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Packing List for Peru
This packing list is a recommendation from Peru Volunteer for your reference. It depends of course always on your own preferences what you will take with you.
Clothing
Peru has different climate zones. Especially in the Andean mountains, weather conditions may change very quickly.
In the sun it can be very warm, while especially the evenings and nights can get chilly or (very) cold.
In dry season (April to September), there is no cloud in the sky, so it can feel very hot during the day, but then the temperature drops once the sun goes down at 6 pm, and you will need an alpaca scarf and a good warm jacket.
In rainy season (October to March), the temperatures are softer but still nice during the day, and it doesn’t get too cold in the evening. It’s mostly dry with moments of rain or even storms that can come out of nowhere, so bring a good rainy jacket!
Your clothing should be lightweight, breathable, and quick-drying. Wearing layers generally works best.
- Underwear and socks
- Long and short trousers (You will mostly use long trousers in Cusco)
- T-shirts (long and short sleeves)
- Warm sweater
- Jacket (Rain & Wind)
- Hiking shoes and sneakers
- Warm in-house shoes and flip-flops/sandals
- Towel (quickly dry)
- Swimming gear
- Cap or hat
- Sunglasses
- Pyjamas
Luggage
- Suitcase or Backpack
- check weight restrictions for internal flights
- Small backpack
- Rain cover (You could easily buy this in Cusco if necessary)
- Waterproof plastic bags for organizing gear and dirty clothing
- A little container to keep leftovers (Peruvian portions are huge!)
Electronics
- Smartphone (without SIM Lock)
- Camera
- Tablet or laptop
- Memory card for backup and saving pictures
- Or external hard disk and/or USB
- MP3 / Ipod / E-reader
- Powerbank
- World travel adapter (not needed in Volunteer house)
Toiletries & Medicine
- Deodorant, shampoo, cosmetics, toothbrush, toothpaste…
- All your personal items of daily use
- Anti-bacterial liquid soap
- Sunscreen and after-sun
- Contacts and contact lens solution
- Plasters and bandage
- Lip balm and tiger balm
- Paracetamol (and other painkillers)
- Insect repellent (there are no mosquitoes in Cusco, only in the Valley and at Machu Picchu)
- Diarrhea inhibitors
- Oral Re-hydration solution
- Vitamin tablets
Documents & Other
- Passport (valid for more than 7 months)
- Vaccination records
- Bank card & Credit card
- Some banks you have to notify before traveling to Peru!
- Insurance card
- Travel wallet and money belt
- Copies of all your important documents
- Driving license
- Airline tickets
- Emergency numbers
Scanned copies of your documents can best be emailed to yourself, or saved in a “cloud”, so that you always have access to a copy.
Extras
- Travel guide
- Maps.me (offline app for maps)
- Airalo App for mobile data (You can install the App here https://www.airalo.com/ and use my referral code MAYA0424 to get 3 USD off your first purchase!)
- Pen & Paper
- Toilet paper for in your hand luggage
- Water bottle
- Padlock
- Diary or notebook
- Waterproof bag for passport and important documents
- Vacuum bags for clothes / Drybag
- Book (in English, so you can change it with other travelers)
Packing list for the flight
- Passport, flight e-tickets, travel itinerary
- Books, magazines, e-reader
- Headphones
- Phone charger & external battery
- Earplugs and eye mask
- U-shaped neck pillow
- Plastic bag for liquids
- Some snacks for long layovers
- Water bottle (empty through security)
- Tissues or toilet paper
Packing list for Machu Picchu
- Passport
- Lightweight and quickly drying clothes
- Wind and waterproof jacket
- Hiking shoes
- Extra socks and underwear
- Camera / Smartphone / Powerbank
- Insect repellent and sunscreen
- Sunglasses and hat/cap
- Water bottle
- Quick drying towel
- Plastic bags to keep clothes and/or valuables dry
This is a general packing list for your trip to Peru. Of course, every traveler has his/her own preferences.
Ask us any questions about your packing list for Peru by filling out our application form: