Peru is a bucket record vacation spot for therefore many individuals. From the ruins of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley to town of Cusco and Lake Titicaca, there are such a lot of cool locations to see in Peru.
However what many individuals do not know – as a result of most individuals do not speak about it sufficient – is that the majority the primary touristy websites all through Peru are at very excessive altitude. And we’re not simply speaking Grand Canyon or Denver altitude; we’re speaking above 10,000 toes excessive elevation!
And if you happen to’re a sea level-dweller like me, these altitudes can actually mess you up.
What’s excessive altitude?
Excessive altitude is mostly thought of to be 8,000 toes (2,438 meters) and above (whereas “very excessive altitude” is something above 12,000 toes). According to the CDC, persons are prone to affected by altitude illness at any elevation above 8,000 toes – which is nearly each main vacationer website you may go to in Peru!
For context, listed below are the altitudes of a number of the extra common locations to go to in Peru:
- Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu city) – 6,690 toes (2,040 meters)
- Arequipa – 7,660 toes (2,335 meters)
- Machu Picchu – 7,972 toes (2,430 meters)
- Ollantaytambo/Sacred Valley – 9,160 toes (2,792 meters)
- Cusco – 11,152 toes (3,399 meters)
- Colca Canyon – 11,800 toes (3,597 meters)
- Lake Titicaca/Puno – 12,500 toes (3,810 meters)
- Rainbow Mountain – 17,060 toes (5,200 meters) – that is nearly on the similar elevation as Everest Base Camp!
The one locations you are more likely to go to in Peru which are round sea stage are the capital metropolis of Lima, and the Amazon jungle!
What’s altitude illness?
Once you journey to excessive altitude, this air is “thinner,” that means there’s much less oxygen in it. Altitude illness is the broad phrase to explain the methods the physique can react to decrease ranges of oxygen at excessive altitudes.
The delicate type of altitude illness (which is what you could expertise in Peru) known as Acute Mountain Illness (AMS). It is a non permanent situation that can go away – however it will possibly nonetheless really feel terrible within the second!
Some signs of altitude illness/AMS can embody:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nosebleeds
- Poor sleep
- Lack of urge for food
- Nausea
- Digestive points (together with vomiting)
- Quick heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
And the factor to bear in mind is that ANYONE, no matter age or health stage, can expertise altitude illness when touring to excessive altitude. Altitude illness can come for the 20-year-old runner simply as typically because the 70-year-old cross-stitcher.
The right way to keep away from altitude illness in Peru
Any journey to Peru comes with the chance that you simply may expertise a point of altitude illness. You possibly can additionally do all of the “proper” issues and nonetheless really feel affected by the altitude.
BUT, I’ll say that I traveled to Peru on a guided tour in a gaggle of 10 folks from 5 totally different nations, with ages starting from 30s to 70s. And nobody had any main points with the altitude in Peru! A part of this may very well be as a result of we acquired fortunate; or it may very well be as a result of we adopted all of the native recommendation.
Here is every little thing I might suggest to keep away from altitude illness in Peru.
NOTE: I am clearly NOT a medical skilled, and this isn’t medical recommendation. These are suggestions gleaned from my very own journeys to excessive altitude, which I’ve not gotten sick throughout. If you happen to’re involved about how altitude may have an effect on you, I like to recommend speaking to an precise physician!
1. Prep for the altitude forward of time
Now I am not saying you should exit and purchase an altitude coaching masks or go spend time within the mountains to prepare for the common journey to Peru. However upping your cardiovascular-focused exercise for a number of weeks earlier than your journey can actually assist prep your physique for prime altitude!
This can be a good thought anyway, since most of the historic websites in Peru require numerous strolling and climbing steps (taking a look at you, Machu Picchu!). You need not get out and practice for a marathon, however I might counsel doing slightly bit further than you usually would every week.
