I am going to machu pichu in august and concerned about the high altitude affecting me. any suggestions?

Question

I am going to machu pichu in august and concerned about the high altitude affecting me. any suggestions?

Answer 1

I'm from Lima Peru and I've been 4 times in Machu Picchu you just have to rest the first day and drink mate de coca that helps you a lot. Usually they give it to you when you get to the hotel and they are going to give you some advices too. So don't worry and enjoy your trip there.

It's beautiful.

Answer 2

It might be an idea to visit your doctor to give you a check just to see that you have no heart problems

Answer 3

One thing to remember is that Cuzco is actually higher in altitude than Machu Picchu.  So, I would strongly suggest spending a few days in Cuzco before venturing to Machu Picchu and you will be totally fine hiking around the ruins because you'll be acclimated to a higher elevation.  During these two days do not drink caffeine or alcohol.  Try eating fresh food (as much as possible) instead of packaged or sugary foods.  Take a lot of naps and just stroll around and enjoy the town.  Don't do anything too strenuous and be sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

You can talk to your doctor about prescribing some sort of medication for altitude sickness if you are very worried.  Luckily, altitude sickness is basically headache and nausea and is not terribly dangerous.  It's nothing to panic about unless you start showing extreme signs of weakness, shortness of breath, or fatigue.  Then all you need to do is move to a lower elevation and your symptoms should disappear.

A lot of Peruvians will suggest that you drink coca tea and you can definitely try it.  I drank it when I was there and I didn't have any problems with the altitude ... but I'm not entirely convinced that the two things were correlated.  Some people claim that they drank the tea and still got sick, so it's totally up to you!

Have a wonderful time!

Answer 4

Get a prescription for diamox.

Unless you have circulatory problems, there is no danger of side effects.

It will help your blood absorb oxygen, thus preventing altitude sickness.

Answer 5

Machu Pichu wont be a problem as the altitude there is not that high. The problem is Cuzco and you need to rest the first day (at the hotel, no physical activity) and drink a lot of coca tea (small sips at a time). All of the other answerers are right, ask your doctor (there are some altitude pills such as Coramine) but I can offer you some new advice: Don't eat carbs!!! High altitude will cause digestive problems as your body has to function with less oxygen. Carbs are food which need a lot of oxygen to be digested and processed. Avoid (at all costs!!) eating bread, potato, chocolates, pasta, rice, etc. Eat sensibly while at Cuzco, eat "light" things such as chicken soups, boiled chicken, etc until your body adjusts to the altitude.

In Machu Pichu you will have NO problem at all as Machu Pichu is lower than Cuzco, it is what we called "the near jungle" or ceja de selva. You can walk and eat while at Machu Pichu. Remember that the problem is Cuzco, not Machu Pichu.

Some hotels have oxygenated rooms like El Monasterio (quite expensive) but if you are worried about the altitude contact the hotel and ask for an oxygen bottle on your arrival, they have done this for lots of tourists.

Answer 6

Well, if you're not natively from an area with high altitude then you'll certainly suffer some effects. You could minimize these with a little time and effort. About three weeks beforehand you could start engaging in some high intensity exercise outdoors. This will force your body to make more red blood cells, which will minimize the number your body will have to produce upon your arrival in Peru. Once you get there...take it easy at first. I suggest you take a walk the first day, play some catch, anything that will get your heart rate up, but isn't too strenuous. After a few days...your body will be fully acclimated  

and you wont notice the rarified air. As a bonus, when you get back, you'll have the endurance of a professional athlete so get in a pickup game somewhere and enjoy it.