One of the most common questions among travelers is how to acclimatize in Cusco. How many days are necessary? The answer will always be the same: at least 2 days in the city will allow you to have better acclimatization so you can enjoy your trips comfortably.
But it is not just about arriving and doing nothing. There are a series of “unwritten” rules to follow, and with the help of some tours, you will see that this task will be one of the easiest.
Here we leave you a series of tips to help you acclimatize in Cusco in the best way.
Why is it good to acclimatize?
One of the main reasons to acclimatize in Cusco is that thousands of travelers come to the country from different places that are at a lower altitude than Cusco. The beautiful historic city of Cusco is located at almost 3,200 meters above sea level, approximately, so many altitude symptoms can include dizziness, headaches, and even diarrhea or lack of oxygen.
For this reason, having a couple of days in the city is important to be able to continue with your plans as expected.
How to acclimatize better in Cusco
To avoid the horrible symptoms of the so-called altitude sickness, it is necessary to follow these steps:
- Arrive in Cusco at least 2 to 3 days before to help your body adapt to the altitude.
- Drink a lot of water to help reduce discomfort.
- When you arrive, try to eat light food, not too heavy. This will help your stomach not struggle with heaviness and/or diarrhea.
- Medication: depending on what your doctor recommends after a consultation, in Cusco you can get medications such as Diamox without a prescription. This medication helps reduce the discomfort caused by altitude sickness.
- Coca leaves: This wonderful and sacred coca leaf is considered an ancestral medicine that helps give you energy and fight altitude sickness. The best way to consume it is by chewing 3 to 4 leaves directly, so you can swallow the juice that comes from the mixture of saliva and coca leaves.
- Rest well: This helps relax the body and adapt. There is no better remedy than getting a good amount of sleep to feel better.
What can I do during the 2 days of acclimatization?
You may think that arriving 2 days earlier is a waste of time. However, this is not the case. In Cusco, there are different activities you can do to help your body adapt to your next adventures.
Option 1: Cusco City Tour
Since one of the best options to adapt is to take walks around the city to help your lungs get used to the lack of oxygen and the altitude, this is a half-day tour that can be done in the morning or afternoon.
With this tour, you can visit places such as:
- Coricancha Museum: Located in the center of the city, in this museum you will see the Inca culture as well as the Spanish colonization and the combination between both cultures.
- Sacsayhuaman: An archaeological complex located 20 minutes from the city. It is considered one of the most impressive because of the size of its rocks and the complexity of its construction.
- Qenqo: The next archaeological center located very close to Sacsayhuaman. Here you can admire another aspect of Inca culture through its constructions.
- Puca Pucara: Considered an Inca fortress that served as protection and defense.
- Tambomachay: An archaeological complex dedicated to water.
These places are archaeological centers and complexes located almost 40 minutes from the city center. As the tour continues, they are visited in the order mentioned and increase in altitude. Therefore, it is a good idea to take tours in this area because walking through them will give you good training.
Option 2: Sacred Valley
One of the most complete options for acclimatization in Cusco. This is a one-day tour visiting places around Cusco in the area known as the Sacred Valley.
The valley between Pisac and Ollantaytambo is known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. On this day tour, we will drive through the mountains of the Sacred Valley, visiting the archaeological sites of Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and the Maras Salt Mines, all of which played a key role in Inca culture and history. The Valley has a milder climate and is at a lower altitude than Cusco. You will see a succession of picturesque villages, ancient Incan terraces and the most important archaeological sites.
No other travel agency besides SAM Travel Peru visits all of these sites in their Sacred Valley Tour!
This is a one-day tour that sequentially visits places such as:
- Pisac: An archaeological complex with more than 1,000 tombs, considered an ancient Andean cemetery.
- Maras: A magical place where salt has been produced for thousands of years. A tradition inherited from the ancestors and continued by the current families. Here, the famous pink salt of Maras is produced.
- Moray: An ancient ancestral laboratory where the Incas experimented with local microclimates on each circular terrace.
- Ollantaytambo: You will learn about the incredible architecture of the Sun Temple, admire the water fountains, the Incahuatana and the impressive storehouses.
It is a fun option to adapt to the area while also learning about the Incas.
So, acclimatization is not so boring. In fact, it will allow you to enjoy Cusco and your next adventures to the fullest!