-This is a big hike, and I was a bit apprehensive at first about being able to keep up. I also worried about slowing up the group and feeling left out. But I really didn’t have to worry. The guides were all great about keeping the pressure off. One morning they let us start early so the faster members of our group weren’t too far ahead, and we never came in to camp more than 45 minutes after the first arrivals. We really had a great time with everyone, even though I was one of the slower hikers.
- Unless you live high above sea level, the altitude is very difficult to get used to. 
I really never expected it to be a big deal, but it made everything so much harder. I am a fitness enthusiast, and I had increased my workouts in the months before I left in order to ramp up my stamina, and it was still very hard. You just can’t find the extra push that you normally can when you are not at altitude. The best advice I can give is to get to Cusco a few days ahead of time so that you can start to get yourself acclimated. It makes a big difference.
- The guides recommend chewing coca leaves to give yourself some extra energy. My hiking partner did this and she said she definitely felt that it helped. You can also get coca toffees or hard candies. I sucked on those quite a lot after the second day and it helped to give me a bit more energy. The coca tea (or mate de coca) is a huge help in fighting altitude sickness, and as such we drank it all the time. I would also suggest that you buy extra bags of coca leaves to give to our porters. They were so excited and grateful to receive them, and it is really inexpensive to buy extras.
- You are going to need a sleeping bag and a walking pole. Rather than buying these items you can rent them from your tour company, and it was quite useful. You can also get an extra sleeping mat and that is great after a long day of hiking. Just make sure you have your own liner. About hiking poles: you may not feel like you need one if you an experienced hiker, but they can be beneficial in keeping good circulation in your arms and hands. Walking for eight hours straight with your arms hanging down at high altitude can wreak havoc on your circulation.
- Take as few items of clothing as you can. You don’t really have space for more than 2 or 3 kgs worth of clothing once you put in all of your sleeping equipment. A great idea is pants that convert to shorts. You do need layers, as it gets pretty hot while walking and also while you are at Machu Picchu, so it’s best to pack tees and vests that you can layer.
- A few items that you need a lot of: tissues (instead of toilet paper rolls which take up too much space) and wet wipes. Most toilets are squat-type toilets and vary in their levels of cleanliness. At Machu Picchu, you can spend 1 sole to get the ultimate luxury: a proper toilet that flushes and a sink. And of course, make sure to pack mosquito repellent with DEET and lots of sunscreen.
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If you do yoga, or know someone who does, it will be helpful to learn some stretches that you can do at the end of each day. After the stretching, rub on some china gel and put on some compression leggings to sleep in. This made a world of difference, and I didn’t wake up with any aches or pains. If you have any issues with your knees, you may need support on the way down. Taking the steps down was much harder on our joints than going up.