Choquequirao trek packing list

A common mistake on the Choquequirao trek is to overpack. The mules carry up to 6 kg of your personal belongings per hiker — but everything else must come on your back, and at 1,500 m below your starting point in the afternoon heat, you will regret every gram. Here is what to actually bring.

The essentials

If you forget any of these, your Choquequirao trek becomes significantly harder. Bring all of them:

✦ Footwear

• Hiking boots — broken in. Brand new boots will give you blisters on day one. Mid-cut with ankle support is ideal. Waterproof helpful but not essential in dry season.
• Camp shoes / sandals — Crocs, Tevas, or any lightweight pair. Your feet will need them at every campsite.
• Thick hiking socks — 3 pairs minimum. Wool or synthetic, never cotton.

✦ Clothing for the trail

• 2 quick-dry t-shirts — synthetic, NOT cotton. Cotton stays wet and chafes.
• 1 long-sleeve sun shirt — the canyon sun is brutal at the lower elevations.
• Hiking pants — convertible (zip-off legs) are perfect, since you will hike in shorts on the canyon floor and pants in the cooler heights.
• Fleece or warm mid-layer — for early mornings and evenings at Marampata.
• Light rain jacket — even in dry season. Packs small, weighs little, occasionally essential.
• 3–4 changes of underwear and socks — keep them dry.
• Wide-brimmed hat — for sun protection. Buff or bandana also useful.
• Warm beanie — for the cold nights at Marampata (2,920 m).

✦ Daypack contents

This is what you carry on your back during the Choquequirao trek (everything else goes with the mules):

• 2-liter water reservoir or 2 bottles — you will drink more than you expect in the canyon.
• Sunscreen SPF 50+ — the equatorial Andean sun does not forgive.
• Lip balm with SPF — non-negotiable.
• Sunglasses — with UV protection.
• Headlamp + spare batteries — for the camp at night.
• Personal first-aid kit — blister care (Compeed or similar), ibuprofen, your own medications, antiseptic wipes.
• Trekking poles — strongly recommended for the descents. Rentable at our Cusco office.
• Camera or phone + power bank — there is no electricity on the trail.
• Snacks — your own preferred trail mix, energy bars, dark chocolate.
• Cash in Peruvian soles — for tips, drinks at the homesteads, small purchases (~PEN 200 / USD 55).

✦ For sleeping (mules carry these)

• Sleeping bag — rated to at least 0°C. Available for rent in Cusco if you do not own one.
• Pajamas or sleeping clothes — keep them sacred, do not mix with day clothes.
• Toiletries — minimal. Toothbrush, paste, biodegradable soap, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, wet wipes.
• Small towel — microfiber, fast-drying.

What NOT to bring

• Cotton clothing — except underwear. Cotton kills warmth when wet and chafes when sweaty.
• Heavy books — load a Kindle if you must read at camp.
• Jewelry, fine clothing, electronics you cannot afford to break — the trail is dusty.
• Single-use plastic water bottles — we provide refilled drinking water at every meal.
• Excessive food — we feed you well; do not double-pack.

Available for rent at our Cusco office

If you are arriving with limited luggage or do not want to invest in gear for a single trek, we rent the following from our Cusco office (Marampata Street):

• Sleeping bag (0°C rating) — PEN 50 / trek
• Sleeping bag liner — PEN 20 / trek
• Trekking poles (pair) — PEN 30 / trek
• Daypack 30L — PEN 30 / trek

The full Choquequirao trek packing list above will keep you under 6 kg if you stay disciplined. Lay everything out the night before, then remove one third. You will not miss it on the trail.