Thought I'd share my packing list for my recent four-day trek, along with my notes about what I would bring again and what I wouldn't. (I'm going to post my thoughts on the trek and my company, Salkantay Trekking, in another post.) I spent months preparing for this and maintaining my spreadsheet, so I might as well put it to good use!

For reference: I did my trek in late June. I'm from Michigan, and my friend and I often seemed to be more comfortable in cooler weather than a lot of other people we saw. And I didn't end up hiking the entire trek, but some of my observations are based on what other people liked as well.

TLDR version:

• REALLY glad I brought: Electrolyte tablets, SPF 100 sunscreen, neck gaiter (though I should have worn it over my face more), and lots of ibuprofen.
• Would leave home: Extra snacks, sock liners, my own sleeping bag and inflatable pillow, Kindle, shower sandals, swimsuit (unless you know for sure you’re doing hot springs).
• Wish I'd brought: Tevas (for camp, plus shower if needed), small water bottle (way easier to use than water bladder when brushing teeth!), more cash, regular lip balm for nights.

Clothing

Item	What I used	Verdict / Notes
Trekking shirts (4)	REI Active Pursuits and Swiftland Running shirts (short- and long-sleeved)	The shirts were fine, if not the most flattering ones I own. I only wore long sleeves one day (Day 2).
Trekking pants (4)	3× North Face Aphrodite, 1x REI Sahara convertible	I wish I'd brought four of the Aphrodites, which I loved. The zipper across the mid-thigh in the Saharas was annoying, plus I never felt like I wished I was wearing shorts.
Base layers (top & bottom) x3	2x Smartwool, 1x Kari Traa	This was overkill; I only wore a base layer (pants only) on Day 2 and was desperate to get them off after we got over the pass. They were nice for PJs though; I'd probably take one pair if I did it again.
Sun hoodie (1)	Soothfeel Women's UPF 50+ Sun Protection Hoodie	This was a nice light layer if my fleece was too warm, and also let me skip sunscreen on my arms when I wore it.
Fleece jacket (1)	Helly Hansen Alphelia Zero Fleece Jacket	Nice weight for most days.
Down coat (1)	REI Magma 850	Only wore this the morning of Day 2 and at the pass but was glad I had it. Very lightweight and packable but warm.
Rain jacket (1)	Patagonia Torrentshell 3L	Love this jacket but didn't encounter any rain. Worked as a windbreaker when needed tho.
Underwear (4)	REI Co-op Active Hipster, ExOfficio Give-N-Go II	These were both good, but I LOVED the ExOfficio
Sports bras (2)

Head & Hands

Item	What I used (brand/style)	Verdict / Notes
Beanie	Minus33 Midweight Knit Cuff	Hat was fine; only needed it for morning of Day 2.
Sun hat	Columbia Bora Bora Booney II Hat	This was fine but a little big and floppy for my taste, but I'd probably bring a baseball-style hat next time. Some people in our group preferred a French Foreign Legion-style hat with a cape at the back.
Neck gaiters	Minus33 Merino Woolverino Multiclava, Buff Coolnet UV Multifunctional Neckwear	I only needed one of these. You WILL want to cover your face on the trail with one though, as it was super dusty, and many of us were sneezing blood and dust for days afterward.
Wool gloves	Smartwool	I didn't end up wearing these.
Waterproof gloves	North Face Sierra E-Tip Glove	I got these because I was worried about not having water-resistant gloves and these were the only pair my local Dick's had. They're nice, though I only needed them the morning of Day 2.

Footwear

Item	What I used (brand/style)	Verdict / Notes
Hiking boots	Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GORE-TEX Hiking Boots	Really nice hiking boots; I was very happy with them. Also added Superfeet Hike insoles bc I have crazy high arches.
Shower sandals	Some Amazon cheapies.	Didn't need these, as the showers at the camp were fine. Wished I'd brought Tevas like everyone else, as these weren't secure enough to walk around in, and no one wants to put on hiking boots in the middle of the night to dash to the bathroom.
Hiking socks (4)	Darn Tough Lightweight Micro Crew	These were great – I live in these socks now.
Sock liners (2)	Injinji	I didn't end up needing or using these; would skip next time.

Sleep

Item	What I used (brand/style)	Verdict / Notes
Sleeping bag	Nemo Disco 15 (women's long)	Only needed this once. Loved the sleeping bag but not lugging it around after everyone turned theirs back over to the trekking company.
Sleeping bag liner	Nemo Tracer Endless Promise	Same as above.
Inflatable pillow	Nemo Fillo	Didn't use this; all the campsites had pillows.

