The mistake this checklist prevents is simple: arriving at San Blas square thirty minutes in and realizing you left your passport copies at the hotel, or finding the market cash stalls closed to your card. One traveler I watched lost the San Cristobal viewpoint because her shoes gave out early. Ten minutes of prep the night before avoids both problems.
Documents
Carry your passport or national ID the whole day; some stops and the guide's headcount checks reference it. Keep a photocopy separate from the original in your day bag. A small wallet works better than a pocket stash at San Pedro market.
- Passport or identity document
- Copies of your passport left at the hotel
Money
Bring small bills in soles, because market stalls and taxi hops rarely break large notes. Cards appear at some tourist shops, but the pantry stalls at San Pedro are cash territory. Keep enough apart from the expected $39 fare for tips and a few tastings.
- Soles in small denominations
- A separate cash stash for snacks and tips
Gear
Four hours on cobblestones means real shoes, not sandals. A light layer helps even in dry months, and a hat plus sunscreen matters at 3,400 meters where UV bites quickly. Leave the big backpack at the hotel and carry water.
- Broken-in walking shoes
- Hat, sunscreen, light rain layer
- Small day bag, refillable bottle
Booking
Confirm the private tour format, since this walk runs as a private group of two up to your party's limit, moderate level, four hours. Note the price of $39 per person and that it runs daily. Ask what time the walk starts and how pickup from your hotel works.
- Reserve the private half-day slot
- Share your hotel address for pickup
- Confirm the bilingual guide you want
Day-of
Expect stops around the Twelve-Angles Street at Hatum Rumiyoc, San Blas square, the San Cristobal viewpoint, San Francisco square's garden, the San Pedro market, and Plaza de Armas. Eat something light first, since altitude and walking do not mix well with a heavy breakfast. Plan another checklist review the evening before, not in the taxi.
- Passport and copies ready
- Cash in soles, small notes
- Shoes, hat, sunscreen, poncho
- Pickup confirmed with the guide
When to run through this checklist
Do the full pass the evening before the walk, when you can calmly gather documents, cash and gear. Do a two-minute glance check before you leave the hotel the morning of the tour. The tour itself runs four hours at a moderate pace, so the work is entirely in the night-before hour. Keep the list on your phone and tick items as you pack, not from memory in the taxi.