp
Tuesday, May 20: Inca Trail Day 5: Descent To Wiñaywayna Lunch And A Grand Entrance At Intipunku Sun Gate To Machupicchu
Wednesday, May 21: Machupicchu Day 6: Circuit 3 Royalty Route, Cloudy Climb to Huaynapicchu and Urubamba Train Ride
*blogs in progress*
~The tour company Mountain Gods Peru provided a sleeping pad but I brought my own on the Salkantay Trek. Their sleeping pad was awesome and I never needed mine. I didn’t bother taking it on the Ausangate Trek.
~As usual on these kind of treks where some of my gear is carried, my ZPacks backpack is too big. But it’s too comfortable to carry something smaller.
~Still loving my ZPacks Front Utility Fanny Pack which I started using last September. It’s so convenient to have my essentials so easily accessible.
~I carried two 1.5 Liter water bottles and than was enough for a days hiking. I could easily get refills in the morning and evening.
~Absolutely still in love with my hooded alpaca hoodie. It’s such an incredible layer. It provides warmth with the breathability that’s not possible with most warm layers. I really loved having the hood and it made so I didn’t really need a beanie. When it was cold, I would sleep in the alpaca hoodie and use the hood to keep my head warm (my quilt doesn’t have a hood). The alpaca hoodie was warm enough for every night of the Salkaytay Trek except for the one over 14,000 ft when I added my down jacket during dinner.
~Might have only used my umbrella once at the end of Ausangate for some shade.
~Only used my rain pants on the Ausangate Trek for warmth and in camp when it was hailing.
~Wrote bullet points in my journal every night.
~Really grateful for a hooded sun shirt. Usually I put it over my rei northway plaid shirt. Some days, especially nearing Machupicchu I wore only the hooded sun shirt. Don’t underestimate the intensity of the sun!
~Backed up my pictures every night on an external hard drive……just in case something happened to my phone.
~Mountain Gods Peru provides warm water ever morning and evening. I actually used my small quick dry towel several times in my tent to do a full body clean.
~Since each trek was 6 days or less, did not carry an change of clothing. Dirty, stinky is ok!
~Wore my rainjacket in camp a few times because of the hail and for warmth. Never wore it while hiking. Could have gotten away with a UL rain jacket.
~My nose gets very stuffy after hiking and especially at elevation. Most evenings I used my peppermint essential oil below my nasal passages to open them up. I also used my saline nasal spray every day in an effort to avoid nose bleeds.
~Didn’t need water carrying capacity beyond 3 liters. But everyone is different!
~Used my swiss army manager knife to open beer bottles, not only in town but atop Warmiwañusqa Pass!
~I hiked in waterproof boots but given my weather window, they were mostly unneeded. But Peruvian hiking and the Inca Trail is no joke so make sure your feet are callused and prepared! Everything is either up or down!!
~I always hike with a small sit pad which I sit on during breaks. But it was almost more handy to have for getting in and out of my tent. I used it as a knee pad kneeling into my tent.
| BACKPACK | OZ | LB |
| zpacks 52L arc blast with hip belt pockets | 18 | |
| gossamer gear 1/8″ pad | 4 | |
| msr pack towel | 0.7 | |
| toilet kit: | ||
| (snow stake, tp, hand sanitizer, wipes, powder) | 3 | |
| tampons, pads, dog poop bags | ||
| pills/prescription: | ||
| (ibuprofen, anti-diarrhea, anti-hist, vicodin, thyroid hormone) | 2 | |
| calcium, multi-vit | 2 | |
| trash compator bag/paint strainer stuff sacs | 2 | |
| zpacks front utility fanny pack | 2 | |
| golite umbrella | 8 | |
| first aid/sewing/repair kit: | ||
| (bandaid, needle, ray way thread, air mattress patch, qtip, leukotape, tenacious tape) | 1 | |
| platypus 1L bladder | 1.2 | |
| zpacks pack cover | 1.4 | |
| swiss army manager knife | 1 | |
| emergency fire kit | 0.5 | |
| toothbrush/floss/paste | 2 | |
| night guard | 1 | |
| sunscreen/hibiclens/lotion/essential oils | 2.5 | |
| appalachian gear all-paca fleece | 13 | |
| smartwool beanie | 1.4 | |
| injinji toe sock | 1.6 | |
| columbia rain jacket | 12 | |
| mh hooded ghost whisper down jacket | 8.5 | |
| buff | 1.2 | |
| zpacks rain skirt | 2 | |
| sierra design hurricane rain pant | 7.6 | |
| sun gloves | 1.5 | |
| patagonia houdini jacket | 3.7 | |
| google pixel w/ case | 9 | |
| garmin inreach explorer+ | 7.5 | |
| petzl tikka xp headlamp | 3 | |
| sony a6300 body wirh lens 55-210 | 28 | |
| 2 extra batteries | 3.2 | |
| anker powercore 10000mHa | 5.7 | |
| mountain hardware glove + nitrile | 1.5 | |
| two 1.5L nalgene bottles | 14 | |
| journal | 2 | |
| snacks | 2 | |
| 180.7 | 11.29 | |
| DUFFEL | ||
| zpacks 0F wide long bag with draft tube | 27.1 | |
| thermarest Xtherm long | 16.5 | |
| cocoon pillow | 3.8 | |
| icebreaker long john bottom (for sleeping/camp only) | 5.5 | |
| icebreaker long john top (for sleeping/camp only) | 5.6 | |
| fleece pants or synthetic lounge pants | 8 | |
| jockey underwear x 3 | 4.5 | |
| wool buff | 3 | |
| icebreaker bra | 2.7 | |
| handerkerchief | 1 | |
| anker powercore 20000mHa | 12.2 | |
| sd external hard drive with cord | 2.4 | |
| fleece bag for electronics | 2 | |
| pixel buds a | 2.5 | |
| cords, plug | 2.4 | |
| polar feet fleece socks | 2.5 | |
| north face thermoball bootie | 24 | |
| snacks, electrolyte, candy | 16 | |
| 141.7 | 8.86 | |
| for aguas calientes only | ||
| cotton t-shirt and pajama pants | 16 | |
| tank top and swim shorts | 16 | |
| CLOTHING WORN | ||
| prana zion ii stretch pants | ||
| rei northway plaid shirt | ||
| patagonia sun hoodie | ||
| jockey underwear, glamorise bra | ||
| injinji socks | ||
| handkerchief | ||
| trucker hat | ||
| leki trekking poles | ||
| sunglasses | ||
| chapstick | ||
| new balance hierro gtx boots | ||
| garmin watch |
Journey Return 