TOP Tips For Preventing Altitude Sickness (From Travel Bloggers)

Annapurna Trek, Nepal - High altitude hikes - preventing altitude sickness

The question everyone wants to know the answer for!

What’s the best way of preventing altitude sickness? I have done numerous high altitude treks. One common theme that everyone asked me about on all my hikes was

‘Did you suffer from altitude sickness?’

It’s a great question because hiking at high altitude affects different people in different ways.

And each trip I have learnt a bit more about how my body copes with trekking to some crazy high points around the world.

High Altitude Treks

Trekking Atlas Mountains in Morocco
Trekking Atlas Mountains in Morocco

My first high altitude trip was hiking the Inca Trail in Peru over ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’ at 4,200m (13,780ft).

I have also summited

But my greatest high altitude achievement was summitting Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at a massive 5,895m (19,340ft).

At the beginning of the trip, I didn’t suffer from altitude sickness.

But on the way to the summit, I had a headache and felt sick. This resulted in finding a big rock to throw up behind halfway up. To be honest, afterwards I felt better and it didn’t stop me from smiling when I reached the top!

But if I had known some tips for preventing altitude sickness I’d like to think it would have been a more enjoyable hike!

Read about my Mount Kilimanjaro hike here

Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania - tips for preventing altitude sickness
Finally reaching the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro

When Does Altitude Sickness Occur?

Before I talk about preventing altitude sickness, let me first explain what is classed as high altitude?

Up to 1,500m (4,900ft) = High

1,500m – 3,500m (4,900ft – 11,500ft) = High Altitude

3,500m – 5,500m (11,500 – 18,000 ft) = Very high Altitude

Above 5,500m (18,000ft) = Extreme high altitude

And to give you an idea the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest in the Himalayas is a staggering 8,848m (29,035ft).

Who wants to climb that? Well, not me, its way to high and far too expensive.

Top Tips for preventing altitude sickness

Here are my top tips for preventing altitude sickness.

But if you want to know more about how altitude can affect you then keep reading to hear stories from fellow hikers.

  1. Drink plenty of water. Keep hydrated. (No alcohol or caffeine).
  2. Take paracetamol (or equivalent) for mild headaches.
  3. Loss of appetite may occur but remember to keep energy levels up by eating regularly.
  4. Spend extra time (where possible) acclimatising so your body adjusts to the height.
  5. Try local remedies – (Coca tea in Peru, hot chocolate in Hawaii and Sea buckthorn juice in Nepal).
  6. Less oxygen can cause a sore throat so pack some cough sweets.
  7. Walk slowly to allow your body to acclimatise. (Even if you are super fit still walk slowly – AMS can affect everyone)
  8. Trust your instincts and keep your guide informed. Never risk your health.

Preventing altitude sickness – Stories from Bloggers

Because altitude sickness, (known as acute mountain sickness – AMS) affects everyone differently I have spoken to some adventurous travel bloggers about their experiences.

Read about their epic adventures, how high altitude affected them.

And some great tips for preventing altitude sickness to conquer their challenges around the world.

Climbing Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador

5,897m (19,347ft)

By Ashlyn at The Lost Girl’s Guide to Finding the World

Cotopaxi in Ecuador - tips for preventing altitude sickness
Ashlyn at the top of Cotopaxi in Ecuador

One of the most difficult things I have ever accomplished was summiting the 5,897m (19,347ft) high Cotopaxi – an active volcano in Ecuador.

It’s the second-highest summit in the country and home to one of the few equatorial glaciers in the world.

And it’s also notorious for hikers to suffer severe altitude sickness on the trek with less than 50% of those who try actually making it to the top.

The hike takes a day and a half, with the majority of the expedition occurring through the night when the snow and ice are most stable. I suffered from a major headache, lack of appetite and felt out of breath the entire journey.

Each step was a shuffle as I put one crampon-covered boot in front of the other through the snow in the dark.

I experienced an avalanche less than 100 metres away while climbing and watched another volcano erupt while at the summit just after sunrise.

It took a lot of mental determination and physical tenacity to complete the trek but I’m proud to say I was able to battle past altitude sickness to achieve a personal goal.

Ashlyn’s Tips for Preventing Altitude sickness

  • The trick for preventing altitude sickness was to keep going, not stop in the cold and to force myself to eat.

Follow more of Ashlyn’s amazing adventures on Instagram

Hiking Mauna Kea, Hawaii

4,205m (13,798ft)

By Justine at Wanderer of the World


Mauna Kea in Hawaii - tips for preventing altitude sickness

When booking a trip to Hawaii, it is a must to visit “The Big Island”. There are amazing views from the top of the infamous Mauna Kea mountain. Home to the world’s largest astronomical observatory and more than a dozen industrial telescopes.

At an incredible 4,205m (13,798ft), Mauna Kea may not have the highest summit but it is the tallest mountain in the world. There is another 6,400m (19,700ft) worth of mountain below sea level!

Based on my experiences, it’s really quite difficult to avoid altitude sickness completely.

