Inca Jungle Treks Adventure Travels

The highest altitude you will reach is Abra Malaga Pass at just over 4,300m. From this point you descend relatively quickly, as you are cycling, and end the day at a rather low altitude for the Andes, just under 1,200m.

For the rest of the tour the trail undulates, but never goes higher than 2,000m. Machu Picchu itself sits at 2,430m, which is still relatively low.

Inca Jungle Treks

This means that altitude sickness on the Inca Jungle trail is rare and nowhere near as prevalent on some of the other trails in this region where trekkers spend good portions of time hiking over 4,000m passes.

You are in fact at greater risk of succumbing to altitude sickness symptoms before you start the trek. Most visitors to Machu Picchu fly into Cusco which is situated at high altitude, over 3,400m. Experiencing mild altitude sickness, like a headache or nausea, is common for many visitors to Cusco.

It is important that you spend a few days acclimatising at this altitude before going any higher.

Another good option, if you have the time, is to immediately descend from Cusco into the Sacred Valley, which is a good 1,000m lower, and rest here for a few days before returning to Cusco to join your Inca Jungle trek.

Either way, acclimatising for a few days in Cusco or in the Sacred Valley before you begin your trek is a worthwhile investment.