Peru travel checklist: what to do before you go

The two things that can sell out are Machu Picchu entry and Inca Trail permits, so book those before flights where you can (check). Pick your travel window first, then book the citadel slot and any trek permit. The parent country guide puts the best months for Cusco and the Sacred Valley at May–September, and for Machu Picchu at April–October.

Check your passport and visa position now, not in the last week. Rules differ by nationality, so read the entry page for your passport and confirm with the Peruvian consulate if anything is unclear. If you plan to trek at altitude, start your fitness routine here: the walking is the easy part, the breathing is not.

Lock the route. The site's default first-trip shape is Lima 2 nights, fly to Cusco, sleep low in the Sacred Valley for 2–3 nights, then Machu Picchu, then Cusco 2–3 nights. Add Lake Titicaca or Arequipa only if you have 12 days or more, and fly the long legs rather than losing days to buses.

Book internal flights and trains now: Lima–Cusco and Cusco–Puno, plus the Sacred Valley trains to Aguas Calientes, are the legs people forget (check). Sort health cover and any vaccines or altitude medication with a travel clinic, and read up on the scams that target arrivals in Lima and Cusco so you recognise them on day one.

Get your money sorted. Soles are the currency, roughly S/ 3.4–3.7 per US$ (check), and you will want small notes for markets, taxis and tips. Cards work in Lima, Cusco and hotel restaurants; carry cash for everything else. Tell your bank you are travelling and check the foreign transaction fee.

Pack for layers and rain, not for a single climate. Lima is coastal and damp, Cusco is cold at night and strong in the sun, the Amazon is hot and humid. Bring type A and C adapters for 220 V 60 Hz sockets, copies of your passport and insurance, and any prescription medicine in original packaging with a copy of the prescription.

Carry your passport, insurance details and first night's address where you can reach them without a phone. Have the address written in Spanish for the driver. Use an official taxi desk or a ride app rather than a driver who approaches you inside the terminal (check).

If you land straight into Cusco, take the first day slowly: water, light meals, no heavy exercise. If your itinerary starts in the Sacred Valley, you are already doing the altitude the easy way. Keep the emergency numbers handy: 105 police, 116 fire, 106 SAMU ambulance.

Your passport is the document that decides everything else. Most visitors need validity of about six months beyond entry and at least one blank page, but the rule depends on your nationality, so verify it on your government's travel advice page and with the Peruvian authorities (check). Carry a photocopy or a phone photo of the data page separately from the original.

Keep proof of onward travel and your first accommodation handy; border and airline staff may ask. If you are travelling with children or on a one-way ticket, check the specific rules for your case before you fly.

Budget from the trip-cost pages rather than guessing: a 7-day and a 14-day estimate are on the site, in soles with a US$ guide. Cards are accepted in cities and better hotels, but markets, small restaurants, taxis and tips run on cash. ATMs in Lima and Cusco are common; withdraw larger amounts to cut fees and carry a backup card kept separately.

Tipping is about 10% in sit-down restaurants, plus something for guides, porters and drivers on treks. Keep a stack of S/ 10 and S/ 20 notes for that. Change is often short in small shops, so break big notes when you can.

Altitude is the health issue most travellers actually meet. Cusco is around 3,400 m (check), and the site's route deliberately sleeps lower in the Sacred Valley first. Arrive rested, drink water, skip alcohol on the first night, and treat headache and breathlessness with rest rather than pushing on. If symptoms get worse rather than better, descend and get medical help. This is general information, not medical advice; the health page covers vaccines and altitude medication.

Vaccines and medication are a travel-clinic conversation, not a forum one: routine vaccines, plus whatever is recommended for the Amazon if you go. Pack a basic kit: rehydration salts, painkillers, stomach medicine, blister plasters and any prescription drugs in original packaging. Check whether your insurance covers trekking above your planned altitude.

Pack for three climates in one bag: coastal Lima, highland Cusco and the Amazon if it is on your route. Layers beat a heavy coat, a rain shell beats an umbrella on trekking days, and broken-in shoes matter more than anything else you bring. Type A and C adapters cover the 220 V 60 Hz sockets.

Leave room for what you buy: textiles, ceramics and coffee are the usual souvenirs. The full Peru packing list page covers the detail; use it as the tick-list for the final week.