5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is one of the most magnificent and challenging hikes in Peru. If you have already signed up for the trek and are counting days to the start date, you must be in the phase of finalizing your packing list for Salkantay Trek.
Before our Salkantay Trek, we too had to put a lot of attention on packing. And even then, before leaving for the trek, I was running a last-minute checklist in my mind. After all, it is a 5 day adventure across varying altitudes and changing climates.
So, to save you the trouble of all the scrambling and guesswork, we created this comprehensive packing list for 5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu to help you get ready for the trek of a lifetime.
📋 And no, you do not need to run those last-minute mental checklists. We will also share our Salkantay Trek Packing Checklist (yes, it is FREE!) (Coming soon!)
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Salkantay Trek: Packing in 3 Parts
If you are going on a guided Salkantay Trek, most likely the trekking company will offer you a duffel bag service.
You do not need to carry this duffel bag yourself while trekking. During the day, the duffel bags will be carried by pack horses, and then they will be handed over to the trekkers once you reach the campsite at the end of the day.
This means, you can put most of your belongings in that duffel bag, and carry only the essentials that you are going to need during the day in your daypack.
✔️ The maximum weight limit for the duffel bag is 7 kg, including your sleeping bag. Yes, you need to allocate space for sleeping bag too while packing your duffel bag.
✔️ Keep your daypack of size less than 25L, like this one, as larger* bags are not allowed inside Machu Picchu.
* Maximum allowed dimensions:
40x35x20 cm / 16x14x8 inches
So, we are going to split this Salkantay Trek packing list into 3 parts:
| Packing for Salkantay Trek in 3 Parts | Contents |
|---|---|
| Part 1: What to wear on Day 1 | 👚 Clothing 🥾 Footwear and Accessories |
| Part 2: What to pack in your Daypack (what you need during the trek everyday) | 📃 Documents 🌦️ Weather Gear 🧻 Personal Hygiene Items + Waste Management 🧴 Personal Care + Medication Kit 🍎 Snacks and Hydration 📱 Electronic Devices 🥢 Trekking Gear |
| Part 3: What to pack in your Duffel Bag (what you need for Day 2-5 treks and campsites) | 👕 Clothing 🩴 Footwear 🪥 Personal Care 🔌 Extras |
Packing for Salkantay Trek: What to Wear on Day 1
Over the 5 days of the Salkantay Trek, you will be crossing over various kinds of terrains, from high altitude mountain passes with low oxygen to Amazonian highlands with lush vegetation.
So, you will need to dress differently on different days of the trek.
Let us help you get started with what to wear on Day 1 so that you have clarity about what goes in your duffel bag at the start of the trek.
During the course of the trek, you will need to keep shuffling clothes between what you wear and what goes in your duffel bag.
So, here’s what you will need to wear on Day 1 of the Salkantay Trek:
The key is to dress in layers.
Clothing
✅ Underwear: Self-explanatory
✅ Base Thermal Layers – Top & Bottom: This is your first layer of shield for battling the cold. Check the temperature and ask your guide beforehand if you are going to need the base thermal layers on Day 1.
In our experience, it was essential when starting out in the morning, however, as the day progressed and temperature increased, the bottom thermal layer pants were not necessary.
Check this set for men and this set for women. They come in different colors, sizes and style options for neckline.
✅ Dry-fit t-shirt: Put on a t-shirt in breathable quick-dry fabric.
✅ Dry-fit hiking pants: Wear full-length hiking pants in moisture-wicking material.
I prefer the convertible pants with zip-off legs and zip-closure pockets, such as this one for men and this one for women.
✅ An insulated down jacket: Depending on how cold it is, as your final layer, put on an insulated down jacket or a warm fleece jacket. In our experience, we needed the insulated down jackets on the first two days of the Salkantay Trek.
Footwear and Accessories
✅ Hiking Socks: Put on a pair of hiking socks that comes in moisture-wicking material and well-ventilated knit.
✅ Hiking Boots: This is the most important part as you will be walking long hours and long distances everyday. So, you need to have comfortable broken-in proper hiking boots with good grip, strong ankle support and preferably, in water-resistant material.
✅ Bandana: Each of us use a bandana to cover our necks from the cold.
✅ Beanie Cap: A beanie cap to keep your head warm.
✅ Sun Hat: Keep a sun hat for when it is not too cold, but you need to protect your head from direct sun exposure.
Packing for Salkantay Trek: What to Pack in Daypack
In your daypack, pack only the essentials that you are going to need on the trek during the day, when you will not have access to your duffel bag.
🎒 Remember, bring a small daypack, of 25 Liters maximum capacity, as bigger bags are not allowed inside Machu Picchu.
Documents
🛂 Passport: This is a non-negotiable. You need to bring your passport, original, NOT copy, to be able to enter Machu Pichhu.
With such an important document on you during 4-5 Days of Salkantay Trek, it is best to keep it in your daypack.
📃 Machu Picchu Entry Permit: Visiting Machu Pichhu requires adhering to strict protocols. You need to buy in advance the Machu Picchu entry ticket for your chosen circuit for your date and time of visit. Do not forget this document.
🚌 Bus Tickets: If you bought your bus tickets in advance for your rides between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, remember to bring your tickets when starting the Salkantay Trek.
➡️ Read details here about how to get to Machu Picchu.
Weather Gear
⛈️ Rain gear: You will be hiking in remote places with unpredictable weather. Be prepared for rains. Pack a rain poncho.
🧤 Waterproof Gloves: You may not need this all the time during the trek, but keep warm gloves in your backpack for when temperatures drop too low. These multi-purpose winter gloves have touchscreen capability so you don’t need to take out the gloves to be able to use your phone.
