HOW TO PREVENT THE ALTITUDE SICKNESS IN YOUR TRIP TO MACHUPICCHU
Cusco is located south east of Peru at 3400 m.a.s.l one of the highest cities for a person who almost lives from 0 to 2000 m.a.s.l.
One of the discomforts that a person experiences at that height is:
- Headache(for the first 24 hours to more)
- Stomach pain (first 24 hours)
- nausea and vomiting (extreme cases, almost never happens).
- tiredness,
- loss of appetite,
- insomnia, and
- shortness of breath.
WHAT TO DO TO RELIEVE THE SYMPTOMS OF ALTITUDE SICKNESS?
Here are some tips to help you avoid altitude sickness:
- Practice sports before arriving in Cusco (short walks)
- Drink plenty of fluids when you arrived to Cusco, like water, Coca tea (all the hotels offer it in restaurant)
- Chewing the Coca leaf due to its various properties can alleviate the discomforts of altitude sickness.
- Depending on what time zone you are coming from, try to take a four hour nap as soon as you arrive. If not, certainly take things very easy on the first day.
- After you have rested, eat light meals.
- Reduce how much caffeine, tobacco and alcohol you consume, and drink lots of fluids. Coca leaf tea also does wonders!
- If you have a headache, glucosamine is available in most pharmacies in town.
RECOMMENDATION BEFORE ARRIVING IN CUSCO?
1.- One recommendation before arriving in Cusco is not to do it in front, if it is your first time coming to that height, it all depends on the vacation time available here I will give you an example:
- Lima
- Nazca – Paracas
- Arequipa
- Puno
As last point Cusco so you can make the Inca Trail or Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu or its various attractions without problems.
- Cusco (classic inca trail to machu picchu, lares trek, salkantay trek or choquequirao trek)
2.- If you do not have too much time to do an acclimatization, you will have to drink plenty of fluids and take a light walk around the city of Cusco or visit the archaeological center of SAQSAYHUAMAN, as well as the City tour (it lasts approximately half a day). Or the sacred valley (all day).
https://www.cuscoandeanhike.com/en/machu-picchu-guiding-service