You’ve paid for your trip and looked forward to it for months so, of course, you don’t want to get sick during your trip.

Friends I was with in India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Peru have all gotten sick while traveling – sometimes for reasons that were avoidable.

You may just get unlucky, but there are things you can do to make sure you have a fighting chance of staying healthy.

Look after your health before you go

First things first, if you’re not living a healthy lifestyle before your trip, you are much more likely to get sick whilst traveling.

You don’t have to be addicted to the gym, but maintaining a reasonable level of fitness will help to build your immune system.

Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet and getting the nutrients your body needs to keep a healthy immune system. Beans and toast every day is not ok.

Food and drinks to avoid getting sick while traveling

Don’t drink the tap water

There are many countries in the world where drinking the tap water isn’t a good idea. This includes most of Asia and South America, but also many islands such as the Canary Islands.

I was once unwell for two weeks after I guzzled some tap water in Fuerteventura after a night out. Not worth it.

Before you travel, make sure you check advice on whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination. If in doubt, drink bottled water.

You can also buy purification tablets or a Life Straw, which filter local tap water to make it safe to drink. I recommend these if you’re traveling to remote areas where bottled water is difficult to obtain.

Check water bottles are sealed when you buy them

Some places, for example India, are a bit unscrupulous when it comes to your safety. Sometimes locals will refill empty plastic bottles with tap water and resell them.

So even if you’re buying bottled water, make sure you check the seal is unbroken. I’ve even heard stories of seals being re-glued, so check properly.

Make sure you see a waiter open your bottle of mineral water

The same goes for even the nicest restaurants. You are well within your rights to insist that the waiter opens your bottle of water in front of you, so that you can be sure it was sealed in the first place.

Don’t have ice in your drinks

If the tap water isn’t safe, ice made from the tap water won’t be safe either. So ask for your drink without ice, unless you can be certain that it’s made from bottled water.

I tend to stick to bottled water, coca cola, and beer when I’m traveling, as there is much less chance of any contamination.

Avoid salads and raw vegetables

Salads and rave vegetables can seem like they would be a safe choice when traveling Asia or South America. After all, they grow naturally and don’t need to be cooked.

However, salads and vegetables can be washed in tap water. There’s no way of knowing.

If vegetables are then boiled, they’ll be fine, but lettuce washed in tap water would be a no go.

Avoid dairy

Some countries serve unpasteurised dairy products, which can include milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream.

If purchasing from a store, check labels for evidence of pasteurisation. But if you’re ordering in a restaurant or from a street vendor, it’s best to avoid these foods altogether.

Check meat is cooked through

Often the standard of cooking in less developed countries is not as high as in western countries.

Meat can often be under-cooked, which means that any bugs won’t have been killed off before you eat it.

Check meat is cooked through before you put it into your mouth. In Peru, a few friends and I were dished up some alpaca burgers that were completely uncooked inside.

Don’t eat street food

Hygiene of food cooked outside on the street can be pretty dodgy, so it’s best to avoid street-food altogether.

It can be tempting though, particularly in Asian countries where it is so much a part of the culture.

If you do really want to try some, make sure you are with a really trustworthy guide who will point out what you will and won’t be safe to eat.

When I visited India, I had a really brilliant G Adventures guide who allowed us to eat amazing street food from places he trusted. We were all fine for a whole month.

Read my review of my G Adventures India trip to learn about a safe way to travel India.

Hygiene to avoid getting sick while traveling

Brush your teeth with bottled water

This one is really important and it’s also one of the most common mistakes people make. If the water isn’t safe to drink, why would you put it on your toothbrush and then put that in your mouth? Yuck.

Some friends I was with in Bali were poorly for the first few days, until they stopped brushing their teeth with the tap water.

Most good hotels will leave a couple of bottles of mineral water in the bathroom for you. Use it.

Keep your eyes and mouth clamped shut while taking a shower

My Dad used to travel for work a lot when I was young and, when I began traveling with him, he gave me some advice.

