Need info on weather and necessary clothing.
Hi everyone,
I'm interested in hearing from people who have hiked the Inca Trail and spent time in Lake Titicaca, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley. What is the weather like in July? What type of clothing do you recommend bringing for this time of year? I want to keep my packing light, with only the necessities, any suggestions? Thanks so much.
Reply to this Its been a few years since I was there, but I remember it being sunny during the day but not overly hot - perhaps low to mid 20s Celcius and then in the evenings, it was a bit cooler. You definitely want to bring some microfibre long underwear that you can layer. I remember that it rained on me heavily during the trek so you want to bring a pack cover or better yet, try to fit everything into a regular daypack and store the rest at your hostel/hotel. I think you can buy those cheap plastic ponchos from the many vendors and they're not a bad idea along with the cheap wooden walking stick (your knees will thank you). The evenings were a bit chilly and I wish I had brought a touque (knit hat appropriate for winter). If you make it down to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia on that trip, I would bring along some warm clothing. I think we got stuck in a snow storm and had to huddle for warmth in this old mining camp in the middle of nowhere. It would have been quite odd to have frozen to death on my summer vacation!
You can actually do the Trail in running shoes (some ppl ran the trail) though the downhill portion of the trek gets a bit tricky when its slick with rain.
I would stay away from bringing lots of shorts - you'll get stared at by the local women plus there seem to be these orange fruit-fly sized creatures that love biting and leave mosquito-sized welts!
Other things to bring: Petzl headlamp (good for navigating the washroom in the dark), chaco sandals, sunscreen (you get burned pretty quickly at an elevation of 2000m even if its not that sunny outside).
Reply to this HI there. I am in Cusco now and, by my standards it is freezing! Apparently it is actually warmer than normal which they are attributing to global warming but having come from central america and even the coast of peru it is very cold, not surprising at 3000m. AS the previous reply says during the day you can walk around in shirt and it is hot and sunny but at night the temperature plummets. make sure your hostel has proper hot showers and plenty of blankets. I think doing the inca trail is not too cold but if you are not booked on it and want to do salkantay for example instead then you cross a 4,400m pass and can be camping 1 or 2 nights in -5 to -15C depending on where the compàny has its camp site. I would bring a pair of tights of thermals as they pack down, hat, gloves and make sure your sleeping is 2-3 season. also you can buy lots of lovely jumpers here of alpaca wool which only cost about $12, not to mention hats, gloves, socks and scarves which are all around $2 - bargain!
Reply to this Cusco is at 11,000 feet above sea level and gets very cold at night, however, because it is so close to the equator it never snows there. Passing through the Sacred Valley you begin to descend in altitude as you descend through the Sacred Valley and on to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is much lower in altitude (about 8,000) feet above sea level and as you follow the valleyof the Urubamba River you eventually reach the Amazon region at a much lower altitude. Still nights can be extremely cold, especially if you are on the Inca Trail. Some of the mountain passes are even higher than Cusco. The rainly season lasts from November until March, with March being usually the wettest month. After March, you won't need much rain gear, however be prepared for sunny days and very cold nights.
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