Traveling to places with a high elevation is no joke. It kicked my butt when I visited the Puno area in Peru, despite the fact I took many preventative measures. Here are some of the tips for managing altitude sickness when traveling abroad that I followed. These helps ensure I was a bit more prepared the next time when I visited Quito.
Common symptoms of altitude sickness include headache, lack of appetite, nosebleeds, dizziness, and trouble sleeping. Many hotels will be prepared to help out people who do not feel well due to altitude sickness. Many have oxygen if you feel you need it. Always make sure to speak up if you are not feeling well.
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Table of Contents
1. Talk to your Doctor
Talk to your doctor before you leave! I am not a doctor so all of this information is things that helped me. For my trip to Peru, my doctor prescribed me some medicine you take in the days leading up to the accent. This helped prepare my body for the higher elevation I was not used to. The doctor also provided me with good advice on how to prevent altitude sickness.
2. Stay Hydrated
My number one best tip for managing altitude sickness when traveling abroad is to STAY HYDRATED. Nothing is more important than drinking a TON of water. It is always important to stay hydrated when traveling, but even more so when traveling to places of high elevation. Try to drink at least one large bottle before you go to bed to wake up hydrated the next day. I also found that Powerade/Gatorade was very helpful as well.
3. Make Use of Coca Leaves
Using Coca leaves is one of the best tips for managing altitude sickness when traveling. You can find many forms of it all over countries like Peru and Ecuador: Coca Tea, Coca Candies, etc. I drank a LOT of coca tea and it helped me feel less nauseous. Note that you CANNOT take anything Coca back to the United States. It is illegal due to the fact these leaves can be used to make cocaine.
4. Take Time to Acclimate
Another very important of the best tips for managing altitude sickness when traveling is to take the time to acclimate. Do not rush to the higher destination. Instead, work your way up in elevation by spending time in cities at a lower elevation and working your way up.
I appreciated that the tour of Peru I went on started us in the Sacred Valley, and then worked us up to Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Puno. The same was true with the Ecuador tour we went on.
5. Slow Down
Do not try to do too many things too quickly! This will use of more oxygen and make it harder to manage altitude sickness. Walk slowly and take your time. There were several times in Puno when I was winded after a 5-minute walk.
6. Watch Your Diet
Watching what you eat will also help when managing altitude sickness while traveling. By eating a light diet full of carbohydrates, bread, and grains, will help your body acclimate. Avoid red meats, caffeine, and alcoholic beverages.
High-Elevation Places to Visit
- Quito, Ecuador
- Cotopaxi National Park: A day trip from Quito, Ecuador
- Puno, Peru and The Uros Islands
- Cusco, Peru
- La Paz, Bolivia
- Bogota, Colombia
- Santa Fe, USA
Hopefully, these tips for managing altitude sickness when traveling will help you feel at your best when traveling to high-elevation destinations. Feel free to drop some of your other tips below!
1 thought on “6+ Awesome Tips for Managing Altitude Sickness When Traveling Abroad”
Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Puno are all on my travel bucket list! Great list – I´ve never heard of Coca leaves being helpful with altitude sickness! Thanks for the tips!