He told me that bugs from water can get into your system through your eyes, as well as your mouth. This is true, and common knowledge, but often not something we think of when we’re taking a shower.

When showering, keep your eyes and your mouth clamped tightly shut.

Yes, it’s a bit harder to breath and I end up gasping for air every few seconds, but I believe it helps!

Use hand sanitiser

While traveling Asia or South America, it’s important to keep a decent supply of hand sanitiser on you at all times.

Use it after you go to the bathroom, and again before you eat anything.

Follow Health Advice to avoid getting sick while traveling

Get the relevant vaccinations

Aside from getting sick from eating or drinking something you shouldn’t, there are other things that can make you unwell whilst traveling.

A couple of months before you travel anywhere make sure you check what vaccinations or medication you might need.

I always check the UK NHS website Fit For Travel. No matter where you’re from, you will find comprehensive advice on what vaccinations are recommended for that location, how high the malaria risk is, etc.

You should then follow up with the Travel Nurse at your Doctor surgery to check whether your jabs are up to date.

I personally always get the recommended jabs (which really isn’t much of a pain if you travel a lot, as most of them last a few years and some protect you for life).

Use insect repellent

If you’re traveling somewhere with a risk of mosquito-transmitted diseases, such as Dengue or Zika Virus, make sure you take the necessary precautions.

Yes, mosquito repellent with Deet stinks and isn’t great for your skin long-term, but I think it’s worth it to avoid getting really unwell.

Wear Sunscreen and a Hat

If you’re visiting somewhere hot you need to make sure you protect yourself from the sun. Both sunburn and heat stroke can seriously ruin your trip.

Slop on plenty of 30+ and slap on a hat to avoid getting sick while traveling to warm climates.

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On the Peru Multisport trip I visited several Peruvian cities, towns and villages, spent two days mountain biking, five days hiking, and two days kayaking.

This post is a review of what to expect from the trip, which I hope you find helpful! The short version is that I LOVED it, and you should probably go!

If you’ve booked it already, make sure you check out my posts What to pack for the Inca Trail.

G Adventures Peru Multisport Review
Arriving in Lima

This trip starts and ends in Lima, which is great as it’s easy to get flights to and from this city. As with all G Adventures trips, you meet your group around 6pm on the first day for introductions and your first meal together.

My group this time was made up of Brits, Canadians, Kiwis, Americans, and our Peruvian guide, who was aptly named Guido.

Most of the flights from the UK to Lima arrive late at night, so I arrived the night before and booked the G Adventures transfer.

The Transfer

This was the first time, in all my travels, that my transfer hasn’t been there to greet me. The good news, though, was that it was easy to sort. There is a sectioned off customer information area right next to arrivals, and the staff saw me looking lost and called G Adventures for me. I was in a car within 15 minutes.

So I had a free day in Lima (two in fact, as I had one at the end of the trip also) but I’m going to be honest – I didn’t explore. I slept, went out only for coffee and dinner, and on my last day in Peru I sat by a pool.

The hotels were nice though! The G Adventures hotel, Hotel Santa Cruz, is in a nice area called Miraflores. There’s a decent coffee shop literally next door if you’re as lazy as me.

My last night I stayed in the Dazzler by Wyndham and I recommend it for a treat at the end of your trip. It’s a ten-minute walk from Hotel Santa Cruz, has huge comfy beds, and the friendly staff let me check in a few hours early so I could enjoy the swimming pool on the roof. The hotel restaurant is great too.

Getting used to the altitude in Cusco

The trip doesn’t include any time in Lima after the first night, so you’re off to the airport to fly to Cusco early the next morning. Our guide sorted boarding passes and luggage tags for the whole group, so all we had to do was queue up and drop our bags.

Arriving in Cusco, you immediately feel the change in altitude. The air is thinner up there as the city is at an elevation of 3,399m. So expect to feel a bit light-headed and out of breath as soon as you leave the plane.

