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The following
list contains suggestions is to what to bring on your trip to the
Amazon *:
What to pack for the Amazon
Remember that the Amazon is warm, humid, and dress is very informal.
Choose casual, comfortable, and breathable clothing. Lightweight
cottons are generally more comfortable than synthetics. The new
travel fabrics such as Supplex and Coolmax are breathable,
lightweight, and dry very quickly. Shorts and T-shirts are fine for
daytime wear, although you may prefer to wear long pants and long
sleeves on off-boat excursions for protection from sun and insects.
You may want a windbreaker or light sweater for breezy weather on
the sundeck or in the air-conditioned dining room.
In Lima and other towns and cities in Peru, pants are acceptable, as
are shorts and skirts, as long as they are not too short. You will
need to take clothing for both the cool of the highlands of Peru
(for any optional extensions) and the warm, humid days in the
Amazon.
Proper footwear, such as lightweight hiking boots or good
walking/athletic shoes, is essential on rain forest trails, which
can often be slippery or muddy. Don't buy expensive new boots as
they will just get wet and muddy; an old pair of tennis shoes should
be adequate. We recommend you bring one pair of shoes to wear on the
boat (deck shoes or sandals) and another for the trails.
Daily essentials
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Hairbrush or comb
- Hair dryer
- Shaving items
- Deodorant
- Shampoo / conditioner
- Shower cap
- Body soap
- After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
- Sun block, Sunscreen, SPF 15 or stronger
- Lip balm moisturizer or sun-blocking chap stick
- Eyeglasses and spare eyeglasses
- Contact lenses and solution
- Sunglasses, 100% UV block
- Favorite snacks
- Tissue packs (which are especially useful in Peruvian airport
restrooms)
- Packets of decaffeinated coffee and/or sweetener
- Strong insect repellent - minimum recommended 30-35% DEET and
insect bite relief products (avoid using colognes, scented
hairspray, or fragrant shampoos and lotions that may attract
mosquitoes).
Travel Gear
-
Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type plastic is recommended as there
is no plastic taste in the heat)
- Water bottle
- Optionally: Water Purification or water sterilizing tablets in
case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route.
Otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink
and has not reported any health problems so far.
- Walking sticks or poles. Folding walking staffs are sold in most
camping stores.
- Rain gear or rain poncho - Most rainwear is too hot to be
comfortable in the tropics. A lightweight, inexpensive poncho works
best during brief, heavy afternoon showers.
- Travel umbrella
- Plastic Ziploc bags for wet clothes and dirty shoes. Also helps to
protect your cameras or electrical equipment.
- Hat with brim or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
- Flashlight or headlamp, extra batteries and bulb (some overnight
stays offer no electricity)
- Travel pillow
- Small towel or travel towel
- Wash cloth
- Packets of pocket-size tissues or small roll of toilet paper
- Moist towels (not individual packets) and/or anti-bacterial
"water-free" hand cleanser
- Money belt, travel money bag or fanny pack
- Earplugs (for snoring roommates, or noisy frogs and animal
nightlife!)
- Spare Batteries
- Travel Adapters
- Travel alarm clock
- Basic Sewing kit
- Reading material, guide books, field guides, maps
- Phrase book
- Travel journal, note pad or notebook and pens
- Padlocks for your duffel bag, if used
- Swiss army knife (pack in luggage)
- Travel clothesline
- Binoculars are a MUST for wildlife viewing! Experienced
naturalists recommend that first-time binocular buyers select a
brand such as Nikon or Minolta at a power of 7 X 30, 7 X 35, or 7 X
40. Small, compact binoculars are available at good camera stores,
as well as many discount stores.
- I-pod, MP3 player, Discman, GPS
- Electrical converter & plug adapter
- Pocket-size calculator for exchange rates
- Small donations or gifs for local children in villages and schools
Clothes and footwear
-
Day pack, which can also serve as your carry-on bag
- Handkerchiefs
- Light versatile clothes – cotton and quick drying (dark colors
recommended)
- Sleepwear
- Underwear
- Socks
- Lightweight pants (convertible zip-offs are great)
- Long trousers, these should be lightweight and comfortable,
preferably cotton.
- Shorts, jeans are too heavy, and will not dry
- Skirt or dress
- Sarong / headscarf (particularly useful if you need to cover up
quickly)
- T-Shirts and lightweight long-sleeved shirts for sun and insect
protection
- Jacket and sweater
- Waterproof / windproof jacket
- Smart casual outfit for evenings out (pants or skirt)
- Cotton bandannas (it’s an Adventure)
- Strong footwear, waterproof trekking / - light weight hiking boots
are recommended but must be worn in
- Comfortable walking shoes – trainers or sandals
- Flip Flops, thongs or sandals which can used also for the showers
Prescription drugs and medications in their original bottles (in
carry-on bag)
- Antiseptic or anti-bacterial hand wipes and/or sanitizer
- Band-Aids, several sizes, bandage and/or steri-strips
- Tweezers
- Moleskin foot pads or blister pads
- Cold remedies: Sudafed, Dristan, etc.
- Allergy medication or cough suppressant
- Aspirin or Ibuprofen
- Laxatives
- Prescription antibiotic for diarrhea
- Pepto-Bismol or Mylanta
- Benadryl or other antihistamine
- Anti-diarrhea tablets, like Imodium
- Neosporin or bacitracin
- Antacids
- Decongestants
- Throat lozenges
- Prescription medicine to prevent malaria (if needed)
- Prescription medicine for altitude sickness
- Motion sickness preventives (only if you have problems on boats).
- Tylenol with codeine, or another strong pain medication for rare
emergency purposes
NOTE
The
ship carries a first-aid kit as well.
Documents and Money
- Valid passport (should be valid at least six months after your
date of entry to the country
- Student ID (if applicable)
- 2 spare passport photos (in case of lost passport)
- Photocopies of your airline tickets and the first two pages of
your passport. Put them in different locations (duffel, carry-on
bag). Also leave one set at home
- Cash in soles and/or US$ (no ATM machines in many places in the
Amazon or Aguas Calientes)
Photography
The Amazon, with its magnificent scenery and diversity of fauna and
flora, are a photographer's paradise. Bring lots of film or memory
cards! For film cameras, despite the bright light of the tropics for
which ASA 64 or 100 is most appropriate, dense rainforests have very
low light and you may want to use ASA 200 or even higher. The most
useful lenses are a wide angle and a 135 or 200 mm zoom telephoto
lens.
Digital photography is really ideal for travelers, as long as you
learn how to operate your camera with skill prior to departure.
Learn how to download images and how to delete unwanted pictures.
Carry more than one memory card, and bring along extra batteries and
the re-charger for camera batteries, as well as any adapters and
converters needed to plug your equipment into foreign plugs.
Any gear you carry on hikes, including cameras, should be carried in
a backpack or in some bag that will leave your hands free. It is
also recommended that a tight sealing camera bag be used to protect
your camera equipment from moisture. Large Ziploc bags are
especially handy.
If you carry film through airports, X-ray bags protect your film
from the new, stronger airport metal detectors, which can seriously
harm exposed film (especially high-ASA films). Ask your local camera
store for suggestions.
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*
The above list is to be used as a guideline only. Personal
preferences as to packing for a vacation change from person
to person. |
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