Gear & Accessories

Item	What I used (brand/style)	Verdict / Notes
Daypack	Osprey Sirrus 24	LOVED this backpack. Super comfortable, lots of room. However, it was a PITA to use as my personal item on the plane and I was glad they didn't measure it, bc I'm pretty sure it was technically too tall to qualify (it doesn't squash up bc of the back panel).
Trekking poles	Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork	These were fantastic! Very happy with them. Saw a few folks do the trails without them but can't imagine HOW.
Water bladder	Gregory 3D Hydro Hydration Reservoir, 2L	I really like this reservoir; it has a fin so it dries out a bit more easily than some others. You could do 3L but I don't think most folks needed it, as we could fill up on water at breakfast and lunch.
Water purification tablets	Aquatabs	Didn't end up using these.
Headlamp	BioLite HeadLamp 500	Didn't need this a ton but I've been happy with it!
Power pack	Anker Zolo Power Bank	This worked great (integrated USB-C cable is nice) but is somewhat big and heavy
Travel adapter	Anker Nano Travel Adapter, Ceptics Type C adapter	I didn't need the Type C adapter at all (my friend did need it at her hotel in Cusco). The Anker Nano was great for plugging in devices with USB-C and USB-A cables but you could probably use just about any regular USB plugs in the campsites for those.
Carabiners	Assorted sizes	These are super handy for hanging various things from your pack (towels, etc.). Also used one to secure the closure on the backpack pocket where I kept my wallet and passport.
Trekking towel	REI Multi Towel Deluxe, L	Campsite on day 3 doesn't have towels, so this was good to have. Large was nice but you could probably go with the medium in a pinch.

Health & Toiletries

Item	What I used (brand/style)	Verdict / Notes
Meds in mini pill organizer	Diamox, Z-pack (recommended by my doc just in case), ibuprofen, Imodium	I didn't need the Z-Pack or the Imodium, but several others had gastro issues. I DID make heavy use of the ibuprofen. Btw, don't forget to take your Diamox in the evenings before you crash at camp!
Blister kit	Hart Blister Kit	Didn't need; the guides had this stuff (and I didn't have scissors for the moleskin in the kit!)
Electrolyte tablets	Venture Pal Chewable Electrolyte Tablets	These were probably the best item I had. I was handing them out like candy to other hikers, who all liked them too. They taste decent and you don't have to put them in your water bladder.
Sunscreen	Neutrogena SPF 100 + SPF 60 face stick	These worked great. Just remember to reapply.
Bug spray	Sawyer 20% Picaridin	We encountered very few mosquitoes; not sorry I brought it though. (And I think Picaridin smells WAY better than DEET.)
SPF lip balm	Banana Boat SPF 50	This was decent. I'd probably also bring a regular lipbalm for night bc we all had super chapped lips at the end of the day.
Hand sanitizer		Definitely want this, especially if you have to use the "inca toilets" or if campsites are out of soap.
Body/baby wipes		You WILL want these on Day 1 when there are no showers.
Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss		Duh. (Also, don't use sink water for brushing!)
Mini facewash + moisturizer		Was glad I had these because your face will feel gross after tons of sunscreen + dust. Plus the air is really dry.
Deodorant		Another duh.
Toilet paper + 1 roll dog poop bags for TP (or, I guess, poop)		Take out the tube to make TP more packable. And don't be like the gross folks who left their toilet paper behind at the pass. Ewww.

Personal & Misc

Item	What I used (brand/style)	Verdict / Notes
Passport, wallet		You have to have your passport for Machu Picchu and train tickets.
Cash (~S/300)		I would bring substantially more than this. The tips alone will probably wipe this out, let alone additional things like horse rides if you need them. (E.g., a horse over the pass is S/120.)
Sunglasses	Polarized, darkest possible tint	You'll definitely want these, esp if your eyes are at all sensitive to sun. It is BRIGHT.
Phone		For photos etc. You will have wifi and cell service in some areas if you want to contact loved ones.
Kindle e-reader	Kindle Colorsoft	I love reading but I was too tired most days to do much of it once we got to camp. I'd leave home.
Mini massager	Arboleaf Mini Massage Gun	This was nice to have and it's pretty lightweight but I don't think I'd bother bringing it again.
Sleep mask		Didn't end up needing; I'd leave home.
Ear plugs		I heard these were essential, but I didn't use them at all.
Mini hairbrush, hair ties		It's windy; I lived with my hair in a ponytail or bun and it still got snarled.
Swimsuit + cover		We didn't end up going to the hot springs, so this was wasted space
Snacks / pass fuel	Misc snacks from Cusco and candy from home	Didn't need; our meals were huge and they gave us snacks for the day. No one else brought snacks to share, but afterward, I did end up giving mine to the two hikers in our group who were from different countries, who enjoyed them.