Once transferred to the hotel in Cusco (we stayed in the Cusco Plaza II, which is centrally located and comfortable, if a little chilly – the central areas are open air.) we had a group lunch in a local restaurant followed by an orientation walk and a free afternoon to explore.

Cusco is a pleasant place to walk around, take photos, have a coffee, or visit markets. If you don’t manage to do everything you want this afternoon, don’t worry, you have another free afternoon here after the trek (if you have the energy!)

Exploring Inca sites in Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo was perhaps my favourite town in Peru. It’s small, cute, and has a mix of Inca and Spanish influence, and a relaxed vibe.

You get entry to Ollantaytambo (the Inca site) included in the Peru Multisport trip and you’re free to explore at your own pace.

We had an extra free day in Ollantaytambo after the Mountain Biking, and our guide offered to take us on a hike up to the Inca store. It takes only about 30-minutes of relatively steep steps to get to the store, then it’s fun to enjoy the views of the town.

Mountain Biking in Maras

I had never tried mountain biking before. I cycle to work and back every day on my hybrid bike, but where I live the only hills are actually bridges!

The first day of mountain biking was really very tame. Just an hour or two on the bikes, all down hill, and most of it on tarmac. This was no problem at all for beginners, but disappointing for those used to mountain biking. For me, it was sort of nice to get used to the bike, which had much more bouncy suspension than I’m used to.

Day two was a bit more challenging. The first section, for about an hour or so, was ‘level 1’. It was mostly downhill, some of which was really quite steep, sandy, and close to the edge of the mountain. There were a couple of uphill sections too, which were quite hard given the elevation. I loved it and everyone had fun.

The option to opt out

After a break for snacks, we had the option to carry on and try ‘level 2’, but the catch was that if you did, you also had to do ‘level 3’. A lot of us opted out and bought some beers instead (mostly worried about getting injured before the Inca Trail), but the more advanced bikers carried on and really enjoyed it.

The cyclists’ route took them right down to the Maras Salt Mine, which I was jealous of. Those of us that opted out were taken by minibus to a high up viewpoint, which was great, but no quite as impressive!

Hiking the 4-Day Inca Trail

The Inca Trail was incredible and worthy of its own post (which I might write later!). There’s so much to say about the experience.

Before I went to Peru, I read a lot of articles about how tough the Inca Trail is. Honestly, I wouldn’t say it was easy, but I really didn’t find it that hard. I expect it depends on your general fitness level, and how affected you are by the altitude.

For reference, I’m 34, I climb three times a week, cycle 30mins to work and back every day, and walk around a lot.

There were one or two members of the group who found it really quite challenging, but none were part of the Multisport trip (for the trek, we had combined with a Classic group).

The trail was beautiful, the weather was changeable, the guides and porters were fantastic and the food was frankly incredible!

Day one was a very easy walk, day two was a challenging steep incline, day three was a challenging steep downhill, and day four was a very early start!

If you want to do the Inca Trail you’ll need to book the G Adventures Peru Multisport trip around 6 months in advance, at least, because they only let so many people on the trail per day and the passes sell out. There are other treks you can do instead, such as the Lares Trek or the Salkantay trek.

Related post: What to pack for the Inca Trail

Learning about Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the main reason that most of us had travelled to Peru. It’s one of the Seven New Wonders of the World and it is just wonderful!!

If you’re not into hiking, you can get the train to Machu Picchu from Cusco or Ollantaytambo, but I think you’d be missing out. If you hike the Inca Trail, you arrive from the back of the Sun Gate, so there is no glimpse of the city until you walk through the gate. And that moment is pretty emotional!

If you get the train, you arrive in Agua Caliente and then get the bus up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Nice and easy, but no challenge to make the reward great! Up to you!

The G Adventures Peru Multisport trip includes a guided tour of Machu Picchu with the trek guide, which is really interesting and it’s amazing to explore.

Hiking Rainbow Mountain (optional, but totally worth it!)

On the G Adventures Peru Multisport trip, you can opt to visit Rainbow Mountain, which is a really amazing striped mountain. It makes for some great photos!

