Altitude Sickness

Our guides are Australian doctors medically trained in the effects and management of AMS. If your Himatrek Guide decides you need to descend, then they will make that decision on your behalf. They are professionals and will always ensure the safety of all participants on the trek. Let them be the experts on this issue as they do know best !!!

Above 2500 metres, the concentration of oxygen in the air starts to drop off rapidly, markedly reducing the amount of oxygen that reaches your brain and other organs. All efforts on our behalf are to avoid the effects of altitude sickness. We limit the rate of your ascent , which allows the body to adjust to the altitude slowly. On treks at an altitude of over 4000 metres, almost everyone experiences some symptoms of mild altitude sickness. Over 2800 metres, symptoms can include breathlessness, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, irritability and difficulty sleeping. This is all linked to the reduced oxygen in the blood. These mild symptoms usually subside if you stop ascending and give your body time to catch up with the increase in altitude, so be aware that acclimatisation days will be a part of your itinerary for higher treks.

Garlic soup and keeping well hydrated with herbal teas will assist and support your body in this situation. Avoiding coffee, black tea and certainly alcohol and sleeping pills is advised and also to refrain from smoking as all these substances dehydrate the body.

TREATMENT

Treatment is usually to acclimatise for a day; in severe cases our team will descend you 200 metres to reduce effects immediately. In some cases Diamox can be used for support.