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Preventing & Dealing with Altitude Sickness

Preventing & Dealing with Altitude Sickness

You’re finally realizing that dream to make it to Peru or Bolivia! But altitude sickness (soroche) can put a damper on all those sightseeing4942193-La_Paz-_Coca_beer-0-300x225 plans and tours that you’ve been planning… Its troublesome symptoms can vary in strength, and include fatigue, nausea, headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath. It can even lead to vomiting and other symptoms, and can become so severe that you’d need to be taken to a clinic and hooked up to an oxygen tank and IV- definitely something to be avoided! Ideally, your trip will allow you sufficient time for acclimatization, allowing your body to adjust to the lower amount of oxygen at higher altitudes, but sometimes this just isn’t possible with limited vacation days and so much to see.

 

Pre-Trip Tips

Itinerary Planning: Gradually Increase Your Altitude

images (2)If you’re planning on visitingvarious cities, you can try to structure your itinerary in order to gradually increase your altitude level. Rather than going from sea level to Cusco (flying in from Lima) or Puno, you can put in an intermediary city like Arequipa in order to acclimatize as you go

  • Many times visitors to Cusco take advantage of a Sacred Valley Tour to spend some time at a lower altitude than Cusco.
  • Planning on tackling some of the famous peaks surrounding La Paz? You must spend a few days in the city of La Paz itself (the world’s highest capital), because your chances of altitude sickness are high!

 

Medicate: Pre-Trip Pill Popping

 

Acetazolamide, sold under the name Diamox and available as a generic drug, can help prevent altitude sickness. It is taken prophylactically, starting a few days before going to higher altitudes. If you’re going from sea level to over 3,000 meters (9800 feet) or ascending more than 600 meters (2000ft per day). If you have a history of suffering from acute altitude sickness, this may be the choice for you. You take a half tablet starting one day in advance and continuing until the third day of your trip. Once started you need to take Diamox three days, even if you start to feel ok

 

Preparations: The Day Before

Avoid alcoholic beverages and hard-to-digest foods the day before you travel, and make sure to get a full night’s sleep! You also don’t want to have sleeping pills or tranquilizers in your system when you begin your trip.

 

During your Trip

 

Take It Easy

On your first day or two, stay hydrated (avoiding alcohol), and don’t plan too much for Day 01- you want a leisurely pace and time to rest if need be. You can plan a day of rest, or if you don’t want to lose a day stick to a restful morning and then a half-day tour or some independent exploring in the afternoon.

Coca Tea

imagesThe local remedy is drinking a tea of steeped coca leaves- you’ll find it available in most hotels and hostels and in the little stores and markets in either loose leaves or tea bags. Limit yourself to no more than five cups per day, as it’s also a stimulant. (A lot of people ask whether they can fly back home with coca leaves- the official answer is no if they’re loose leaves, but yes if they’re packages in tea bags.

 

Carb Loading & Going Bananas

Bananas are a great choice as an energy snack, as they’ll help replace the potassium that high altitudes can leached from the body. Also, you’ll want to forget any restrictive diet you might be on and treat yourself to carbohydrate-heavy foods!

Local Pharmacy Solutions

Other options are the sorojchi pills which you’ll find easily in the local pharmacies, but be aware that they’re mostly just aspirin and caffeine, so if headaches are your problem, you might be better off with just Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. Many local pharmacies and tourist supply stores (there are lots) also provide mini-oxygen bottles

 

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Inti Raymi: The Inca Sun Festival in Cusco

Inti Raymi: The Inca Sun Festival in Cusco

The Incan Sun Festival

Each June, 50,000 spectators gather in Cusco to celebrate the Winter Solstice and kick off the Andean New Year during Inti Raymi, the Sun Festival. Honoring the supreme Inca deity, the sun, this was the year’s most important celebration in the time of the Inca Empire. Tradition holds that Inti Raymi dates back to Pachacutec, the first Inca. The celebration and rituals were repressed after the Spanish Conquest and through the Colonial period, but were reborn in 1944. Now, each year hundreds upon hundreds of actors, dancers, and musicians present a theatrical reenactment based on historical chronicles.

