Peru Packing List: A Detailed Guide With Everything You’ll Need For Your Trip
Peru is a really diverse country. One day, you might be lounging at the beach, the next trekking a snow-capped mountain, and the third day you could very well be delving into the thick Amazon rainforest or sandboarding the dunes of an endless desert. Check out my two-week Peru itinerary to get an idea of what I mean (and feel free to steal any ideas if you haven’t finished planning your Peru route!)
Peru is located so close to the equator that seasons, as we know them, don’t really exist over there. Instead, there is the dry season (May to October) and the wet season (December to March). Also, the country is separated into different climate zones: Coast/Desert, Highlands, and Rainforest. So, uh… that makes packing for Peru a bit complicated.
Keeping that in mind, I’ve compiled a detailed Peru packing list that will hopefully save you tons of hours browsing through other guides 🙂
CLOTHES
- 1 pair of jeans for city walks and such.
- 1-2 pairs of leggings or athletic pants. I went for leggings as they can double as pj’s in the highlands area. Make sure at least one of your leggings are thermal for treks. I recommend these.
- 1-2 swimsuits if you’re headed to the beach or your hotel has a pool.
- Shorts if you’re going to the coast area.
- 1-2 dresses for Lima and Cuzco
- A sweater or hoodie.
- Jacket. Especially if you’re going to the highlands area. Consider a fleece like this one too. If you won’t be spending that much time in the highlands and don’t want to over-pack, you can also rent jackets in Cuzco.
- T-shirts. Bring a few nice ones for city walks and definitely a thermal long-sleeved one for treks and cold nights in the highlands. Bonus points if they’re made of cotton so they dry faster in humid areas.
- Poncho or rain jacket like this one from Northface. Even if you’re traveling outside the rainy season, it can always happen.
SHOES
- Comfortable hiking shoes. The hiking opportunities in Peru are endless and hiking shoes actually come in useful here (I say that because I tend to hate traveling with them. They’re heavy and super space-consuming, so I almost always opt for sneakers). I recommend the Ahnu’s Sugarpine Hiking Shoes.
- Comfortable sneakers. Really. Unless you are planning on spending time in Lima, ditch the heels and cute shoes. Go for shoes that are really, really comfortable to walk in.
- Socks. A few normals ones plus at least two pairs of thermal socks like these.
- Extra: Flip flops. I don’t really recommend flip flops for walking in Peru as most cities and towns have cobblestone streets.They’re useful if you plan on staying in hostels or guesthouses (for the showers). I love these Sidekick foldable flip flops because they bend and don’t take up any space in my luggage.
ACCESSORIES
- A wide-brim hat to protect yourself from the sun.
- Sunglasses + sunscreen
- A day bag. I recommend this one from Osprey.
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Warm beanie
TECHNOLOGY
- Travel adapter. Peru has sockets type A and C with a voltage of 220. Most nationalities will need to bring an adapter to be able to charge their gadgets and to stay on the safe side as many can’t handle that voltage.I recommend this one to make sure you can charge your devices. It has sockets for all countries, so you’ll be able to use it on future trips.
- Portable charger. If you plan on doing lots of hiking and nature walks, you’ll need a portable charger to be able to use your phone. Pack one like this one. I’m also a bit obsessed with this phone-charging passport cover by Lovie Style.
- Camera. Peru is simply gorgeous, don’t forget your camera with a few extra SD Cards or a 64 GB SD card.
- Flashlight
- Kindle.
REALLY USEFUL EXTRAS
If you’re still on the lookout for travel insurance for your trip to Peru, I highly recommend Safety Wing. You can easily book your insurance online and even extend or modify it as you go (claims are made online, too!).
Moisturizing lotion if you’re headed to the highlands as it can get really dry there.
Mosquito repellent for Machu Picchu, the Amazonas, and coastal areas.
A purifying water bottle like the GRAYL Ultralight Water Purifier. The tap water in Peru isn’t safe to drink, so I’d definitely get one of these. It filters bacteria, viruses, and chemicals from any source of fresh water in a matter of seconds.
Travel towel. They’re super light to carry, take almost no space in my luggage, and they dry super quickly. A huge bonus is that they can double as blankets if you find yourself in a cold plane or bus. I recommend this one from Youphoria.
Packing cubes. They’ll save you tons of space because they compress air and they’re also a great way to stay organized. I love this set of packing cubes from Ebags.
Continue planning your trip to Peru:
Visiting Machu Picchu on a Budget
A Perfect 2-week Peru Itinerary
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