How to Avoid Altitude Sickness in Peru

Think about this: You may have simply arrived within the lovely Peruvian Andes, which is crammed with majestic mountains, mysterious ruins, and vibrant cultures. 

The size of Peru’s high-altitude websites really takes your breath away as you make your journey as much as the dizzying heights of Machu Picchu or the breathtaking great thing about Cusco. A harmful menace for the reckless traveler, altitude illness might shortly remodel your journey right into a nightmare. 

This weblog dives into all you want to learn about altitude illness in Peru, offering insightful info and sensible recommendation to make your journey to Peru’s excessive areas a breath of recent air in each manner.

Associated learn: How to Structure Your Peru Itinerary

Right here is an outline:

What’s Altitude Illness?

Vacationers who journey to excessive altitudes, equivalent to Cusco, Arequipa, Colca Canyon or Puno, the place the air stress and oxygen ranges are a lot decrease, might expertise altitude illness, generally referred to as acute mountain illness (AMS). 

Your physique will get much less oxygen at excessive altitudes, which may trigger a wide range of signs, from minor discomfort to severe illness. Though not everyone seems to be in danger, it’s essential to grasp the medical results of altitude illness as a result of extreme instances might be harmful.

Nearly all of vacationers in Peru who get altitude illness are those that arrive by aircraft from a location with better temperatures and decrease altitude. The sudden modifications in altitude and temperature, the place the air is thinner, and it’s colder, are answerable for this.

Journey Locations in Peru Vulnerable to Altitude Illness

The varied panorama of Peru varies in altitude from coastal deserts to excessive mountain summits. It is perhaps satisfying to journey to the nation’s high-altitude areas, but it surely’s essential to concentrate on the place altitude illness is extra prone to occur. 

Listed here are A number of Locations in Peru The place Altitude Illness is a Potential Difficulty

• Cusco: You may attain Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley from Cusco, which is situated round 11,000 ft. (3,400 m) above sea degree. Spend a day or two in Cusco earlier than starting hikes or treks to increased altitudes to permit for acclimatization.

• Machu Picchu: Whereas the Inca citadel is simply about 7,970 ft (2,430 m) excessive, lots of the hikes and trails that go there have high-altitude features. If you wish to discover this pure treasure, a gradual ascent and acclimatization are essential.

• Arequipa: Often known as the “White Metropolis,” Arequipa sits at a peak of round 7,660 ft. (2,335 m). Spend a number of days adjusting to the altitude earlier than touring the town or beginning treks to the Colca Canyon.

• Lake Titicaca: At elevations of as much as 12,500 ft. (3,810 m), Lake Titicaca is the very best navigable lake on the earth. Be cautious of the altitude when visiting the Uros islands or different locations close by. The best technique for making the journey throughout the crystal-clear waters continues to be rising slowly.

Associated learn: Where to go in Peru Besides Machu Picchu

What are the Signs of Altitude Illness?

Nearly all of vacationers usually expertise signs of altitude illness 6 to 24 hours after ascending over 9,842 ft. (3000 m). The decreased air stress and oxygen ranges may cause a variety of signs.

The Following are Some Basic Indicators of Altitude Illness

• Complications
• Nauseous and dizzy feeling
• Tiredness
• Sleeping difficulties
• Respiratory points
• Lack of urge for food

Altitude illness usually lasts between two and three days. That is typical, provided that it takes a traveler in Peru about two days to acclimate. Nevertheless, there’s all the time a manner round an issue. On this scenario, cautious planning is crucial.

There are some suggestions to stop altitude illness. The following pointers come from vacationers who’ve visited Peru earlier than and from those that dwell within the Peruvian highlands.

Avoiding Altitude Illness

Your high-altitude experiences in Peru don’t must be impaired by altitude illness. You may cut back threat and fully benefit from the Andes’ magnificence with cautious planning and sensible choices. 

Under are some important strategies to ensure a risk-free and joyful journey.

Take the Proper Drugs

The next are a number of the hottest medicines used to stop and treatment altitude illness and related signs:

• Altitude illness tablets (e.g., Sorojchi tablets, obtainable in Peruvian pharmacies)
• Acetazolamide, branded as “Diamox,” is used to each stop and treatment excessive altitude illness.
• Paracetamol with Ibuprofen for Complications
• Gravol or Promethazine to alleviate nausea.

Each pharmacy sells medicines, and the workers at your lodge or hostel will even be capable to help you. 

To forestall altitude illness, you need to take Diamox or Sorojchi tablets 1-2 days previous to ascending to increased altitudes. It’s best to nonetheless train warning and enhance your altitude step by step relatively than shortly.

Drink Coca Tea or Chew Coca Leaves

Within the mountains of Peru, mate de coca, or coca tea, is essentially the most usually consumed beverage. You may simply put together coca tea your self. Simply add some coca leaves to sizzling water, wait a couple of minutes, then, if wanted, add some sweetness.

Vital: Should you should undergo a drug take a look at in your job, steer clear of coca tea. Even when the leaves solely include a tiny quantity of cocaine, a drug take a look at might nonetheless come out constructive.