It all begins on June 21st, which was the first day of the Incan solar calendar and marks the winter solstice, with opening ceremonies throughout the week. You’ll see the streets fill with color and activity thanks to the numerous street fairs, free concerts, and elaborately costumed dancers. The Festival´s main day, falls on the Day of the Peasant (formerly celebrated as Day of the Indian), June 24th, which is also the anniversary of Cusco.

Getting Tickets

Acts I and II at Qorikancha Sun Temple and the Plaza de Armas are open to the general public. You’ll want to go early if you want to be able to see. (One benefit of getting your Inti Raymi tickets through an agency as part of a festival package is that you will usually get a private balcony from which to watch the celebrations in the Plaza.)

Tickets are sold for Act III at Saqsaywaman, where viewing platforms are arranged in three different zones. The cost of Act III, the central ceremony, ranges from $80 to $115 depending if you are in the Green, Blue, or Orange Platform. It’s limited to 3,859 spectators. Ticket costs include the official program/script in 3 languages and a DVD about the ceremony.

If you buy your tickets for Act III directly through the government agency with handles festivals, EMUFEC, payment is required in advance, by deposit into their account or through their online purchasing system. (Unfortunately, they’re taking their time…at the moment, the account information has not yet been published, nor the purchasing system activated!)

The 6 Day Inti Raymi Tour

Pirwa Travel offers both a shorter and longer Inti Raymi tour, the shorter of which includes the festival itself, including a packed lunch and knowledgeable guide, and ensuring balcony access overlooking the Plaza de Armas and seating at Sacsaywaman.

The longer, 6-day tour includes guided tours of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu in addition to Inti Raymi. Those of you interested in a tour package, or assistance with specific elements of your trip such as transport, entrances, guided visits, and more, can get in touch with our travel department, Pirwa Travel Service at pirwatravel@gmail.com.

Travelers’ Tips

  • June is wintertime in Cusco, but the afternoon sun scorches and the temperature can spike up quickly in the afternoon.  Prepare for the variability of Cusco´s climate by dressing in layers to put on for the mornings and evening, and remembering the sun screen.
  • Cusco fills up quickly for Inti Raymi, as it also coincides with the travel industry’s “high season”- whatever you can arrange in advance, do. Especially lodging, train tickets, Machu Picchu entrances, and treks go quickly. (The Inca Trail sold out already! Perhaps you can find spaces in the shortened 2-Day trek, or alternative treks such as Salkantay or Inca Jungle.)
  • Packed streets, visual spectacles, and well-laden tourists….violence is not a worry but pickpockets are guaranteed, so watch outer pockets and bags, carry backpacks along your front or not at all, and guard your small electronics with care- cells, camaras, and mp3s are popular with thieves as they are easy to resell and bring a good price.
  • Tickets can be bought by those who want prime seating for the main ceremony at Sacsayhuamán.  Many, however, choose to simply gather in the surrounding area and hope to catch a glimpse of proceedings while picnicking along the hills.
  • Prices for transport, lodging, and food can soar in July due to the increased demand, so plan some flexibility into your budget. (Don’t worry- none of our Pirwa hostels raise prices during high season or festivals.)

Official Program: Inti Raymi’s Central Day

Friday, 24th of June 2012

08:15   The flag of Tahuantinsuyo, represented the united regions of the empire, is hoisted by 5th Mountain Brigade

08:30   Mass & Te Deum at the Basilica Cathedral, headed by Cusco’s Archbishop

09:00   Sun Greeting at Qorikancha

At Cusco’s famous Temple of the Sun, characters representing noble figures, the chosen women, the Inca’s entourage, and the royals themselves gather for the gather for Salute to the Sun. They arrive as the sounds of traditional Andean Instruments and conch shells fill the air, and exit along flower-strewn streets when they exit en route to the Main Square (Auqaypata). This lasts for half an hour.

11:00   Meeting of the Times at Auqaypata

The Inka and his entourage enter along Inti K’ijllu Street. The Inka will formally address Cusco’s mayor from his ushnu, a ceremonial platform constructed in the center of Cusco’s Main Square for the occasion. This lasts for 45 minutes.

13:30   Main Ceremony Sacsaywaman Fortress

The central ceremony lasts an hour and a half. It begins with the reports from the 4 Suyos (Regions), the Chicha Rite, Rite of Sacred Fire, Llama Sacrifice (simulated) and divining, the Sankhu (Sacred Bread) rite, and Q’ochurikuy (explosion of popular exhaltation). Expect llama viscera, bonfires, dancing, and more.

