Inca Trail & Amazon Rainforest

Hi, I will also do the Inca Trail trek in April.

I just booked on this trip yesterday.

Great to hear from you both. Now I'm getting excited! I think that makes at least 7 people booked on the trek. Have you done anything like this before? (I haven't). Where are you flying from? I live in Chesterfield so am flying from Birmingham.

This will be my second trip with Exodus but the first one like this. I think I am really going to enjoy these two weeks. As I live in Ipswich, I will fly directly from Heathrow. As the trip was already shown as "Guaranteed" when I booked 2 weeks ago, there should be at least 8-9 people already booked by now.

Thats good new then. was your last trip for solo travellers aswell? when/where did you go? Was that also at a high altitude? Thats the only thing thats worrying me, just because i've never experienced it before. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm Clare by the way.

My last trip with Exodus was only a relaxing week in Egypt last year and was not limited to Solo travelers. The "Inca Trail & Amazon Rainforest" will also be my first trip at such a high altitude.

I'm Marc by the way.

Hi Everyone, I will be joining you on the trip, I have never done anything like this before so am excited and scared at the same time. looking forward to meeting you. Jac

I've done quite a few trips with Exodus over the past few years. They have all been really good trips - not a bad one yet. I'm flying from Heathrow as well, since I live down south. Tim

Apart from the altitude, my only other slight worry is that I forget to take something vital, like walking boots! Jac - where are you flying from? Have any of the more experienced trekkers among you got any tips for the trek/preparation? I think you should all put a pic up.

Hi, I am flying from Teesside but am going the day before, I hate flying and thought I might need a day to get over it and prepare for the little flight!! I have never done anything like this before so am sure to overpack and forget something!! wanted to ask if everyone is getting yellow fever injections???

I am getting my yellow fever injection tomorrow.

Shame that you're flying from Teesside - we'd probably have been on the same connecting flight from Amsterdam. i don't mind flying, the thing i'm not looking forward is making my own way from Lima airport - so I'll probably just pay extra and organise the transfer through Exodus. I'm having yellow fever too but not until March I think. Need to make sure I'm up to date with Tetanus as well. Its difficult to know exactly what to take as it looks like we could encounter the whole range of weathers!

Shame that you're flying from Teesside - we'd probably have been on the same connecting flight from Amsterdam. i don't mind flying, the thing i'm not looking forward is making my own way from Lima airport - so I'll probably just pay extra and organise the transfer through Exodus. I'm having yellow fever too but not until March I think. Need to make sure I'm up to date with Tetanus as well. Its difficult to know exactly what to take as it looks like we could encounter the whole range of weathers!

Well I put up a picture, but I think you need a magnifying glass to see it. On another exodus trip tomorrow ( to see the Gorillas ), it will be nice to get away from all this weather.

I'm waiting to hear if I can get the Inca pass... If so, I'm there :)

Hi Phil, hope you get sorted with the pass, have you done anything like this before????

No news yet.. Nope. Not done anything quite so back to basics, but i'm sure I'll cope. I've done some walking at reasonable altitude before (not quite sure how high) and done a night in a Bedouin tent. It'll be great! (if I get the pass)

Just checked - it was only 1800m..

Hi Phil don't want to tempt fate but just checked availability of passes website and it looks as though there are still plenty. I have not done anything like this at all but am trying to train a bit been up some hills near where I live this morning, not sure how I will cope with altitude, especially as I hate tea and i hear cocoa tea is the best thing to prevent altitude sickness.

I hate tea too. We can both look on enviously! (well if I make it...) Anyone driving down to heathrow? I leave my car there and get a hotel the night before. Great deal - £79 the lot!

I phoned Exodus a couple of days ago to hire a sleeping bag for the trek. There's 14 of us booked on! I still haven't found anyone else who's flying from Birmingham but about half will pick up the same flight from Amsterdam, so it'll be a case of spot the Exodus bag.

Looks like I'm going!! Seems slightly unreal somehow... See you there :) (after 17 hours of flights - uch!)

Hi folks - is anyone else a tad confused about what sort of clothes to take - or is it just me? I've looked on several websites to check the weather and they're not exactly giving consistent information. I'm thinking thats its generally going to be warm in the day and cold (possibly very cold) at night. The rainforest will be humid and possibly wet but we need long sleeve tops and long trousers to keep the mozzies at bay and so we don't get any creepy things sticking to our limbs! - is that right do you think, or have i got that completely wrong?