Certainly, at 3,962m (13,000ft) up Mauna Kea mountain, altitude sickness can take a hold of you very quickly. One member of our tour couldn’t make it past the visitor centre at 2,743m (9,000ft) as his altitude sickness was so bad.

For me, the sickness was nothing more than feeling a little queasy, but others can experience really bad headaches and shortness of breath.

Justine’s Tips for Preventing Altitude sickness

  • My top tips to help prevent the feeling of altitude sickness when visiting Mauna Kea would be to acclimatise yourself at the visitor centre before venturing on to the summit.
  • The best way to do that is to take a short walk and stay at this height for at least 1 hour, before returning down.
  • I also find that you can speed up your acclimatisation by drinking hot chocolate – I have no idea what’s inside cocoa but trust me, it really works!

Follow more of Justine’s adventures on Twitter

Read next: 15 reasons to trek Morocco’s Mt Toubkal

Reaching the High Altitude Gokyo lakes, Nepal

4,700–5,000m  (15,420-16,400Ft)

By Ellis at Backpack Adventures

Gokyo Lakes in Nepal - tips for preventing altitude sickness

“Nepal is like my second home country, I spent two years there as an ex-pat.

I love the mountains so my choice to live and work in Nepal was obvious.  Whenever I had a holiday I went trekking in the mountains and I learned how unpredictable the effects of altitude can be.

In Langtang, when I walked for three days to Kyanjin Gompa at 3800m (12,468ft) I had no problems at all. But in the Annapurna’s the altitude sickness always hits me with a slight headache.

Last November, I went back as a tourist to Nepal to the Everest region. I was curious to know how the altitude would affect me there. To give my body enough time I walked in from Jiri and included enough acclimatisation days.

The problems started in Tengboche where I developed the famous Kumbu cough. After witnessing the Mani Rimdu festival we headed up to the Gokyo lakes, situated 4,700–5,000m (15,420–16,400ft).

The higher we got, the drier the air and my cough only got worse until I sounded like a seal.

One way your body adjusts to the height is by peeing, so my sleep was interrupted by frequent bathroom visits and vivid dreams.

Apparently, something that is common at high altitude. I was never this much affected by the altitude, but despite the discomforts, I made it to the Gokyo lakes. Seeing the clear blue water amidst the peaks of the Himalayas was all worth it.” Ellis

Follow Ellis’s adventures on Instagram

Jungle Inca Trail in Peru

4,300m (14,108ft)

By Meghan at The Traveling Teacher

Machu Picchu in Peru - Inca Trail - tips for preventing altitude sickness
Reaching Machu Picchu at high altitude in Peru

“Before starting our trek to Machu Picchu, I knew altitude would be an issue for me. The highest point on the trek was 4,300m (14,108ft)!

I had experienced altitude sickness before in Colorado, I knew what to expect and arranged medicine from my doctor in advance so was feeling good about the trek.

However, we only took small packs on the trek and left our big bags at the hotel we were staying at. This meant leaving some things behind. I accidentally had put my medicine for altitude sickness in my big pack so left for Machu Picchu without it.

As soon as I realised, at first it made me really worried – I needed it! Then I remembered all the research I had done about altitude sickness. I took some Advil, bought an extra bottle of water and had a lot of coca leaf tea.

Coca leaves are loved by the Peruvians. They can be chewed or made into a tea. And are the preferred remedy for preventing altitude sickness in the Andes. I took frequent breaks and went slow when I felt I needed to.

By the second day, I forgot that I didn’t bring my medicine and felt just fine!

Meghan’s Tips for Preventing Altitude sickness

  • My biggest piece of advice to prevent altitude sickness is to listen to what your body is telling you and use as many remedies as you can.
  • If you think you need to slow down, slow down.
  • Don’t wait until you start to feel bad to tell someone there is a problem – be proactive and it will be fine!

Follow Meghan’s adventures on Facebook.

Another option to reach Machu Picchu is the Salkantay Trek.

Hiking to the Summit of Mount Fuji, Japan

3,776m (12,389ft)

By Eemma at Always a Gringa

Mt Fuji in Japan
On route to Mt Fuji summit in Japan

Mount Fuji at 3,776m (12,389ft) is a quick hike in regards to high altitude trekking.

It means taking altitude sickness precautions are much more critical. Most of the guides say that the ascent will take 5-7 hours and the descent around 3-5 hours. When I was looking at these numbers I naïvely thought that this hike was going to be easy and it really wasn’t.

The ascent took us about 9 hours and the descent took us about 4 hours. It is a steep climb and I would recommend taking the time to get acclimatised and to enjoy the hike. You can sleep at the 5th station before hiking or you can stay the night at a mountain hut along the trail.

We trekked through the night along with the thousands of other hikers, in order to see the 4 am sunrise from the top. However, if I was to do the hike again I would choose to hike it during the day to take advantage of the beautiful views of Japan.

Eemma’s Tips for Preventing Altitude sickness

  • Having a good night’s rest on the mountain makes all the difference when acclimatising.
  • I would also recommend bringing a decent amount of water and snacks or at least bringing a good amount of yen to pay for some along the way.