Chewing coca leaves is kind of fashionable amongst others. They declare it helps them focus higher and is part of their tradition. We’ve finished it on quite a lot of walks, together with the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountain Vinicunca journey, and it actually helped us.

Moreover, each vacationer store sells coca leaves within the type of cookies or different treats. They’re the best “on-the-go” snack.

Adapt to the Altitude Steadily

Usually, it takes your physique a number of days to regulate to the elevated altitude. It’s best to want two to 3 days to get used to it due to this. 

The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu needs to be seen first after arriving in Cusco as a result of they’re situated at decrease altitudes. After that, you’ll be able to go on mountaineering excursions, equivalent to to Humantay Lake or the Rainbow Mountains.

Usually, you need to keep away from ascending increased than 984–1,640 ft. (300–500 m) every single day and take a time without work each 1,968–2,952 ft. (600–900 m), or each 3–4 days.

This Best of Cusco in 4 Days Tour supplies all of that in a single tour. Discover extra particulars on the backside of the article.

Book directly with the tour operator

Eat Low-Fats Dishes and Keep away from Fatty Meals

Nice low-fat meals embody soups, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, fruit, and poultry, which offer your physique with the power it requires. A high-carb weight-reduction plan has been confirmed to enhance temper and is a great methodology to stop altitude illness. Nevertheless, differ it up and add lean protein, equivalent to hen, and a few wholesome fat, equivalent to avocado or almonds.

As a result of they take much less oxygen in your metabolism than fats and protein do, carbohydrates are glorious for you.

Keep away from consuming something creamy or salty as a result of these meals take longer in your physique to digest. As an example, consuming salty meals will make you lose water out of your physique extra shortly.

Because of the altitude, many vacationers expertise a scarcity of urge for food after arriving. They eat as much as 40% much less energy than ordinary in consequence. Due to this fact, even in case you don’t really feel hungry, it’s essential that you just eat sufficient meals once you get to your vacation spot.

Different Tricks to Keep away from Altitude Illness

Listed here are another suggestions that you need to observe to keep away from the altitude illness in Peru:

• Drink a number of water: Add 1.5 l to your each day utilization, as retaining your physique hydrated is essential.
• Keep away from alcohol and don’t do strenuous actions: It’s advisable to keep away from alcohol, smoking, and fascinating in strenuous bodily exercise within the first 24 – 48 hours. 
• Get Agua de Florida: It’s a tiny bottle of herbal-infused yellow fragrance. This one helps in case you might be experiencing problem with altitude, complications, or respiration points. Inhaling it’s thought of to be useful. 
• Purchase Oxishot: A small dischargeable known as Oxishot has as much as 8 l of oxygen in it. It reduces your complications, weariness, and respiration difficulties. 

Acute Mountain Illness (AMS) and Power Mountain Illness (CMS)

Acute Mountain Illness (AMS) and Power Mountain Illness (CMS) are completely different manifestations of sickness that may happen with publicity to excessive altitude.

Acute mountain illness is quick and often happens inside a number of hours of ascending to altitudes above 2,500 metres (about 8,000 ft). The signs are described above.

Alternatively, persistent mountain illness, also called Monge’s illness, is a long-term sickness that develops over years of dwelling at excessive altitudes. It’s characterised by an overproduction of crimson blood cells in response to the extended lack of oxygen related to dwelling at excessive altitudes. This ends in a situation referred to as polycythemia, which thickens the blood and might result in pulmonary hypertension, coronary heart failure and different severe issues.

Power Mountain Illness (CMS)

Power Mountain Illness (CMS), or Monge’s illness, is the physique’s adaptive response to long-term publicity to excessive altitude. The important thing physiological response in CMS is a situation known as polycythemia, the place the physique overproduces crimson blood cells in an try to hold extra oxygen to the tissues.

Whereas this may increasingly appear useful, it will increase the viscosity (thickness) of the blood, making it tougher for the center to pump blood all through the physique.

Over time, this elevated workload on the center can result in severe issues, equivalent to:

• Proper-sided coronary heart failure: The fitting aspect of the center, which is answerable for pumping blood to the lungs for oxygen, can grow to be enlarged and weakened over time as a result of elevated stress required to push blood by means of the lungs.
• Pulmonary hypertension: Elevated blood viscosity can result in hypertension within the lungs’ arteries, affecting regular respiration.
• Stroke: Thicker, slower-moving blood will increase the danger of blood clots, which may trigger a stroke if a clot blocks an artery within the mind.
• Irregular bleeding: Though uncommon, some sufferers with persistent mountain illness might expertise irregular bleeding resulting from modifications in blood clotting mechanisms.

As CMS impacts a number of organ techniques, sufferers can also expertise non-specific signs equivalent to fatigue, dizziness and decreased bodily endurance. As CMS progresses, sufferers might develop cyanosis (blue or purple coloring of the pores and skin) resulting from poor oxygen supply to the physique’s tissues.

