The sickness altitude is not a myth. On the contrary, it's the bad experience of thousands of travellers which at coming from locations at the sea level, to countries located in higher altitudes, where the atmospheric density is thicker and the lack of oxigen is a real symptom.

The inca Trail is relatively high, and sometimes the people who don't pay attention to our advices come to feel symptoms like: lack of oxigeng breathless. But in itself is not a reason to get worried. another symptoms are: Seasickness, vomits, loss of concentration and cordination,etc.

However we want neither banish nor to scare anybody, but precaution is always to be taken into account, but you’ll be very encouraged on knowing that the statistics say that over the last ten years there had not been any serious case concerning this issue. On the contrary, the 99 per cent of people had been able to attain their purpose: Machu Picchu.

If you hate pills, the Coca tea and a herb called muna (pronounced mun-ya) is definitely the way forward for altitude sickness, Peruvian people always used, However, many pills are good alternatives and many tourists consider use and are very effective, we recommed sorochepills.(are sold in all Cusco pharmacies)

.If you travel up to Cusco the most important , drink plenty of water, altitude sickness can be (not the only reason) for some altitude sickness, around 2L/day should be your target. Obviously if you move up past 5000m you need to consider other things but as the highest point on the Inca trail is 4200m you should be fine, and crossing Puno 3800m!! or Bolivia should mean you have no problems at all, La Paz is 3700m!!

In addition to the methods mentioned above, you should drink plenty of liquids, avoid high energy activities the first two days, and you should not overeat or eat fatty meals

The more probable is that you are not going to experience the annoying effects of the altitude, but is undoubtly worth while to spend some acclimatization time in Cusco, before the starting date. Those persons who go straight to the Inca Trail coming from a city about the sea level, are so much more tending to suffer some problems. I think that the best advice is to spend 02 or 03 climatazion days before the trek. (a great variety of pills are sold today in order to mitigate the altitude sickness).

The following is a list of most famous Trekkings around Cusco with altitude scale:

Inka Trail to Machupicchu 4days ...... Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Short Inka Trail 2 days ......High: (Easy-moderate)

Salkantay to Machupicchu 7days ......Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Choquequirao new discovery 5days ......Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Choquequirao-Machupicchu 9days ......Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Ausangate Typical Trek 7days...... Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Salkantay-Machupicchu 5days ......Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Lares Trek 4 days ......Very High: (Moderately dificult)

Santa Maria - Machupicchu 3days ......High: (Easy-moderate)

Huchuy Qosco Trek 3 days ......High: (Easy-moderate)

Pongo of Mainique 7 days ......High: (Easy-moderate)