🧥 Fleece Jacket: Pack a fleece jacket for warmer afternoons when you may not need an insulated down jacket but will still need a layer to keep yourself warm.
Personal Hygiene Items + Waste Management
🧴 Hand Sanitizer: Carry a travel size flip-cap bottle of hand sanitizer to keep your hands clean. You may not have access to running water all the time on the trails.
🫧 Liquid Hand Soap: For our Salkantay Trek daypacks, we also packed liquid hand soap in a small travel sized container. Check this pack of leakproof travel bottles for toiletries.
🧻 Toilet Paper: Bring your own toilet paper roll. You will need it for the campsites as well as any need for toilet along the Salkantay Trek route.
⛺️ Wet Wipes: This is a must-have in my daypack for any hike. It comes in so handy to keep ourselves clean when camping and hiking outdoors. Get this pack of biodegradable large wet wipes for face, body and butt for your daypack.
🚮 A small bag for waste: You will be hiking in serene nature, untouched by human habitation. Do not spoil the environment. Pack a small waste bag in your daypack and bring your trash back.
Personal Care + Medical Kit
🌞 Sunscreen: Do not underestimate the strong sun at this high altitude. Apply a high SPF sunscreen, keep it in your daypack and reapply every few hours.
🌞 Lip-balm: Remember to protect your lips too from the harsh sun. Use a high SPF lip balm and prevent your lips from getting chapped in the cold dry weather.
🩹 Medical Kit: We always carry a small first-aid kit with basic medicines, adhesive bandages and painkillers, being prepared for any unforeseen situations.
Salkantay Trek is a high altitude trek, with low oxygen during a good part of the multi-day trek.
💊 Depending on how well you acclimatize in Cusco before your Salkantay Trek start, you may want to bring some altitude sickness medicines.
You can simply buy them over the counter at any pharmacy in Cusco.
Snacks and Hydration
🍫 Snacks: Pack energy bars, trail mix of nuts and dried fruits, and chocolates to keep your energy levels up during the trek.
🍲 The food offered by the trek companies on Salkantay Trek is awesome!
You get 3 freshly prepared meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner, each of them filling, wholesome and delicious. On top of that, some days have tea time scheduled in. You can be assured that you will be fed well throughout the trek.
We still recommend packing some snacks in your daypack for continuous supply of energy on this physically demanding multi-day trek.
💧 Water: Bring refillable water bottles. filled with water on the first day. Account for about 2L. Thereafter the trek company will provide refills.
You can also consider getting a hydration bladders with easy access without taking off your backpack, so that sipping on water is easier while trekking.
Electronic Devices
📱 Phone: Of course!
📷 Camera: The scenery on the Salkantay Trek is stunning. You would want to capture everything on camera.
❓ However, remember this is a strenuous hike. So decide for yourself if you want to carry a bulky camera while trekking.
According to us, a good option to capture photo and video footages of your Salkantay Trek is to use an action camera
Check out the GoPro Hero 13 Black – buy just the camera or along with the accessories bundle.
🔌 Portable Charger: For the most part of your Salkantay Trek, you will not have access to electric plug points. So do not forget to pack portable chargers – multiple of them. Keep one in the daypack and leave the other 1 or 2 in your duffel bag.
Check this slim pocket size portable charger with 5 outputs and 3 inputs, making it suitable for various types of devices, both iOS and Android.
Trekking Gear
🏞️ Trekking Poles: Get a pair of trekking poles to help reduce the strain on your knees during steep descents and ascents. You can either bring your own or rent a pair from the trekking company.
Packing for Salkantay Trek: What to Pack in Duffel Bag
This is the bag you need to pack keeping in mind all days of the trek. Remember, you will have access to this duffel bag only after you reach the campsite at the end of your trek everyday.
You use the contents of the bag for your overnight stay at the campsite, and then in the morning, pack it again and leave it before you start your trek.
Clothing
Pack in your duffel bag the change of clothing for multiple days of your 4/5 Day Salkantay Trek.
🩲 3-4 Sets of Underwear
👚 2-3 Dry-fit T-shirts
👖 1 Pair of Dry-fit Hiking Pants
🩳 1 Pair of Hiking Shorts and/or (for women) 1 Skort
🩱 1 Swimsuit – if you choose to visit the hot springs on Day 3.
🧦 2-3 Pairs of Hiking Socks
This is how you can plan to use and repurpose your bottom wear:
| Day 1 & Day 2 | First pair of quick-dry full length hiking pants |
| Day 3 | Hiking shorts or (for women) skort |
| Day 4 & Day 5 | Second pair of quick-dry full-length hiking pants |
Thermal Layer Set of Top and Bottom: You are not going to need this after Day2. So after the second day trek, you can put this inside your duffel bag.
Footwear
🩴 Comfortable Sandals: Bring a pair of lightweight sandals for relaxing in the evenings and walking around at the campsite. I prefer simple flip-flops.
Personal Care Items
✨ Deodorant
🧴 Moisturizer – for face and body
🪥 Toothbrush and toothpaste
🫧 Liquid hand soap
Pack all your toiletries and personal care items in a small bag with travel sized leakproof containers like this.
Extras
🔌 2 Portable Chargers
💦 Microfiber Towel: I prefer lightweight fast-absorbing microfiber towels that are easy to fold and pack – like this one.
👝 Large plastic bags to use as liners inside your duffel bag – to protect the contents in case of rain.
💤 Sleeping Bag: You can either bring yours or rent it from the trekking company.
If you bring your own sleeping bag, make sure it is rated for at least -10°C (14°F) and is lightweight, compressible and suitable for cold weather camping.
Packing List for Salkantay Trek – Your Final Checklist
Coming soon!
Plan Your Machu Picchu Trip
- 5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: Our Experience
- Salkantay Trek: Review of Machu Pichhu Reservations
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