What to Bring When Walking the Inca Trail

The Inca Trails are a piece of history and a glimpse into one of the world's oldest civilizations. If you are hardy enough, then you might even make the journey all the way to the fabled city of Machu Picchu and get to witness this marvel of ancient architecture firsthand. To make the most of your journey, it helps to pack a few necessities along.

Food and water

This is probably the most obvious one. On a long trek through the Incan landscape, water is not always available. Even if you do find some, however, waterborne pathogens may make it undrinkable. Rather than risk a bacterial infection, simply bring along a couple canteens of clean water or a few drop-in water purifier tablets. You are sure to not make it anywhere if you are bowled over with intestinal pain.

Layered clothing

Peru is a pretty hot country, and you often find yourself wearing just a t-shirt and enjoying the warmth. However, a trek up to the mountains tends to drastically change the temperature. The higher you go, the colder it gets. Dressing in layers allows you to take off or put on the perfect amount of clothing to keep your body comfortable.

Camera/binoculars

This isn't a necessity, so much as it is just something to enhance the trip. You are sure to see countless beautiful vistas, and capturing them with a camera (or at least getting a better look with binoculars) is a sure way to enjoy the trip even more. Ruins from the Incas and from even older civilizations are all around you, so enjoy the view!

You are sure to love your trek up the Inca Trail. So long as you pack the necessities and respect the natural beauty of this place, this may just end up the journey of a lifetime.