I had read blog posts saying it wasn’t worth a visit as the Instagram photos you see have been heavily photoshopped. That probably is true in many cases, but the above photo is pretty true to the actual colours and I personally think it’s rather nice to look at!

I guess the catch is that the only day you can visit Rainbow Mountain is the day after the four-day Inca Trail. It’s an early start and you have to be ready to be picked up at 4am. However, I thought it was totally worthwhile and they do give you blankets on the bus in the morning

I loved the hike too. It takes about 1.5 hours to walk to the top, and most of it is a relatively gentle incline. The elevation is higher than the Inca Trail though, so it doesn’t feel that easy.

There’s a really steep bit at the end to get the best views that takes you to an elevation of 5,000m. The air is really thin up there, so you can’t stay too long. You’ll get great views of Rainbow Mountain and other snow-capped mountains around it.

You can pay to take a horse most of the way up if you want to. But, for me, that’s cheating!

Lake Titicaca Islands and Homestay

Lake Titicaca has over 40 islands, and I visited two islands and two ‘floating islands’ on this trip.

The journey from Puno to the first kayaking spot takes about 2 hrs and you travel on a comfortable boat. The lake is usually quite calm, so it’s a pleasant journey. The lunch spot on Taquile island has a beautiful view of the lake, and I enjoyed a short walk around the island afterwards.

We stayed the night on Amantani island (pictured above) with local families. Before meeting the hosts, we played friendly games of football (soccer) with the locals. Then they dress you up in their traditional outfits (which honestly I could have done without, but interesting all the same!).

What is the homestay like?

For the homestay you split into groups of two or three and spend time in their kitchen helping to chop veggies for dinner. I was lucky in that the couple I was staying with spoke Spanish, where some only speak Quechua.

My Spanish is VERY limited, so I was also lucky that our G Adventures Peru Multisport guide was staying in the same house as me and was happy to translate.

I really enjoyed this part of the trip, aside perhaps from being woken up by the donkey at first light! But others had a more awkward experience and didn’t enjoy it so much. That said, it is just one night and worth it for the experience.

On day two you visit two floating islands. One traditional small island (around 15 metres across) where a few families live, followed by lunch at a larger commercial island.

On the small island we learned about how the islands are made, constructed out of reeds, and the local way of life. It’s unlike anything I had seen before, and was incredibly interesting, though did feel a little intrusive looking into their homes.

Kayaking Lake Titicaca

The kayaks we used were two-person sea kayaks and, whilst a couple had a few niggles, the boats and equipment were pretty good. The G Adventures Peru Multisport tour notes said they would be sit-on-top kayaks, but they were actually proper sea kayaks and we were provided with waterproof jacket, life vest and spray skirt. So better than I was expecting.

On day one you kayak up to two hours from the start point to the lunch spot on Taquile island. We had a really calm day so it wasn’t too much of a challenge. Some people were more experienced, and so faster, than others but it didn’t matter at all.

(Some of) the group were given options for day two: one hour kayaking, or two hours kayaking. I say some of, because we weren’t all there and those that were chose one hour. It was a nice trip around the shoreline, but a few of us were disappointed that it was so short.

Although I would have liked more of a challenge, the kayaking was really great and I loved it. Just be aware that it is quite tame (and so really good for beginners!).

Should you book the Peru Multisport trip?

Well, of course that’s up to you, and I hope that this post has helped you to make a decision! I had a brilliant time and I’d love to do it all over again! The only thing I would say is to make sure you are fairly fit before you go, to make sure you get the most out of the trip.

You can see the full itinerary of the tour and book on the G Adventures website.

If you have any questions about the trip that I haven’t answered here, please drop me an email – I genuinely do reply to them all and I enjoy it!

To keep things above board, I do get a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click on the links in this post and go on to book a trip. I only recommend things here that I really like though!

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Some tour companies might be a bit different in terms of weight allowances, but you probably won’t go far wrong following this guide.

