question about luggage for Peru/Galapagos Islands trip July 2018

MGeiss wrote:

For anyone who's already been on this tour: do the tour operators weigh the Tauck-issued duffel to ensure it's at the 10-lb. limit for the Macchu Picchu overnight stay/train trip? I was able to use ONLY this duffel (plus a handbag) for the entire Kenya/Tanzania safari trip, but that's because I pack tight (not necessarily light). I did a practice pack for the Peru trip and it was about 20 lbs. (including a second duffel in case I really need to go lighter for the Macchu Picchu portion). I'd love to save the space/weight by using only the one duffel bag but don't want to get into trouble/have to buy something on the fly while there. Advice? :-)

I don't remember anyone from Tauck or IИCA RAIL even looking at or weighing the duffels- you ride a local train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, not a airplane. The bags are just piled in the center, in a baggage area on one side of the rail car. No one will care or know if it is 8 lbs, 10 lbs, or even 15 lbs.

Weight is not a concern for trains- you should have seen how they loaded a box car with produce and other supplies for delivery to Agua Calientes and places deeper in the Sacred Valley. The shippers/workers just threw it on and it was piled willy nilly in a box car- I have great video of the process.

The weight limit is only to make it easier for train and bus porters, baggage handlers, etc. and a little easier for the bus to climb the road to the Sanctuary Lodge. You arrive about midday on Day 4 and leave late morning the following day. My wife and I shared one duffle- for one change of clothes and a few personal items. Remember you can still carry a personal bag (camera bag, purse, etc.)

What do you plan to pack for one night (less than 24 hrs) that is over 10 lbs?!?! Leave everything else in your suitcase which you will see again in Cusco. Or are you trying to take everything in only one (duffle) bag which you will also take to Machu Picchu and not take any other luggage? I don't think that is physically possible, in any case there is no need to do that.

MGeiss wrote:

Yes, I am planning to take only the duffel (plus a small backpack) for the entire trip. I never check luggage. I figured out that I can put one night's worth of stuff in my backpack so if someone determines my duffel is too big/weighs too much, I'll just leave it for Cusco. :-) Thanks for responding!

Choose the smaller of the two to take to Machu Picchu. Unless you are talking a big backpacker's backpack I would just take that to Machu Picchu. The Duffle is big. No one will even look twice at your backpack. This is really a non-issue.

A picture is worth a 1000 words?

The train "station" at Ollantaytambo:





Backpacks anyone?



Getting ready to load cargo. A lot of stuff was just piled on a blanket or tarp which was then folded up and the corners tied:



A Sanctuary - Aguas Calientes shuttle bus- not much room for baggage. Our Tauck duffle bags are piled in the cart at the far left of the photo:



We had a "vista dome" car to ourselves. Dressed for touring, not for the prom:



Be prepared for any weather- warm/hot/humid/cool, blue sky, sunny/broken clouds . . .



. . . or clouds and fog, on one or both days: