Acclimitize for Macchu Picchu Peru trip
 

What do you guys know about altitude sickness? I currently live in Denver at 5,280 ft and I’m looking into booking my Macchu Picchu trip for Thanksgiving and I will get there, Cuzco (11,000 ft), early morning on the 25th of November and we start out hiking on the 26th and go to 12,500 ft and stay at that elevation for a couple of days. I guess there is a period where we get to 15,000 sf but come back down from there in the same day to 12,500 again. Do you think I’ll be okay with only one day to acclimatize since we are at 5,280 ft here in Denver? And will it do me any good if I go up to the mountains here in Colorado (9,000-10,000 ft) the weekend before or will it go away in the couple of days I am back down in Denver??

Advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Oh also I am 31 year old female in pretty good shape, regularly doing half marathons and triathlons.

Living @ 5280ft may have an effect on your ability to acclimatise although I doubt it will be significant. Age sex and fitness also have little or no influence on whether you will be affected by the altitude and the ability of your body to adjust. It really is pot luck!

I certainly felt the altitude on arrival in Cusco (mainly a major headache) but did acclimatise over a couple of days. My wife felt no ill effects apart from a little shortness of breath. If there is any way you could spend an extra day in the Sacred Valley at a lower altitude,before going to Cusco, I would do this.

There are drugs such as diamox available although their effectiveness varies from person to person. Coca tea helped me a little and chewing coca leaves on our trek helped a lot.

As for spending time at altitude before you go, we stayed Peru at altitude for several weeks and then travelled in Chile and Argentina at sea level for a month or so before ascending again to around 15/16000 ft in Argentina and , in our case we seemed to cope with the altitude a lot better the second time around. I would imagine that you would need to spend at least a couple of days at altitude at home to have any effect.

You are lucky you can visit the mountains right out of Denver and get your answer. If you can handle walking around Pike's Peak or Rocky Mountain National Park then you should be good for the Cusco area. If you have issues then I'd make a point of spending a couple weekends up there. If not then other than just the exertion you should be in reasonable shape.

www.mdtravelhealth.com Peru Altitude Illness

Cusco is twice as high as you live 11000 Ft

odds are great if you fly there quickly you will get

symptoms although probably not as many as a flatlander

mainly shortness of breath insomnia and intractable headache

I would take Diamox 48 hours before and 48 hours after

as directed by travel MDs it can rarely be fatal

We lost a young brit around Titicaca who was advised by

one of the so called Tripadvertizer tout "experts"(non MD)

not to take preventives...she took his advice and paid

with her life pretty rare but always wise to respect altitude.

Happy Travels!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...studen...itude-sickness...

fitness and health have nothing to do with it...

only careful slow ascent and preventuve medication can help.

I think that might be good to spend the weekend sleeping as high as you can prior to your trip.

You are probably still pushing it with that short an acclimitazation period. Be careful and check with a Doctor about Diamox.

Why wait? Next weekend go up to Pike's Peak, and see how you manage at higher elevations.

As to whether to take Diamox or no, that's a decision to be made after consulting with your Dr. Certainly living where you do, there's lots folks who have an opinion on using this med & its' efficacy. But only do so with blessing of medical professional ..... like any drug, potential for side effects.