What to pack for the Inca Trail

G Adventures allow you to give 6kg of stuff to be carried by one of the porters in a duffel bag which they provide. This includes your sleeping bag and air mattress.

If you hire them from G Adventures, the sleeping bag weighs 2.5kg and the air mattress weighs 1kg. That leaves you with 2.5kgs to pack. Anything above that weight will need to go in the bag you carry yourself.

Here’s what I took:

In my duffel pack for the Inca Trail

Three or four merino wool t-shirts

I recommend packing three merino wool t-shirts for the Inca Trail. The weather on the trail can be very changeable. Merino wool t-shirts are warm when you’re cold, but not at all hot when the sun is shining. They are thin like a normal t-shirt, not woolly like a jumper.

Merino wool is also naturally anti-bacterial and is resistant to odours caused by sweating. That’s perfect for a four day trek with a weight limit, as you can wear a t-shirt more than once and not smell too bad!

Two pairs of hiking trousers or leggings

I took two pairs of leggings, one pair of thermal running leggings and one pair of normal sports leggings. I wore one pair and put one pair in the duffel bag.

Hiking trousers are great for men, or if preferred for women. I personally find leggings more comfortable and they can double as pyjama bottoms.

Two pairs of merino wool trekking socks

I took two pairs of merino wool trekking socks, and I found that to be enough. My feet aren’t particularly sweaty and the anti-bacterial properties of merino wool meant that they didn’t start to smell.

Trekking socks are padded, so they keep your feet comfortable on the trek. The merino wool is also nice and warm at night when temperatures drop, and my feet never felt too hot in the day.

Underwear

It goes without saying that you’ll want clean underpants each day. I also took two comfortable sports bras, wearing one and one in the duffel.

One thermal base layer

I was really glad that I took my thermal base layer. I mostly wore it in the evenings at the campsites and used it in place of a pyjama top to sleep in. When you pack for the Inca Trail, make sure you include one of these.

I have an Icebreaker 260 merino wool thermal top which I thoroughly recommend. I often feel the cold, and this is by far the warmest top I own! Icebreaker aren’t the cheapest brand, but in this case I think it is worth the money.

Two fleece tops

I took two different weight fleece tops with me and I was glad to have both. I took a 100 fleece zip top, and a 200 fleece half zip top.

I wore the 200 fleece for hiking on the colder day (when it rained all day) and doubled up that night as the elevation meant a cold night.

One winter hat

As I’ve mentioned, the temperature drops quite a lot at night and I was glad to have a warm hat. On night two, at high elevation, I slept with it on.

One pair of gloves

I left my gloves in the duffel bag and that was just fine. One day it was cold enough to wear them on the trail, but it was raining and I didn’t want them to get wet. I was glad I had made that decision as I really did want warm, dry gloves in the evening!

I have Thinsulate gloves which I love, as they are super warm and not too bulky.

One thin scarf

Again, really just for the colder evenings I was glad to have a scarf. I took just a lightweight cotton scarf and found that to be enough. I don’t think it would have been worth the weight to take a wool one.

Packing Cubes

G Adventures provide a duffel bag for you which is big enough for your stuff, plus sleeping bag and air mattress. They are pretty good bags, with tough material and zips.

However, they aren’t waterproof and, although the porters have pack covers, it’s worth making sure your spare clothes are in a plastic bag just in case!

I packed my clothes in plastic bin liners inside a packing cube. I was glad I did that, as the porters pack your sleeping bag and air mattress for you each day in the bag alongside your clothes. The packing cube made it easier to keep my clothes separate.

Toiletries

I went light on toiletries because they can be heavy! I just took:

• Wet wipes
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deoderant
• Face moisturiser

In my backpack for the Inca Trail:

First things first, make sure you have a decent hiking backpack. I hadn’t really thought about it before the trip and took a normal backpack. I injured my shoulder climbing a while ago though, and it was sore before the trek.

Another member of my group advised me to get a backpack with good padded hip straps to take the weight off of my shoulder. I picked one up at a market in Ollantaytambo and it was so worth doing!

