The Luxury Peru Travel Company

10. Health, Altitude Sickness, Vaccinations

No vaccinations are compulsory to enter Peru, but tetanus, polio, typhoid, hepatitis A and yellow fever are advisable. Please check with a GP or Travel Clinic for other up to- date immunization advice, including malarial areas. Do not drink the tap water. Up to date health requirements are available at:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/peru

Altitude sickness ('soroche') is a possibility in the highland areas, precautions include resting when you first arrive, avoiding caffeine and alcohol and drinking coca tea.

Nearly everyone will have a headache and feel out of breath and possibly nauseous for at least the first day at altitude, if symptoms worsen hotels and guides will have oxygen handy, the only cure for acute sickness is to descend to a lower altitude.

The power of the sun at high altitudes is magnified, take sunglasses and sun cream

Important information about altitude sickness:  When travelling at altitude, the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere can cause discomfort in some people, and more serious illness in a very small minority. Lima is at sea level and Arequipa at 2300m, and so present no problems. But when you travel to the Colca canyon (3600m), Puno (3800m) and Cuzco (3300m); then you will be aware of the thin air and will need to take some precautions. 

At altitudes above 3000m, everybody will feel out of breath and experience a faster heartbeat, even when doing only very mild exercise. Also, you will tire easily and perhaps feel a little ‘strange’; it is common to take naps and to go to bed early. A loss of appetite is common and you may even experience vivid dreams when asleep. But in a minority of cases, people might develop Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS, they will suffer from severe headaches, nausea, dizziness and will not be able to sleep. These symptoms of AMS do not appear immediately to arrive at altitude, but normally come on slowly during the first 24 hours.

In order to minimize your chances of developing AMS, then you should follow the guidelines: 

a) Most importantly, when you arrive at altitude take things slowly while you acclimatize. Do not use up the little oxygen you have in your body, so relax, walk slowly and do not over-exert yourself. 

b) Try to get plenty fresh air, avoid stuffy restaurants and smoky bars! 

c) It is important to keep well hydrated, so drink lots of non-carbonated bottled water. Try the local Andean cure of coca tea, containing its mild brew of stimulants. This will help if you drink a few cups a day, but avoid drinking it at night, as it will keep you awake, similar to coffee. 

d) On arrival at altitude, try to eat light meals. Large heavy meals can overload your stomach and cause indigestion and nausea. Light meals of soups, chicken and fish are the best. 

e) Do not smoke or drink alcohol in excess on your first days at altitude. 

f) Avoid any sedative medicine, such as sleeping pills and some antihistamines. If you have followed these guidelines then you stand a good chance of avoiding AMS, but it is a condition which is almost impossible to predict who it will affect. If you are unlucky to be suffering from headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and cannot sleep, then the following steps will help ease the symptoms

g) For a mild headache, try pain killers such as paracetamol, aspirin, or ibuprofen. These can also be taken as a preventative measure when you go to bed, as night time headaches are common. 

h) For the dizziness and nausea then you could try travel sickness cures such as Avomine (promethazine), Stemetil (prochlorperzine) or Stugeron (cinnarizine). If these are not available, then a common nausea cure called Gravol (dimenhidrate) can be found all over Peru.

i) A short time (15 minutes) on oxygen will ease the discomfort and help you sleep. If you do not ascend to higher altitudes, then the AMS symptoms will slowly ease during you first days at high altitude.