ORIGINAL PASSPORT

You’ll of course need your passport to get into Peru, but you’ll also need your passport when you start on the Trail. There’s an official government checkpoint at the start of the trail that works to enforce the strict limits on how many visitors can walk the trail per day, and for every foreigner beginning a trek it is required that a passport be shown.

TREKKING POLES

Good walking poles can reduce the impact on your knees and leg joints by up to 20 per cent. Trekking poles are particularly useful when descending as the load on your joints increases exponentially when going downhill. We recommend getting light-weight (around 350 grams per pair) and adjustable trekking poles as they are easy to store and versatile. Black Diamond walking poles are excellent, so are Leki poles.

SUNGLASSES

The UV intensity in the Perú - Cusco is high due to the altitude and glare from snow. You should bring a good pair of UV protection sunglasses (minimum of 80% light reduction). We recommend mountain sunglasses from Julbo.

SUNGLASSES

You will not be hiking at night, but might need to go to the toilet at night or if you want to read after dark – many of the teahouses and campsites are poorly lit or have no electricity at all. Petzl Tikka is the best headlamp brand. It’s worthwhile bringing spare batteries as well.

INNER GLOVES

An inner glove acts as your next-to-skin layer, like the base layer clothing we described above. You should bring a light-weight, quick drying inner glove, ideally made from fleece material. We recommend Pearl Izumi Thermal Lite Gloves which can also be used as standalone gloves when the weather is moderately cold. Karrimor is another good brand.

HARD SHELL JACKET AND RAIN GEAR

Encountering rain is always a possibility when trekking, particularly during the rainy season (October-March). You should bring a hard-shell jacket, like the North Face Resolve Jacket. It is also worth taking a compact poncho rain-suit that can quickly be put on should you encounter rain.

HAT FOR SUN PROTECTION

You need to bring a hiking hat that provides face and neck sun protection. Your hat should be light and easy to bend / fold so that it can fit into your daypack or rucksack. Trekking hats with a neck cover are very good. Here are some trekking hats that we recommend.

HIKING SOCKS

5-6 x pairs of hiking socks and 4 x 5 pairs or high wicking sock liners. We recommend Coolmax hiking socks as they provide very good breathability and have excellent wicking properties. Smartwool, Bridgedale and Point 6 also make great socks. Do not bring cotton socks as these will lead to nasty blisters.

HIKING BOOTS

Good hiking boots are the most important piece of gear on your trek – your feet are what get you around the Salkantay Trek! Badly fitting hiking boots will result in lost nails, painful blisters and sore feet. Best fit can be tested by putting your foot in a boot without tying the shoelaces. Once in slide your foot all the way forward until the toes hit the front of the boot. You should be able to put your index finger down the back of the boot between your heel. If your finger has lots of room to move then the shoe is too big, if you struggle to get your index finger into the boot then the shoe is too small! Here are some recommended and reliable brands: Scarpa, Salomon – we like the Quest range, Berghaus – we like the Explorer range, Hi-Tec and Karrimor.

WATER BOTTLE OR HYDRATION BLADDER

Many people suffer from dehydration at high altitudes. You should aim to drink 2-3 litres of water a day. Heatstroke and dizziness is common for dehydrated trekkers. Water can either be carried in a standard water bottle – we recommend getting 2 x 1L Camelbak Water Bottles. Or, if your daypack includes space for a hydration bladder then the 2L Platypus Hydration Bladder is a very good product.

SLEEPING BAG

You will need to bring with you a warm sleeping bag as the nights can get very cold. The best types of sleeping bags are manufactured using a duck / goose down, but they also tend to be the most expensive. If you are stretched for cash then a warm synthetic alternative is fine. Just make sure that it has a rating of at least -10 degree C. Look out for a sleeping bag that has a mummy-shape with an insulated hood and draw chord so that it fits the contours of your body. Two-way zippers for better insulation are great. We recommend the following brands: The North Face Snow Leopard, Marmot Trestles, Mountain Hardwear Phantom Highlander or Coleman.

CAMERA / VIDEOCAMERA

The scenery in the Perú - Cusco is amazing! You will definitely want to capture your experience in HD so if you don’t have a good camera now is the time to get one. Here are some recommended and affordable Digital SLR cameras. Remember, you want to make sure your camera is light but still able to capture high quality images. We like the Panasonic Lumex. If you are more inclined to take a video camera then you might want to consider the GoPro.