Arriving in Cusco is exciting\u2026 until you feel your first headache, dizziness, or shortness of breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At over 3,399 meters (11,152 feet) above sea level<\/strong>, it\u2019s completely normal for your body to need time to adjust. The good news is that you can acclimate quickly and enjoy your trip without ruining your experience<\/strong> if you follow a few practical tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how to do it step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At high elevations, there is less oxygen in the air<\/strong>, so your body has to work harder to oxygenate properly. This can lead to what\u2019s commonly known as altitude sickness<\/strong>, or soroche<\/em> in the Andes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Not everyone experiences it the same way, but prevention is always better than dealing with discomfort later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common mistake travelers make is landing in Cusco and immediately starting a demanding tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 What\u2019s recommended:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your body needs at least 24 hours to adapt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coca tea is one of the most traditional remedies used in the Andes. It may help relieve mild symptoms and support the acclimatization process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many hotels in Cusco offer it as a complimentary welcome drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u26a0\ufe0f Important: If you have high blood pressure or any medical condition, consult a healthcare professional before consuming it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High altitude increases dehydration, which can worsen symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2714\ufe0f Drink water frequently Proper hydration helps your body adjust more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid starting your trip with high-altitude or physically demanding activities such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u274c Rainbow Mountain Instead, begin with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2714\ufe0f A walk through the historic center After 1 or 2 days, you\u2019ll be better prepared for more demanding excursions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some travelers choose medications like acetazolamide to help prevent altitude sickness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u26a0\ufe0f Always consult your doctor before traveling and avoid self-medicating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleeping properly helps your body adjust more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2714\ufe0f Don\u2019t stay up late on your first night Rest is a key part of acclimatization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most travelers feel better within 24 to 48 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once past that period, you\u2019ll be able to enjoy Cusco with more energy and fewer symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adapting to Cusco\u2019s altitude doesn\u2019t have to be complicated. With proper planning, hydration, and rest, you can enjoy your Andean adventure without altitude sickness interfering with your trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cusco is magical \u2014 your body just needs a little time to adjust to its greatness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Arriving in Cusco is exciting\u2026 until you feel your first headache, dizziness, or shortness of breath. At over 3,399 meters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":561,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=563"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":679,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/563\/revisions\/679"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gtperutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\n\ud83c\udf21\ufe0f Why Does Altitude Affect You in Cusco?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Most common symptoms:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\u2705 1. Take It Easy on Your First Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83c\udf75 2. Drink Coca Tea or Andean Herbal Infusions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udca7 3. Stay Hydrated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Limit alcohol consumption on your first day
\u2714\ufe0f Avoid heavy meals
\u2714\ufe0f Choose soups and light foods<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83e\udd7e 4. Plan Your Tours Wisely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u274c Humantay Lake
\u274c Long high-altitude hikes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Museum visits
\u2714\ufe0f A light city tour<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udc8a 5. Consider Preventive Medication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83d\ude34 6. Get Enough Rest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Avoid heavy dinners
\u2714\ufe0f Keep a relaxed pace<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\u23f3 How Long Does It Take to Adjust?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\ud83c\udf0d Enjoy Cusco Without Worries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n