Machu Picchu acclimatisation

Dia dhuit

Hi, my girlfriend and i are planning to do the 4 day machu picchu trek this august. We are quite limited with time and are hoping that arriving in Cuzco from Lima the day before starting the trek will be enough to acclimatise to the altitude. We plan to arrive in Cuzco at 11 am which gives us almost 24 hours. Any advice appreciated.

dereko1969

i wouldn't think that's enough time at all. the thing is acclimatisation affects everyone differently. when i was there i was in cusco for 4 days before doing the inca trail and found it tough. depending on how badly you're effected you could end up having to head back downhill and not finishing the trek.

breadmonkey

What are the altitudes? (Lima, Cusco, parts of the trek etc.)

shrapnel222

breadmonkey wrote: »

What are the altitudes? (Lima, Cusco, parts of the trek etc.)

lima is sea level, cusco is 3500 and the trek only goes once above 4200 then gradually goes down to about 2500

one day is going to be very little and you'll be very tired on the trek. it's perfectly doable but keep a very close eye on yourselves (headaches, shortness of breath, tired, etc...) as altitude sickness is a possibility. you'll struggle though.

breadmonkey

Wow, sea level to 3500m! I'd say you'd need at least a few days to acclimatise to that.

RATM

You're playing a dangerous game there OP. You need to get a handle on how high 3,500m actually is and how it can effect you in all manners of ways, even if doing nothing, never mind going treking.
Give it at least one full day ( i.e. set out after two nights ) lazing about in Cusco before heading off, anything less and you are playing russian roulette with your health and that of your girlfriend.
Don't underestimate altitude, although it doesn't effect everyone it is still risky to go up that high that quickly thinking both of you are going to be immune.

Dia dhuit

Thanks for the replies guys. Pretty much what i expected. I've changed our travel dates to get an extra day in Cuzco before starting the trek so we'll now be there for the recommended 2 days beforehand. I think this is enough and if we do suffer from altitude sickness at least now we won't feel like we prepared too badly.

dereko1969

i'd go for longer beforehand if you can at all. just remembered that when I got out of the taxi from the airport to walk the 100 metres to the hotel (street was blocked off) that it hit me instantly how much harder it was to walk at that altitude particularly with no acclimatisation. i think it was the second and third day on the trek that it hit me, was way behind the others, luckily I only puked when we were at the highest point and were heading downhill anyway, otherwise it would have been the end of my trek.

partyguinness

I was there in sept 07..TBH the altitude didnt affect me..in fact it was only on Lake Titicaca that really felt anything different..some of the others were really suffering for the first 3-4 days but personally I think a lot of it is psychosomatic...I have very low red blood cell levels and should have been dying but guess every one is different

We were there 7 days before we started on the trek and everyone managed fine (even the ones who struggled at the start of the week)..but Machu Picchu is in fact at a lower level than alot of other places in Peru we were at..in other words we were in a lot higher areas and we dropped significant altitude when getting to Machu Picchu..Machu Picche is not that high up relatively speaking..but see where you are coming from and you might be surprised to know you are travelling down into Machu Picchu at a lower level..

breadmonkey

partyguinness wrote: »

I was there in sept 07..TBH the altitude didnt affect me..in fact it was only on Lake Titicaca that really felt anything different..some of the others were really suffering for the first 3-4 days but personally I think a lot of it is psychosomatic...I have very low red blood cell levels and should have been dying but guess every one is different

We were there 7 days before we started on the trek and everyone managed fine (even the ones who struggled at the start of the week)..but Machu Picchu is in fact at a lower level than alot of other places in Peru we were at..in other words we were in a lot higher areas and we dropped significant altitude when getting to Machu Picchu..Machu Picche is not that high up relatively speaking..but see where you are coming from and you might be surprised to know you are travelling down into Machu Picchu at a lower level..

Well in fairness if you were there for a week before the trek then you would have been fully acclimatised so it's not surprising you didn't have any problems with the altitude.

yan

Dia dhuit wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys. Pretty much what i expected. I've changed our travel dates to get an extra day in Cuzco before starting the trek so we'll now be there for the recommended 2 days beforehand. I think this is enough and if we do suffer from altitude sickness at least now we won't feel like we prepared too badly.

you will be fine with 2 days.

it is also good that you are spending an extra day in beautiful Cusco... you will LOVE it !!!!!

enjoy it