Altitude & acclimatisation
The single biggest risk at altitude — and how our itineraries manage it.
Above roughly 2,500 m the air holds less oxygen, and your body needs time to adapt. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the mild, common form — headache, poor sleep, nausea, loss of appetite. Left unchecked it can progress to the serious, life-threatening forms (HACE and HAPE). The good news: with a sensible ascent profile it is almost entirely preventable, and it has nothing to do with fitness — strong, young trekkers are just as susceptible.
Every Paradise Adventure itinerary is built around the golden rule of "climb high, sleep low": we gain height gradually, build acclimatisation days into the schedule above 3,500 m, and never rush the profile to save a day. Your guide checks in with the group daily and carries a pulse oximeter and emergency oxygen.
Your job is simpler: walk at a slow, conversational pace, drink far more water than feels natural (3–4 litres a day), eat even when your appetite fades, and tell your guide the moment you feel off. Symptoms that are getting worse mean one thing — descend. There is no summit or pass worth pushing through it for.
- Ascend gradually — extra rest/acclimatisation nights built in above 3,500 m
- Hydrate hard (3–4 L/day) and walk at a conversational pace
- Know the signs: headache, nausea, poor sleep, dizziness, breathlessness at rest
- Never ascend with worsening symptoms — the fix is always to descend
- Guides carry a pulse oximeter and emergency oxygen; talk to them early
Ask about Diamox
Acetazolamide (Diamox) can help prevent AMS on faster profiles. It's a personal medical decision — discuss it with your own doctor before you travel and carry it if they advise it.