If you happen to already work out often, ensure you’re including in some extra cardio classes. And if you happen to do not work out a lot in any respect, take into account making an attempt to slot in a pair miles of brisk strolling 2-3 days per week. It actually will assist!
(Although if you happen to’re planning to hike the Inca Path in your journey to Peru, THAT is an exercise it would be best to extra significantly practice for! Examine my expertise doing the 1-day Inca Trail hike here.)
2. Ascend step by step
It is broadly really useful that you simply take it sluggish when ascending to excessive altitude. The CDC recommends not touring from sea stage to any greater than 9,000 toes (2,743 meters) in in the future, and to remain a pair days round 8,000-9,000 toes when attainable earlier than going greater to permit your physique to regulate.
Many individuals fly into Lima, Peru (which is at sea stage), after which go straight from there to Cusco, which is not optimum.
In my case, the tour that I booked (this one with Intrepid Travel) had us journey from Lima (sea stage) to Arequipa (round 7,661 toes/2,335 meters) for 2 nights earlier than transferring to greater altitudes.
I do know this is not all the time attainable with a visit to Peru, however in case you have a selection in your itinerary, attempt to decide on one that permits you adequate time to regulate to the altitude!
3. Hydrate like loopy
It is a good suggestion to drink numerous water while you journey anyway, nevertheless it’s particularly necessary at excessive altitude. It is typically agreed (by docs, in addition to native guides in Peru) that try to be consuming an additional 1-1.5 liters of water per day while you’re at excessive altitude.
However, this a lot further water can flush sodium and electrolytes out of you shortly, so you may need to be ready to exchange these. You possibly can drink Gatorade (or any comparable drink; they’re all offered in Peru), or journey with some electrolyte packets you’ll be able to add to your water (I personally just like the zero sugar Propel packets – they style one of the best!).
4. Keep away from alcohol
You will even be advised to keep away from consuming alcohol at excessive altitude. Not solely can it dehydrate you much more than it usually would, however the physique additionally processes alcohol in a different way at altitude. So if you’re nonetheless going to drink, take it straightforward!
(You are additionally suggested to keep away from consuming an excessive amount of caffeine, as it will possibly additionally dehydrate you. However I personally was not about to surrender my every day espresso, and if you happen to’re experiencing any complications from the altitude, a little bit of caffeine may truly assist!)
5. Take it straightforward
Once you first arrive at excessive altitude, you should enable your physique time to regulate to working with much less oxygen. This could take anyplace from 1-3 days on common, so if you happen to can construct some downtime into your itinerary, that is best.
In my case, we took issues sluggish in Arequipa for two days, and likewise in Colca Canyon (which is at even greater altitude). Lots of people go from Lima straight to Cusco, which may be tough. If that is what you may have deliberate, it is extremely, extremely really useful that you simply enable not less than 2-3 days in Cusco to regulate to the altitude earlier than doing something strenuous like mountain climbing.
And what are you able to do when you’re taking it straightforward? Truthfully no matter you need; there are museums, markets, and extra to discover in cities like Cusco. Simply go sluggish, and permit your self sufficient time to relaxation.
(Please do not fly straight into Cusco and plan to hike Rainbow Mountain – which, bear in mind, is near the identical altitude as Everest Base Camp! – the very subsequent morning.)
6. Eat smaller meals
Your urge for food is perhaps affected at excessive altitude anyway, but when it isn’t, it is nonetheless a good suggestion to eat smaller meals at excessive altitude, as digestion takes longer when your physique has much less oxygen to work with.
Our Peru information suggested us to eat a giant lunch and a smaller dinner to keep away from any main digestive points.
7. Embrace the coca tradition
The coca plant is endemic to a number of nations in South America, together with Peru. The plant is most well-known for getting used within the manufacturing of cocaine, nonetheless the uncooked leaves are additionally an historical treatment for all types of illnesses – together with altitude illness*.
