Machu Picchu Travel Forum

Hi everyone,
I've been trying to read up on the situation with food and water. My boyfriend and I will not be staying at a 5 star, all inclusive hotel so I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to what foods to eat, foods to avoid? Also, I've heard that if you buy bottled water you are pretty much good to go, but do you think it's worth it for me to bring a water purifier? I'd assume you can't use tap water to brush your teeth or anything like that either.
We are not going to be in Peru for long at all, so I want to do all that I do to avoid getting sick. We'll be flying from Lima to Cuzco and then almost immediately down to Augas Caliente. We'll be staying there for 3 nights and visiting the surrounding area and of course Machu Picchu. Everyone seems to say that Cuzco is the place to worry about altitude sickness. The most time we will spend there is a half a day until we catch a flight back to Lima and then back to the States. Any advice about altitude sickness in this short amount of time or the best way to avoid it?? Thanks!!

Andrea

I've only been to the west of where you're going (in Equador) and never had any issues with bottled water or the food in restaurants. An friend did make the hop over to Cuzco and Lima and didn't drink enough and didn't use insect repellant and ended up quite ill from a bug bite. He said altitude was not an issue.

I've skied at 14K feet without issues but always remained well fed with powerbars and well hydrated.

You should consider whether you've been at altitude before (planes don't count); are you able to exercise at altitude without issue. Do you have any breathing or heart disorders that would cause an increased risk at altitude due to the lack of oxygen.

If you are in good shape and take it easy, you should be ok.

Andrea,
Just got back from there. Very prone to gringo gut, etc.....Bottled water is readily avail in Peru. Unles you are hiking the Inca trail or going off path Oeru you will find is overly accomidating to tourists. A friend who lives in Lima bought me a bottle of Probiotics from a local drug store (you can buy it at health food stores in the US)and I had no problems with the food for the most part unlike S. Chile where I really got it bad. If you are only going to be in Cuzco for half a day then stick to the Coco tea or cookies and you should be fine. Keep in mind that AQ/MP is very touristed and priced accordingly.

Have a great trip.

Yes, you are "good to go" if you stick with the bottled water & there's no need to bring a water purifier with you. There are lots of purified/distilled bottled water you can buy in hotels/hostels and at nearby stores. By doing this, you can pretty much eat anything. This has worked for me in my travels to less developed countries and I have never been sick (knock on wood). Also, make sure you only drink boiled water if no bottled water is readily available for the moment and stick to hot drinks all the time (e.g., hot tea, hot coffee), while avoiding fruit juices sold in streets (even in some restaurants) because those may be diluted with contaminated water. Sodas in cans or in bottles should be fine to drink. Buy an extra liter or two of bottled water that you can use for brushing your teeth to feel better. You should be fine with heading down first and going back to Cusco after for a 1/2 day stay before flying out of there. See my Cusco page "general tip" section for some tips on alleviating altitude sickness.

Good Luck & Enjoy Beautiful Peru!

BTW, also make sure that the vegetables you eat are boiled or cooked because fresh ones that have not been cleaned properly can make you sick. Good Luck again!

i hear the locals sell coco plant leaves. chew on those to avoid altitude sickness.

Hi!
Pls, check your email!

I also flew straight to Cusco from an overnight stay in Lima and when I arrived, I did feel a little short of breath, but I was not sure if I was just tired or just too excited. This experience only lasted about 2 hours though upon arrival.

I did take the recommended prevention medication: Acetazolamide (Diamox) tablets twice daily which I started two days before leaving the USA (and you are supposed to continue taking them 3 days after arrival). I had no reactions with Diamox, but if you allergies or are taking other drugs, check with your doctor.

Altitude sickeness supposedly affects anyone, whether you're young or old. Most of the time nothing happens, but if you happen to be that rare person who will have it - you won't forget it. The ultimate treatment for severe altitude sickness (causing pulmonary edema - lung filling up with fluid) is going down to a lower altitude ASAP!

So, I think it is still wise to find out about recommendations on how to avoid it. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and depressant drugs, such as sleeping pills and opiates. You have to stay hydrated as well anbd avoid overexertion (I chose to lay down for about an hour in my hotel room before I went out to explore - each person has a different "resting time" level).

It has also been written that a high carbohydrate diet helps.

But also don't forget to make sure you have at least some Hepatitis A vaccination ( you might miss the booster taken weeks after the first -- but having some partial immunity is better than none).

There is plenty of food and water in Cusco.
You can't avoid high altitude sickness.
You will ost likely have a mild headache for the first 30 hours.