How Do You Prevent High Altitude Sickness Above 10,000 Feet?
High altitude sickness is difficult to avoid when traveling to places higher than 10,000 feet above sea level. In Bolivia where I live, at nearly 12,000 feet, altitude sickness is a common problem affecting tourists, travelers, and even natives who’ve spent too much time down at sea level. Follow these tips to avoid altitude sickness when you travel to really high places. The slower you go up in altitude, the better. Ideally you will arrive in your high-altitude Andean destination by bus, giving you ample time to acclimate as you gradually go up in elevation. If you arrive by plane, you’ve just made it that much harder on yourself. Go to bed immediately if possible. You acclimate best while sleeping. If you can’t find a bed, sit down, lay down, or do whatever it takes to be horizontal and still. Take it slow. Altitude sickness often won’t hit you until hours later, so you’ll probably arrive feeling great. You’ll be tempted to go explore your new destination, run around, jump from glee.