Hi there, check out my thread in arrivals gate section for loads of advice on this trip and Peru in general. Two items I'd especially recommend would be a down jacket or vest and a a poncho. It is absolutely freezing at night in the mountains and when it rains in the jungle it belts it down.

http://www.exodus.co.uk/forum/post/11963-advice-inca-trail-and-amazon-rainforest 

Cheers

Jon

Thanks Jon. I'll have a look at that link.  cheers

 

Hi I am Lawrence and I come from Inverness. I am flying from Edinburgh to Amsterdam and then onto Lima on the 10am flight, is anyone else on it? Going to get my yellow fever jag tomorrow. I made  a list of "must bring" items ages ago which is now nearly all ticked off I am glad to say. Looking forward to the trip immensely it should be great fun. Anyone up for some Salsa in Lima on Saturday night?!!!

Hi Lawrence, I think there will be quite a few people on your flight, I am going the day before, am so scared of flying thought i would need a day to recover!!!  will deff be up for some salsa, just dont let me have a drink!  whats on your list, I really need to start to think about what I need to take.  Have you done anything like this before?  looking forward to meeting everyone  not long now

Hi Jacqueline, i went with Exodus last year to Egypt, did Cairo, Aswan, Luxhor & the red sea, it was a really good holiday. You will be fine with the flight, nothing to it. At least the extra day will give you time to check out the Salsa bars, you can be our tour guide on the first night!

Here is my list, can you think of anything iI have missed?

Sleeping Bag, Rucksack, Day Pack, head torch, extra batteries, camera, bin liner, plastic sealable bags, body cloth, small towel, sun glasses, walking socks, gloves, hat, rain jacket & trousers, fleece,walking boots, shorts, t.shirts, long sleeved tops, jersey, trainers, bum bag, insect spray (DEET), Re-hydration salts, hand sanitiser, sun cream, plasters, tissues, anti-biotic cream, anti-malaria tablets, multi grain snacks, mini mars bars, boiled sweets, passport, tickets.

 

Oh and don't forget to pack your dancing shoes!! Cheers Lwrence

Hi Lawrence. 4 weeks tomorrow - can't wait.  there's a couple of things on your list that i hadn't thought about so i'll add them on to mine.  definitely up for some salsa. see you all soon.

Hi clare now its 4 weeks today, the time will fly in. Thats 3 of us now for salsa, I'd better get some practise in, you may be experts and show me up on Limas dance floors!!

And now it's less than 2 weeks! Can't believe it's come around so fast!

I've been sorting out all my stuff at last. I woke up last weekend realising "I've not done anything at all yet" but nearly everything is done now. I've even checked out my rain gear so hopefully I'll not get soaked! The lists above from others who've been on the trip were fantastically helpful and I think Exodus should look at those for the tripnotes.

I asked Exodus to send a mail round on my behalf to see if anyone wanted to get in touch before we go. Would be nice to chat to someone at the airport, and half way across. Feel free to reply to my mail if you want to. If not, see you all over there!

I was hoping to meet up at the airport too.  I fly from Birmingham though, but I think we all (or at least some of us?) get the same 10am KLM flight from Amsterdam.  I've never been to Amsterdam airport but there's got to be somewhere obvious we could meet.  Not sure yet if we're going to have to collect our luggage off the first flight and check it in again (?).

I will take the 8.30 Continental Airlines flight from Heathrow Terminal 4 via Houston.

I'm not sure yet how I will go to Heathrow, but I will probably take a cab. Another option for me would be to take a train to Heathrow the day before and stay at a nearby hotel for the night.

Hi Marc. I'm going that way too. Staying the night before in a hotel. If you got a mail from me, feel free to get in touch if you want and we can meet up at the airport. Would be nice to have someone to natter with during the trip over :)

Hi Claire, I am on the same flight. If you fancy when we check in for the flight from the uk to Amsterdam we could ask for seats together on the Lima flight. Failing that I will give you my mobile and we can make contact at the airport. Its 07774 173759.

I'm sure you probably all know this, but for those who travel via the US, it is probably a good time to apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation): https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

 

Hi Lawrence. yeah we could try and get our seats booked together when we check in at the UK, though not sure if they'll be able to do that, but we can certainly ask. My flight from Birmingham arrives at Amsterdam at 8:20.  I'll send you a quick text so you've got my number.  I'm getting excited !!!

Well I think I've bought everything, thought of everything* and am ready to pack and leave tomorrow. Today is my last day at work for nearly 3 weeks - nice!

Exodus kitbags are a bit of a problem for some of us by the way, but I spoke to Exodus and they said they're not vital - there will be kitbags available in Peru if needed, but they're not quite the same quality.

See you all on the other side!

(* this is unlikely. I'll have forgotten something.)