Health Dr. Camila Ortiz November 18, 2025 9 Minute
Cusco sits at 3,400 metres. The Inca Trail crosses Dead Woman's Pass at 4,215. If you fly in from sea level and start hiking the next day, your body will struggle. The good news is that altitude problems are almost always preventable.
Two nights of acclimatisation, minimum
Spend the first two days walking gently in Cusco or — even better — in the slightly lower Sacred Valley. Drink water like it's your job. Eat lightly. Skip alcohol.
Coca tea, hydration, and the early signs
Mate de coca genuinely helps. So does ibuprofen if you start getting headaches. Watch for nausea, sleeplessness and shortness of breath: these are the body's first signals that you're going up too fast.