It’s necessary to notice that CMS is an hostile response to excessive altitude and isn’t skilled by everybody who lives in such circumstances. Some populations are genetically tailored to dwelling at excessive altitudes and don’t develop CMS. Medical intervention, together with focused medicine and recommendation on life-style modifications, may help those that are adversely affected.

Private Expertise with Altitude Illness

Annually, we spend a considerable amount of our time in high-altitude areas, equivalent to Puno, Cusco, Arequipa or Huaraz. For that purpose, we’re properly conscious of the significance of getting used to the altitude and methods to stop it. 

What personally helped us essentially the most have been the next issues:

• Take Soroche tablets 1-2 days earlier than flying out to excessive locations.
• Drink a number of water and coca tea to maintain the signs low. 
• Don’t eat a number of carbs, and keep away from strenuous exercise/excursions for the primary 24 – 48 hours.  

Everybody reacts in a different way to locations situated at excessive altitudes, but it surely’s essential to take the correct measures to keep away from spending your holidays in your lodge room or on the hospital. 

Navigating Altitude Illness in Peru

Altitude illness presents a barrier when exploring Peru’s high-altitude treasures, that are a pleasure to find. To make your journey safer and extra pleasurable, have in mind these necessary classes:

• Gradual ascent and acclimatization are your finest allies.
• Hold your self hydrated, make good meals selections, and search medical recommendation when essential.
• Don’t push your limitations, and take note of your physique.

Should you take into account all of those factors, then you’ll be able to uncover our Best of Cusco in 4 days tour with none doubts and points with altitude illness.

4 Days: Better of Cusco

This superb 4-day Machu Picchu tour offers you a singular and vivid expertise of Cusco’s nature, native tradition, historical past, structure and the unbelievable New Marvel of the World.

Prepare for 4 unforgettable locations in simply 4 days: Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and Lake Titicaca.

The skilled guides will make sure you keep away from the crowds and uncover the most effective spots for gorgeous pictures.

You may select to journey in a small group (max eight folks) or on a personal tour. One other good choice is that you may ebook your individual lodging or let this be finished by the Exploor group (2-5 star choices to select from).

Key Advantages of this Tour Choice

• Discover the wonders of Machu Picchu with an skilled information who has led over 1000 excursions.
• Embark on our intimate group excursions with 2-8 fellow adventurers (or go for an unique non-public tour), guaranteeing early entry to the websites and avoiding giant crowds.
• Expertise impeccable planning and execution as they’re proud to be seasoned professionals within the discipline, acknowledged with a exceptional 95% Excellence score on TripAdvisor.

Price: from USD 839 per person

Cusco Itinerary

Day 1: Sacred Valley – Immerse Your self in an Genuine Tour of the Valley’s Should-See Ruins

You’ll be picked you up at round 6:45 am to start exploring the principle websites of the Sacred Valley. You’ll go to locations equivalent to Moray, the Maras salt mines, Ollantaytambo, in addition to stopping at a standard chicheria to pattern Inca beer and an area textile middle.

On the finish of this enriching tour, you’ll have two choices: return to Cusco or proceed on to Aguas Calientes, the place you’ll go to Machu Picchu the subsequent day.

Lunch is included, and also you’ll keep in a single day in both Cusco or Aguas Calientes.

Day 2: Machu Picchu – Uncover this Marvel of the World with our Educated Information

Embark on a captivating 2 hour guided tour of crucial areas inside the Machu Picchu ruins. Study its fascinating historical past and immerse your self in Inca tradition as your information unveils exceptional buildings that showcase historical knowledge at its best.

As soon as your exploration is full, you’ll be transfered again to Cusco for one more night time.

Day 3: Rainbow Mountain – Expertise Vinicunca With out the Crowds

Begin early to get pleasure from some quiet moments on the prime of the Andes! Marvel on the vibrant colours of Rainbow Mountain, with its breathtaking crimson landscapes, and meet llamas and alpacas alongside the best way. Your small group (additionally the non-public excursions) ensures exclusivity by guaranteeing you might be among the many first to achieve the summit.

Breakfast and lunch are included. In a single day in Cusco.

Day 4: Lake Humantay – Benefit from the Turquoise Lake Earlier than the Massive Teams Arrive

Located at an altitude of 4200m, this hidden gem is surrounded by majestic glacier mountains that supply breathtaking views. After a 1.5-2 hour hike, you’ll be one of many fortunate vacationers to benefit from the tranquil great thing about the turquoise Humantay Lake with the snow-capped Mt. Humantay as a backdrop.

Breakfast and lunch are included. In a single day in Cusco.

Book directly with the tour operator

Good to have:

• Entrance, practice and shuttle bus tickets for Machu Picchu are included.
• Trekking poles, first assist package and oxygen for the treks included.
• Vegetarian and vegan choices can be found.

Probably the most exceptional facet of selecting Exploor is the overcome the crowds. You make some extent of getting up early to be among the many first to discover your locations. Given the present recognition of Peru, this method really transforms your expertise. Plus, smaller teams offer you extra flexibility throughout your journey.