Locals within the Andes have been chewing on and making teas out of coca leaves for hundreds of years to assist stave off signs of excessive altitude, and you are able to do the identical. You will discover coca tea in all places, both made with ready tea baggage, or made simply by steeping coca leaves in scorching water. You will additionally discover all types of merchandise and meals produced from coca leaves on the market, particularly when you rise up into the altiplano (highlands). The most well-liked are coca candies in numerous flavors.
NOTE: Simply do not attempt to deliver any coca leaves or merchandise again residence with you, as they aren’t authorized in locations just like the US. However do not freak out about coca leaves supplying you with any cocaine-like results; you’d must drink one thing like 200+ cups of coca tea in fast succession to really feel any stimulant-like results in any respect.
*Do coca leaves *truly* work to stop or deal with altitude illness? Welllll, there actually have not been many scientific research accomplished on the subject. However locals throughout a number of nations have used coca for its medicinal properties for actually hundreds of years. My favourite technique to drink coca tea was when it was blended with mint, as mint IS confirmed to assist with issues like digestive points and sleep issues, that are additionally altitude illness signs.
8. Take prescription meds
You probably have present medical situations that may have an effect on your coronary heart or lung well being to start with, OR if you happen to’re simply actually involved about excessive altitude, you will get prescribed drugs upfront of your journey that assist stave off altitude illness.
The most typical treatment prescribed is Diamox (Acetazolamide), which might stop or reduce altitude illness signs. Whereas the drug itself has a few of its personal nasty uncomfortable side effects, a number of folks on my Peru tour took it and reported no points with the altitude.
I personally didn’t get any Diamox for my journey, however you may determine you’d wish to have it! Speak to your physician about this one.
(It is all the time value talking along with your physician earlier than a excessive altitude journey like Peru regardless, particularly in case you have considerations about it!)
9. Observe your signs
On our tour, our information truly had us fill out a kind each morning with any altitude-related signs we have been experiencing, together with recording our blood oxygen saturation ranges. This was actually useful, because it allowed us to trace any developments – and likewise see how our our bodies have been adjusting!
Even if you happen to’re not on a tour or your tour information is not doing this, you are able to do it by yourself. You’ll find small fingertip pulse oximeters (like this one) on Amazon for below $25. At sea stage, a traditional oxygen saturation is 95-100%, and also you’d begin to actually fear round 90%. At excessive altitude, it is regular in your saturation to be decrease; our information stated he would not get involved until somebody fell beneath an 84% saturation, after which provided that they have been feeling poorly.
10. Be trustworthy about how you feel
Lastly, you really want to take heed to your physique while you’re at excessive altitude. Monitoring your signs and oxygen saturation is beneficial for this, however you additionally simply must be trustworthy if/when you end up struggling.
If you should decelerate, take a time without work, or possibly want extra assist, you should converse up about it. On my tour, our information was all the time fast to remind us that he was all the time out there to assist if anybody wasn’t feeling nicely, and he was outfitted with electrolytes and medicine always. Each resort we stayed at additionally had entry to oxygen tanks, simply in case.
It is not some type of ethical failing if altitude illness hits you laborious!
What occurs if I nonetheless get sick?
Talking of the altitude hitting laborious, it is totally attainable that you can do every little thing “proper” and nonetheless end up knocked in your butt with altitude illness. It occurs, and it isn’t a mirrored image on you or your health or something like that.
The excellent news is that, whereas it definitely sucks, most individuals recover from the worst of their altitude illness signs in 1-2 days as their our bodies alter. (Our information stated 24 hours, however in fact your mileage might differ!)
To be on the protected facet, I might pack the headache and anti-nausea meds for Peru, and attempt to construct in an additional day or two while you first arrive at excessive altitude – simply in case!
Have you ever ever traveled to a excessive altitude vacation spot? What was your expertise like?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Harmful Enterprise Journey Weblog. She has traveled to greater than 60 nations on 6 continents from her residence base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and considerate journey by the US, Europe, and remainder of the world. Amanda solely shares suggestions based mostly on her private experiences and locations she’s truly traveled!