It doesn’t stop at Sacsayhuamán- the fun will continue throughout the following days through concerts, dancing, and fairs along Cusco’s main streets. Don’t miss the vibrancy, excitement and historical charm of South America’s 2nd largest festival!

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Nazca Tourism Week (& María Reiche’s Birthday) Is Coming!

Nazca Tourism Week (& María Reiche’s Birthday) Is Coming!

Maria Reiche's BirthdayMaria Reiche’s birthday is coming up, this May 15th. She’s the famed Lady of the Desert, who devoted the majority of her life to the study and protection of the mysterious Nazca Lines. In celebration of this, the city of Nazca holds its tourism week around the same time, with celebrations beginning around 10 days in advance, May 5th, and lasting until the 15th. We don’t have the specific program yet, but will hopefully have the full event list, dates and times soon!

After the fall of the Ceremonial City Cahuachi around 400AD due to a series of natural disasters that foresaw the fall of their civilization, the center of Nazca civilization was based in the area on which today’s city of Nazca sits. The civilization is known above all for the enigmatic Nazca Lines which cover miles of the desert floor in geometric shapes and pictures of animals and people and can only be fully seen from the sky. Their purpose is still debated, although the most popular theories contend that they were the world´s largest astronomical calendar designed to correlate with celestial movements, please the gods, and remind them of the need to provide for the crops and harvests. The most recent theories now suggest that they were also used as ceremonial pathways for the same reason.

Tips on the Nazca Lines

  • Remember that most tours do not include the Air Tax, which at the moment is S/.25.00 (soles).
  • Flights are short, but you can also book a longer flight that also includes the nearby Palpa Lines.
  • Earlier flights are better for increased visibility. (Flights run from 7am – 4pm.)
  • Some people choose to take motion sickness pills in advance, since the pilots tilt and turn as much as possible to ensure that everyone gets good views of the ground.

(Click for info on Flights over the Nazca Lines.)

Getting to Nazca

Nazca is located about 400km south of Lima. If you’re only going to go see the Nazca Lines, try a one or two night trip departing from Lima, although a couple nights extra would allow you the opportunity to visit the Cantayoc Aqueducts, Chauchilla Cemetery, or the ruins of Cahuachi.


A view of the Pirwa Nazca Patio!

A direct bus takes about 9 hours, although you can split the trip up if you were planning on visiting Paracas Bay to see the Ballestas Islands, or Huacachina Oasis for some sandboarding, as companies such as Cruz del Sur make stops in both Ica and Paracas. You can do overnight buses or during the daytime. If you’ve stopped in Ica to visit Huacachina, small buses known as colectivos leave frequently for Nazca, the 2-3hr trip costs S/.12.00 (soles).

Overnight buses from Cuzco will take you 14 hours, and from Arequipa 9 hours, although trip times are very approximate, depending on the weather, road conditions, etc. Expect prices to range from S/.60.00-S/.180.00 (soles), and vary during high and low tourist seasons.

When looking for a place to stay, we hope that you’ll give Pirwa Nazca Backpackers a try! Not sure? Click here for an independent review of Pirwa Nazca from another travel blog….

What to Do in Nazca Aside From the Lines…

  • A visit to the Museo Arqueológico Antonini on Avenida la Cultura will give you priceless insight into the Nazca people, teaching about the archeological sites and the Nazca Lines, the system of aqueducts that they created, the detailed polychrome ceramics for which they are famed, their mummies and their skilled textile work.
  • The Cantayoc Aqueducts is an impressive underground irrigation system unlike any you’ve seen, that managed to bring life to this arid landscape. After a thousand years, some are still in use today! (Tour Info on the Cantayoc Aqueducts)
  • At Chauchilla Cemetery you can observe incredibly well-preserved mummies and artifacts including deformed skulls and ‘trophy heads’ more than a thousand years old. (Tour Info on Chauchilla Cemetery)
  • The Cahuachi Archeological Site 20min from Nazca was once a ceremonial and pilgrimage center, the Nazca’s most important city. Stop by to see the adobe pyramids and temples, which are still being excavated to this day.
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Save Big in Puno with our Unbeatable Hostel Prices!

Save Big in Puno with our Unbeatable Hostel Prices!