Down jacket

What kind of jacket should you pack for the Inca Trail? I recommend taking two types. The first, a down jacket, and the second, a waterproof jacket.

It can get really quite cold at night at the campsites on the Inca Trail, particularly the second night which is at high elevation. So you’ll be glad of a warm jacket that’s light and scrunches up super small.

Waterproof jacket

The weather is changeable and so a waterproof jacket is a must. You’ll probably put it on and take it off more times than you can count! Go for a lightweight packable one.

Waterproof over-trousers

Same deal as the jacket, but for your legs. If you’ve only taken a couple of pairs of trousers for the four days, you don’t want them to get wet! Waterproof over-trousers are a good, lightweight option.

Waterproof pack cover

Don’t forget about keeping the things in your pack dry.  A pack cover will do the job.

Rain poncho

When you pack for the Inca Trail, I advise you to throw in a cheap plastic poncho in addition to your other rain gear. I didn’t bother, but wished I had.

On day two of my trek it rained non-stop. By the end of the day the water had soaked through my waterproofs, making my fleece soggy and cold.

Sun hat

Hopefully you’ll get some nice clear days on your hike! Because of the altitude, the sun is very strong (even if it doesn’t feel that hot) so make sure you wear a hat.

Sun cream and bug spray

You’ll also need to slop on some sun cream, and spray on some bug repellent while you’re at it. I kept forgetting about the bugs, and I got a couple of very itchy bites!

Head torch

If you need to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, you’ll need a head torch. The campsites on the Inca Trail don’t have lighting, and you might want your hands free.

You also need this for the morning on the fourth day. You’ll be leaving camp by 4am and it will likely still be dark.

Camera

This is, clearly, a trip of a lifetime so make sure you capture the moments! I have a Nikon D3500 which is an entry level DSLR.

It’s obviously bigger than a compact camera, or your phone, but it’s actually quite light compared to other DSLRs. It takes really good pictures and I wouldn’t go back to just using my iPhone now!

The evidence is on my instagram

Phone

Most of the time you’ll be out of signal on the trail, but it can be handy to have your phone in your pocket for taking quick photos if it’s raining and you don’t want to get your proper camera wet.

Also, there’ll be wifi at the lunch restaurant in Agua Caliente and you might want to catch up on your whatsapps.

Power bank

You only need a power bank if you’re planning on using your phone for taking all of your photos. If not, it’s probably not worth the extra weight. I didn’t take mine on this trek, but I have an Anker Power Bank which I rate highly.

Water bottles

You’ll be able to refill your water bottles with boiled water at camp each day and also at the lunch spots. But, of course, you need to take the bottles with you.

I found that a 1-litre bottle and a 0.75-litre bottle was plenty for me.

I like Chilly’s 750ml bottles, and it’s worth getting a water bottle carabiner so that you can clip it somewhere handy.

Snacks

You’ll be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner on the trail, but that probably won’t be quite enough for the energy you’ll be using up. Make sure you take some energy bars or other snacks to munch along the way.

Waterproof hiking boots

I had read on other blogs that hiking boots are not required on the Inca Trail and that normal sports shoes were fine. I disagree.

I expect those bloggers travelled in summer, but I went in October (the shoulder of the rainy season) and trust me, if it rains at all you are going to want the grip of decent hiking boots! And you’re going to want them to be waterproof.

I had also read that ankle support wasn’t important. Again, I disagree. The trail is very uneven and a twisted ankle will do you no good at all!

I took my Keen Terradora Waterproof Hiking Boots, which were perfect for the job. (I wrote a post a while ago about these here).

Rubber Tipped Hiking Poles

Hiking poles aren’t essential, but most people opt to pack them for the Inca Trail. They make the steep downhill sections quite a bit easier on your knees.

If you’re travelling with G Adventures you can hire some when you hire a sleeping bag and air mattress. The only advantage of taking your own is that the hire ones all look the same, so it’s hard to keep hold of the same ones for the whole trek.

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