What is the one thing people always forget to pack for Peru?

Serious sun protection. At 3,400 m the UV is brutal even when the air feels cold, and the burn sneaks up during a pleasant cloudy walk. High-SPF sunscreen, a real brimmed hat and sunglasses are not optional equipment in the Andes — they are the equipment.

Do I need hiking boots for Machu Picchu?

Not boots — but you do need closed shoes with grippy soles that you have already walked in. The citadel is stone stairs and uneven surfaces, occasionally wet. Trail runners or sturdy walking shoes are the sweet spot for the classic circuit; save true boots for multi-day treks.

What size bag can I take into Machu Picchu?

Only small daypacks are allowed through the gate — large backpacks and luggage must be stored. The size limit has been revised over the years, so check the current rule before you go; a normal 20-liter daypack has historically been fine.

Should I pack differently for the rainy season?

Same list, heavier on the rain layer: a real waterproof shell rather than a light one, a pack cover or dry bag for electronics, and quick-drying fabrics everywhere. Afternoon downpours are the pattern, so mornings still ask for sun gear — you carry both, every day.

Can I buy what I forget in Peru?

In Lima and Cusco, almost everything — pharmacies, outdoor shops and markets cover the basics, and alpaca layers are arguably better bought there than at home. What is genuinely hard to replace: prescription medication, specific electronics, and shoes already broken in to your feet.

Do I need my physical passport at Machu Picchu?

Yes — entry is checked against the passport whose number is on your ticket, so it travels with you that day, not in the hotel safe. A bonus tradition: you can stamp your passport with a Machu Picchu souvenir stamp near the exit.

Peru travel guide

The Ultimate Peru Packing List: Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu

August 29, 2026 · 9 min read

Packing for Peru is hard for one honest reason: you are packing for three or four climates that will all happen to you, sometimes in one day. Grey drizzle over Lima at sea level. Hard, high sun at noon in the Sacred Valley. Air near freezing before dawn in Cusco. A tropical downpour on the Machu Picchu forest edge. Same trip. Same suitcase.

The answer is not more luggage. It is layers — and a short list of items that matter far more than people expect. Here is the list we would pack ourselves.

Documents and money

Passport (six months validity), plus a paper photocopy kept separately
Machu Picchu entry and train tickets — printed; connectivity at the gate is not a plan
Travel insurance details, with altitude activities covered
One backup card kept apart from your wallet, and small-denomination cash for markets

Clothing: the layering kit

Layer	What	Why
Base	3–4 breathable tees or shirts, one thermal set	Days are warm, dawns are not; cotton dries slowly at altitude
Mid	Fleece or light down jacket	Every Andean evening, every early train platform
Shell	Packable waterproof jacket	Mountain weather changes mid-walk in any season
Legs	2 comfortable walking trousers, 1 nicer option	Stone stairs by day, a Lima dinner by night
Extremities	Warm hat, sun hat, light gloves, good socks	Dawn at 3,400 m and noon at 3,400 m are different planets

Shoes

The whole trip happens on your feet: cobblestones, stone staircases, terraces, market floors. One pair of sturdy, already broken-in walking shoes or trail runners does everything on the classic circuit. Add sandals or light shoes for evenings, and nothing new — Peru is the wrong place to discover where a shoe rubs.

Sun, taken seriously

The single most underestimated item category. High-altitude UV burns fast, through cold air and thin cloud alike. High-SPF sunscreen (reapplied), SPF lip balm, real sunglasses and a brimmed hat are daily equipment in the Andes, not beach accessories. Sunburn on day two makes every remaining day worse.

The daypack

A comfortable ~20-liter pack is your constant companion: water, layers, camera, documents. It also needs to meet Machu Picchu's bag-size rule — oversized packs wait in storage, not on the mountain. A rain cover or a dry bag inside protects electronics during wet-season afternoons.

Electronics

Peru uses 220V; plugs are typically the two-flat-pin and two-round-pin types — most travelers need only an adapter, but check any single-voltage device before plugging it in
A power bank — long days, cold mornings (cold drains batteries), no charging on trails
Offline maps and your tickets downloaded before travel days

Health and personal kit

Prescription medication in original packaging, in your carry-on, with more days than the trip
A basic kit: pain relief, rehydration salts, blister care, stomach remedies, hand sanitizer
A refillable bottle — ideally filtering — since tap water is off the menu and plastic adds up
Anything altitude-related your doctor recommended — that conversation is covered in the altitude guide

Machu Picchu day, specifically

Passport (checked at the gate) + printed entry + train tickets
Daypack within the size rule, water, snacks for the train
Sun kit and rain shell — the citadel does both, sometimes within an hour
Insect repellent: the ruins sit at the cloud-forest edge and the midges bite ankles all year

What to leave at home

Drones — flying at archaeological sites requires permits you will not get as a tourist
Walking-stick collections: inside Machu Picchu, poles are restricted to those who need them, with rubber tips
Valuable jewelry and the fourth pair of shoes — nobody has ever needed either in the Andes
Half the clothes on your first draft list: laundry service is cheap and same-day in Cusco

Changes often: Machu Picchu's bag-size limit and the rules on poles and large items have been revised several times. Check the current regulations shortly before your visit rather than packing to an old rule.

With the bag solved, the remaining question is the itinerary it serves — start at the complete planning guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the one thing people always forget to pack for Peru?: Serious sun protection. At 3,400 m the UV is brutal even when the air feels cold, and the burn sneaks up during a pleasant cloudy walk. High-SPF sunscreen, a real brimmed hat and sunglasses are not optional equipment in the Andes — they are the equipment.
Do I need hiking boots for Machu Picchu?: Not boots — but you do need closed shoes with grippy soles that you have already walked in. The citadel is stone stairs and uneven surfaces, occasionally wet. Trail runners or sturdy walking shoes are the sweet spot for the classic circuit; save true boots for multi-day treks.
What size bag can I take into Machu Picchu?: Only small daypacks are allowed through the gate — large backpacks and luggage must be stored. The size limit has been revised over the years, so check the current rule before you go; a normal 20-liter daypack has historically been fine.
Should I pack differently for the rainy season?: Same list, heavier on the rain layer: a real waterproof shell rather than a light one, a pack cover or dry bag for electronics, and quick-drying fabrics everywhere. Afternoon downpours are the pattern, so mornings still ask for sun gear — you carry both, every day.
Can I buy what I forget in Peru?: In Lima and Cusco, almost everything — pharmacies, outdoor shops and markets cover the basics, and alpaca layers are arguably better bought there than at home. What is genuinely hard to replace: prescription medication, specific electronics, and shoes already broken in to your feet.
Do I need my physical passport at Machu Picchu?: Yes — entry is checked against the passport whose number is on your ticket, so it travels with you that day, not in the hotel safe. A bonus tradition: you can stamp your passport with a Machu Picchu souvenir stamp near the exit.

Tell Maia your dates and we will take it from there

Maia is our planning assistant. Tell her when you land, how long you have and what you care about — hiking, food, quiet, comfort — and she will sketch a day-by-day itinerary in minutes. A person on our team in Peru checks it before anything is confirmed.

Start planning your trip