What I’m Packing for Peru + An 8-Day Peru Itinerary

Aug 10

The sun beating makes it look warm but the altitude and wind add a chill that this fleece helps protect!

If Peru has been sitting on your bucket list, consider this your sign.

I’m heading back to Peru for an adventure that combines basically everything I love about travel: amazing food, local culture, mountains, markets, a little bit of hiking and, of course, Machu Picchu.

But Peru is also one of those places where packing gets slightly confusing.

You need outfits for exploring a city… layers for chilly mornings in the Andes… clothes you can actually move in… something cute enough for dinner… AND something that can survive a day of hiking.

So instead of giving you a giant generic Peru packing list, here’s what I’m packing - and exactly when I’d wear everything along this itinerary.

Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. I only share products I genuinely recommend.

DAYS 1–2: LIMA

First stop: Lima.

I like starting a Peru trip here because you get a completely different side of the country before heading into the Andes.

Exploring neighborhoods, eating your way through the city, wandering markets, grabbing coffee and easing into the trip before the altitude kicks in.

For Lima, I want something comfortable enough to walk around in all day but still cute enough that I don’t feel like I’m wearing a hiking outfit to dinner.

What I’d wear:

My go-to would be this matching-ish travel set:

Amazon top
+
Amazon bottoms

Sets are one of my favorite travel hacks because you look like you made an effort when really you just put on two matching pieces.

Wear them together. Mix them with other pieces later. Plane outfit. Coffee outfit. And don’t forget to add one nice dress or pantsuit for a group dinner in Lima. Done.

I’d also bring my fanny pack for walking around the city.

I love having my phone, wallet and essentials right in front of me instead of constantly digging through a backpack.

DAYS 3–5: THE SACRED VALLEY

Next we head into the Sacred Valley, and this is where the packing strategy changes.

Peru is a layering destination.

My ideal layering combo would be a short-sleeve top underneath this long-sleeve thermal layer, with a lightweight hoodie or jacket on top.

That way I can peel things off as the day warms up instead of committing to one giant sweater all day.

You can leave your hotel in the morning feeling chilly, be sweating while walking around ruins in the afternoon and then immediately want a jacket again once the sun disappears.

So: layers, layers, layers.

This lightweight jacket is exactly the kind of thing I want in my day bag.

Easy to throw on in the morning, easy to take off, and easy to carry around when the sun comes out.

For days exploring ruins, villages, markets and the Sacred Valley, I’m also bringing these hiking pants.

And even when the morning starts chilly, the sun can feel STRONG once you’re outside exploring. I’m packing this foldable sun hat and a good pair of sunglasses that I won’t be devastated about throwing into my day bag.

I am into travel clothes that are stylish, comfortable, and multi-functional… something I can actually move in.

MACHU PICCHU DAY

THE day that drives most people to Peru.

Machu Picchu.

This is not the day I would experiment with uncomfortable shoes because they look cute in photos.

You’ll be walking. There are uneven surfaces. The weather can change.

This is when I’m wearing my waterproof hiking sneakers.

I personally love a hiking sneaker over a giant hiking boot for trips like this because I can wear them on other sightseeing days too instead of packing shoes for one specific activity.

And underneath: wool hiking socks.

Wool socks are one of those boring travel purchases you don’t get excited about until you realize your feet are warm, comfortable and significantly happier halfway through a long walking day.

I’d pair those with the hiking pants again, a comfortable top and layers.

And this is where I’d bring my other jacket too.

I’d also bring a hydration backpack for Machu Picchu and any longer hiking days. I love having water easily accessible without needing to stop and dig through my bag every time I’m thirsty — especially at altitude, when staying hydrated is extra important.

I’m also bringing a filtering water bottle so I can keep water with me throughout the day without constantly buying bottles. Especially at altitude, hydration is one of those things I do not want to accidentally forget about.

Also going into my day bag: a beanie and lightweight gloves.

They barely take up space, and I would much rather have them for a chilly early morning than spend the first hour thinking about how cold my hands are.

The goal is basically to be prepared for four seasons without carrying four seasons worth of clothing.

And obviously I’m bringing a portable charger, because Machu Picchu feels like exactly the kind of day where I take 700 photos before lunch and realize my phone is at 18%.

DAYS 6–8: CUSCO

Then we finish in one of my favorite kinds of places: a city where you can wander with absolutely no agenda and still somehow fill the entire day.

Cusco is filled with cobblestone streets, markets, cafés, history, viewpoints and stopping somewhere because it looks interesting.

This is where I’d repeat pieces.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned after traveling to 40+ countries is that you really do not need a new outfit every day.

Your matching set from Lima?

Wear the bottoms with another top.

Your hiking pants?

Wear them with a sweater.

Your jacket?

It has now appeared in 75% of your Peru photos!

And nobody cares.

THE RANDOM THINGS I’M ALSO PACKING

There are always a few items that don’t belong in a cute outfit flat lay but somehow become the things you’re most grateful you packed.

Travel hooks

These are GENIUS for hanging random things in hotel rooms.

Jackets. Bags. Toiletry kits. Wet clothes. Whatever currently has no home.

Especially helpful if you’re moving hotels multiple times.

Mosquito repellent bracelets

I like having these as an easy additional option when I’m somewhere buggy without having to think about it every five seconds.

Clothes de-wrinkler spray

Because I never have room for an iron in my luggage.

Spray. Smooth. Hang.

As easy as that!

Packing cubes + toiletry organizer

Since we’re moving between Lima, the Sacred Valley and Cusco, I’m trying very hard not to become the person who completely unpacks her suitcase in every hotel room.

These packing cubes + toiletry organizers make moving around SO much easier.

Tops in one. Hiking clothes in another. Toiletries already organized.

Zip it up and keep moving.

SHOP MY PERU PACKING LIST

Here’s everything in one place:

MY BIGGEST PERU PACKING ADVICE?

Don’t pack for Instagram.

Pack for what you’re actually going to do.

Bring things you can walk in. Things you can layer. Things you can rewear. And at least one outfit that makes you feel cute after wearing hiking pants for three days straight!

Peru is not the kind of trip where I want to be worrying about my clothes.

I want to be looking around thinking…

wait, THIS is real life?!

And preferably doing so with warm feet.

If you’re planning your own Peru adventure and want help putting together an itinerary, you can also reach out to me through Explore with Edie - planning meaningful adventures like this is my favorite job! ✨

Edith Duggan