1. In Iquitos & Amazon area, be sure to have: Passport, malaria medication, possibly yellow fever vaccination, bug spray, sunscreen, wear long sleeve shirt and long pants, sneakers for possible wet & muddy areas, hat, sunglasses, binoculars – if birding, camera, raincoat, windbreaker.
2. In Cuzco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu area, be sure to have: Passport, bug spray, sunscreen, hiking shoes, walking sticks with rubber tips for Machu Picchu, raincoat, windbreaker, hat, sunglasses, altitude medicine possibly needed for Cuzco at 11,000 feet, camera, clothing as listed above plus additional layer for warmth, sandals with straps if rafting.
3. In Lake Titicaca at 12,500 feet, be sure to have: Passport, sunscreen, altitude medication, camera, raincoat, hat, sunglasses, camera, clothing as listed above plus additional layers for warmth where it will even be colder in early morning and late night.
4. Always carry: toilet paper, small coins…1 soles or 5 soles coin…for toilet use fee, to take photo of a person who requests payment, hard candies for dry areas in country or on airplane flights, water, snack.
5. Other items: extra camera batteries, etc, reading glasses, map of Peru, copy of passport and credit cards, etc in another location from actual items, personal needs, wipes or anti-bacterial solution, antibiotics, flashlight.
6. Be ready to be flexible, polite, good-humored, giving…we are ambassadors experiencing a culture different than our own and the time spent in Peru can be wonderful!