We’re offering 15% off for all room types at Pirwa Puno Backpackers! If you’ve been hoping to see the world-famous manmade Floating Islands of Uros and other traditional Aymara- or Quechua-speaking islands throughout the world’s highest navigable lake, Lake Titicaca, this is the perfect time to do so- and Pirwa Puno Backpackers is only a 15 minute walk from the harbor!

Pirwa Puno Backpackers boasts an enviable location near Calle Independencia Lima, a couple of blocks from Puno’s Plaza de Armas, and a range of private rooms and shared-dormitories fit to accommodate all stripes of travelers. The friendly staff is waiting to welcome you and help you discover all that Puno has to offer!

Pirwa Puno Backpackers offers the services you’ve come to expect from Pirwa Hostels- continental breakfast, hot water 24/7, self-catering kitchen, internet & Wi-Fi, travel information counter … not to mention the fun to be had with us and other travelers in the in-house bar and TV/game lounge!

You can access the 15% discount easily by booking through our website! You can also book via email with reservaspirwa@gmail.com. They can also help you out if you have any questions or requests regarding your trip. We’re waiting to hear from you!

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Mystical Tourism: Trying Ayahuasca in Peru

Mystical Tourism: Trying Ayahuasca in Peru

Ayahuasca is Quechua for spirit vine, or vine of souls; it is a brew which shamans of the Amazon Basin have been preparing for hundreds of years

It is employed throughout the Amazon and Andes for divinatory purposes, as a religious sacrament, and for healing. Popular in Peru’s indigenous communities and among many mestizos, it’s seen throughout the country as an herbal medicine rather than an illicit hallucinogenic drug, and a valued part of Peruvian spiritual and economic life, with government tourist agencies even sponsoring ayahuasca festivals.

Popular Ayahuasca destinations include the Amazonian urban center of Iquitos and the outlying Shipibo town of San Francisco, although you can also experience it in the Andean region, such as in Cusco’s Sacred Valley. You can even take part in ayahuasca healing retreats during which you will take part in multiple ceremonies.

Apprentices spend years under the tutelage of elder shaman getting to know the individual plants used to prepare ayahuasca, learning about their individual healing properties and the spirits associated with each. According the shaman, these spirits teach them icaros, or spirit songs, which they then sing or whistle during ceremonies in order to call forth the plants’ unique assistance.

Preparations vary, but of the basic leaves, seeds, and bark combination which are boiled together to prepare the brew, it is the caapi vine which must be present. The vine is considered to be the gatekeeper and guide to otherworldly realms. Traditional additions of barks and plants are often added on top of the main ingredients for their spiritual properties, from Ayahuma bark which is used to retrieve parts of the soul lost to trauma, Capirona bark for cleansing, Remo Caspi bark to heal dark energy, and much more. Each of the many possible ingredients has a recognizable spirit; the Ayahuma bark, for instance, appears as a headless giant.

CAUTION: If you’re interested in trying Ayahuasca, you must take responsibility yourself for researching possible severe adverse reactions with various prescription medications, as most shamans are unfamiliar with Western pharmaceuticals.

Ceremonies take place as night falls, generally after a brief midday fast. The freshly prepared ayahuasca will be blessed with mapacho, a tobacco whose smoke is believed to ward off negative spirits, as the shamans pay homage to the ayahuasca’s spirits, entreating their assistance. The shamans will serve you the amount which they feel you are in need of. The taste is not pleasant, and vomiting is a normal occurrence, viewed as a purging of dark energy.

Once all have drunk, the lights are put out and the shaman begin to sing their spirit songs to the rhythm of their chakapas, leaf rattles and in somewhere around 20 minutes, the visions will begin to appear. Ideally, during this time practitioners seek a window into themselves, wrestling with their fears and releasing negative spirits. Many feel they are traveling among realities. Sting famously says that during his Ayahuasca ceremony, he chased a bee through a Joshua tree for hours. You can expect the average ceremony lasts about four to five hours.

In each of Pirwa Hostels’ thirteen locations throughout Peru and Bolivia, you’ll find the help desks of our own travel agency and tour operator, Pirwa Travel. If you are interested in trying ayahuasca, you can ask them to help arrange this for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t the time to make it to the jungle, as there are also options throughout the Andean region for mystical tourists looking for a unique experience!


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