9 Things You MUST Pack When Visiting Peru
Oh Peru! The moment I heard the word altitude sickness my stomach clenched. As a person with adult motion sickness, I am very leary of anything that gives me that feeling and so my search to not get altitude sickness began. On my search came a deep dive into all the thing sI would need for my Peru trip. I always over prepare so I didn’t even need eveyrthing I purchased but if you were like me and haeve no idea where to start on the things you need for your first time in PEr look no futher. I presert 5 Thingd you must pack when visitin peru.
Many parts of Peru are 1000’s of meters above sea level, which can cause altitude sickness. I would not risk this and would bring some altitude medicine along with you. We took these pills, and they worked wonders for us. I took them right when I boarded the plane, so I wouldn’t feel a thing once I landed. I could still feel some of the altitude while in Cusco, so I can’t imagine what it would feel like without it. For reference, altitude sickness symptoms can be lightheadedness and dizziness, nausea, vomiting, bloody noses, and more. Many of the people who came with us to Cusco who didn’t take the altitude pills were struggling and getting nosebleeds. So just take the pills, you won’t regret it. I'm very sensitive to medicines and supplements, and I didn’t get any adverse reactions from taking these pills.
2. Toilet Paper and/or Wipes
If you need to use the restroom in public, some places may not have toilet paper, so I recommend bringing your own in a bag or flushable wipes. Some establishments will even charge you for toilet paper, and some of the nicer restaurants we visited didn't have any, so it’s definitely worth having on hand.
3. Hand Santizer
This goes without saying because hand sanitizer is a must anywhere you go these days, but many of the public bathrooms may not have soap, so it’s best to always have hand sanitizer on hand.
4. Filtered Water Bottle or Water Filtration Tablets
The water in Peru is hit-or-miss and can upset your stomach if you are not used to the bacteria and minerals. We only drank bottled water during our stay or used our water filter bottles. I didn’t want to risk not feeling well.
5. Stomach Medicine
When I researched Peru before my trip, so many articles came up about avoiding food poisoning, and despite trying my hardest to avoid it, I still got it. A small bout of it despite not even eating any street food. It doesn’t hurt to bring some medicine to soothe your stomach just in case. The food in Peru is amazing, but it can come with a small risk depending on where you eat.
6. Comfortable Shoes
The cobblestone streets are endless in Peru. Of the 4 cities we visited, cobblestones were everywhere, so make sure to pack comfortable shoes for uneven surfaces.
7. Hiking Gear
If you’re going to Peru, I’d bet you are going to do some sort of tour that requires a bit of hiking. So make sure to bring some good hiking gear and note that their winter is the northern hemisphere's summer, so if you're visiting in August, as we did, be sure to bring some warm layers.
8. E-Sim
You can’t really pack this personally, but you should definitely purchase an e-SIM before visiting. Service was very spotty for us, and I had purchased an international plan from my carrier, but still had issues. I think an e-SIM would be better, so you can connect directly to Peruvian networks.
9. Cash
In larger cities in Peru, many places take cards, but there are still many cash-only establishments. Also, once you leave the city, you will find fewer places that accept cards, and to buy from most local vendors and artists, you will need Peruvian soles. I always head to my bank before a trip to order money. They ship it straight to my home, and it usually comes in 1-2 days. That way, you can avoid the airport and ATM fees.
Peru is one of those countries that is best visited prepared. Once you leave the city, it may be very difficult to find basic necessities, so packing them beforehand will save you a great deal of headaches (and possibly stomachaches).