Follow Eemma’s adventures on Instagram

Read next:  Best hiking destinations in the world

Have you done any high altitude hikes?

What are your tips for preventing altitude sickness? Tell me about your experiences in the comments below

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Preventing altitude sickness
Preventing altitude sickness
Preventing altitude sickness

*Becky the Traveller participates in the Amazon Services Associates Programme, as well as other affiliate programmes. If you make a purchase through these, I earn from the qualifying links. This is at no extra cost to you. Read more here.

25 thoughts on “TOP Tips For Preventing Altitude Sickness (From Travel Bloggers)

  1. Kelly says:

    What a great post. If I am honest, I am not much of a trekker but this is so helpful. I would like to do Kilimanjaro. Looks so cool!! You inspire me!!

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Ah thanks so much Kelly, glad I have given you some inspiration. Kilimanjaro is amazing!!! I have written a couple of other posts specific to Mt Kilimanjaro that you might be interested in. Also feel free to ask me any more questions 🙂

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Ah thanks Abbi, yes they do all look awesome, I think I have a few new ones on my bucket list now!! Yes hopefully these will help out any high altitude climbs you are planning on doing 🙂

  2. Becky the Traveller says:

    Yeah it’s a bit of a pain isn’t it!! I guess as long as listen to your body and don’t push it beyond your limits then that’s fine. Trekking to Kilimanjaro summit is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done and it was pure mental attitude that got me to the top! Mt Fuji is on my list!!

  3. Sapna says:

    Good to know that you have done all these high altitude treks. Great !!!!
    I am not trekking kind 🙁 but reading about these always inspire me. I didn’t trek but I spent 10 days in India’s Ladakh region area and traveled between 3200 to 5200 M. It was a great experience.

  4. Amy Wren says:

    Great tips! I’m hoping to do Nepal next year and will definitely take all your advice onboard, your travels look incredible!

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Ah thanks so much Amy, yes I’ve had a few adventures but more to come! Nepal is beautiful, I would recommend the Annapurna Circuit, a very difference experience to Everest base camp but just as beautiful scenery. I’ve written one post about the trek which you might be interested in. Let me know if you have any more questions. 🙂

  5. Telma | Blank Canvas Voyage says:

    Hi Becky,
    How your post brings back memories, but fortunately only good ones!
    We trekked to Everest Base Camp last November. One of the main concerns was indeed AMS. It is scary and people shouldn’t ignore such symptoms. We were really careful with it, we actually changed our itinerary and added extra days so we could rest. We drunk 4-5 litres of water every day, but that happened gradually. And every night we took paracetamol. We Also made sure we walked very slow.
    Trekking at high altitude is exciting and the views are superb, but there are serious and often fatal consequences.
    WOW you have climbed to MT Kilimanjaro! That is our next one…I hope! 🙂

    Telma @ Blank Canvas Voyage

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Ah I am so glad Telma, Nepal is beautiful, I do need to return to do Everest base camp too! It is definitely a worry that a lot of people have as the fact it can affect anyone, plus you do hear so stories where people had to be rescued via helicopter.

      Yes Kilimanjaro is great, I’ve written a couple of posts that you might be interested in for preparing for your hike. Hope you get to go soon, it’s beautiful and such a great challenge 🙂

  6. Jill at Reading the Book says:

    I’ve never really been at any sort of altitude but have a couple of locations on my bucket list, so this is really useful to read. You only ever hear the absolute disaster stores, not the stories like this of people being moderately ill and how to handle it. Fabulous post!

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Ah thanks so much Jill, yes I totally agree, there are some scary stories so I think it really worries people. It’s just about being prepared and listening to your body. Where do you have on your bucket list?

  7. Kareemah says:

    An amazing post and very informative. I plan on going to Machu Pichu and I needed information like this. Thank You 🙂 Plus that’s so amazing that you climbed Kilamanjaro. #goals

  8. Melissa says:

    Coca leaves helped me so much in Peru with the headaches and low energy! But nothing stopped the bathroom problems. I wish someone had warned me about that struggle before hand!

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Yes I ended up buying a box back in Cusco and have taken them on susequent hikes! I guess sometimes people don’t want to put you off by telling you some of the bad stuff but actually I would much rather know in advance then I can prepare!

  9. Mari says:

    I also threw up behind s rock in the crater on the summit of Kili. We spent the night at 19k… terrible Moment for my body 🙂

    Thank you for such a detailed, resourceful post!

    • Becky the Traveller says:

      Ah well at least it decomposes ha ha!!! Yeah it’s certainly a challenge for your body, I am guessing you made it to the top then :). Thanks glad you found it useful, I have so many questions whenever I do high altitude hikes I thought it would be useful to share 🙂

  10. Josy A says:

    This is all really helpful. I have never been above 5000m, so i have no idea how my body would react.

    I did climb mount Fuji, but we did it the slow way (sleeping at the 8th hut, then climbing to the top for the sunrise.) I think those extra few hours acclimatization made all the difference as none of us had any problems at all. Friends who climbed straight up through the night all seem to have worse experiences!!

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