05/29/2026
Hiking in Peru is beautiful but the altitude is no joke...
Here are some tips to help prepare and reduce symptoms:
1. Arrive in Cusco at least a few days before your trek so your body has time to start acclimatizing. Take it easy those first few days too.
2. Drink coca tea & chew coca leaves.
3. Bring natural or prescription supplements/medications that may help. I personally found Ginkgo Biloba, ginger, and Advil helped with some of the symptoms I experienced. (Diamox is the prescription med., I didn't use it personally).
4. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and bring electrolytes. I was SO thirsty those first few days.
5. On your treks, hike slower and take more breaks. This is not the time to try and beat your personal hiking stats 😅
6. Consider doing your first Peru trek with a guided tour company. Most of the major treks require guides anyway, but it also means you have experienced locals there to monitor how everyone’s doing and help if altitude sickness becomes serious.
We were so grateful we booked our Lares Trek through who connected us with an amazing local tour company that took great care of us throughout the trek.
