How to prepare for high altitude: Tips for a safe and successful trip

You might be a CrossFit champ or a casual cardio legend, but altitude is the great equaliser. Once you hit high elevation—we’re talking anything above 2,438 meters (8,000 ft)—your fitness won’t stop your lungs from panicking like it’s their first day on the job. 

And trust us, altitude doesn’t care how many burpees you can do. If you skip prep, you’re rolling the dice with altitude sickness, and that is not the kind of adventure you want in your travel diary. 

Learning how to prepare for high altitude is the real secret weapon to making it up and back down in one oxygen-deprived piece. 

So whether you’re trekking through the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, chasing ancient ruins on the way to Machu Picchu, or eyeing the summit of Kilimanjaro, understanding how altitude affects your body is step one to keeping your trip awesome—not awful. 

Understanding how humans survive at high altitudes is key. Here’s the short version: the air gets thinner, your lungs get dramatic, and your body goes into “what the heck is happening?” mode. 

At altitudes above 2,438 meters (8,000 ft), oxygen levels drop significantly. Your body, now gasping like a fish out of water, starts working harder to breathe, move, and just exist. Cue shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches, nausea—and in some cases, more serious issues like high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), which is as scary as it sounds. 

It’s crucial to know how to prepare for altitude to reduce your chances of developing something dangerous in a low oxygen environment. 

If you’re heading to Mount Meru in Tanzania—or any peak with serious elevation gain—take these symptoms seriously. This isn’t the time to power through. Knowing the symptoms of altitude and listening to your body could literally save your trek. 

If you ignore the symptoms of altitude, they can turn into: High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) – which sounds scary because it is. 

Symptoms include: 

Again, if this happens: descend. Immediately. You can’t “walk it off” when your lungs are waving the white flag. 

And before you go? Talk to your doctor. Especially if it’s your first time at high elevation or if you have any underlying conditions. You wouldn’t show up to a marathon without stretching, right? Same logic applies here. 

Learning how to prepare for high elevation isn’t just smart—it’s essential if you want to enjoy the climb instead of wheezing through it like a broken accordion. 

And while you’re at it, talk to your doctor before your trip—especially if you have pre-existing conditions or want to bring preventative meds. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) doesn’t care about your passport stamp collection. 

Altitude likes a slow dance. Go too fast, and you’re out of the rhythm—and possibly out of the trek. 

Skip this, and you risk acute mountain sickness—a fun-sucking condition that can flatten even the fittest. 

Dry mountain air is sneaky. You lose moisture just by breathing. That means you need to drink way more water than you think. 

The golden rule of how to prepare for high altitude? Hydration, hydration, hydration. 

If you’re doing a multi-day trek in Tanzania, hydration is especially crucial—those trails get dusty, dry, and steep fast. And don’t underestimate how fast you can develop altitude sickness if you’re dehydrated and climbing hard. 

You burn a ton of calories at altitude. The higher you go, the hungrier you should be (even if altitude kills your appetite). 

Go for carbs. They’re easy to digest and give your body the quick energy it needs to function in low oxygen.  

Also, salty snacks help you retain water. So yes, eat those chips. 

Proper fueling is a big part of how to prep for high altitude—because hangry and hypoxic is not a good combo. Experts also suggest that hikers need protein, although the main questions remain: how much protein should hikers eat and what’s the best way to get it? 

Need-to-know takeaway? How to prepare for altitude isn’t just about the summit. It’s about pacing yourself, fueling smart, staying hydrated, and keeping your lungs—and brain—happy in a low-oxygen party zone. 

Want to enjoy the views without a pounding headache or surprise trip to the rescue hut? Then take it slow, prep smart, treat high places with the respect they demand and follow these seven tips for tackling high altitude travel.  

Altitude sickness is annoying, sneaky, and wildly disrespectful to your travel goals. The good news? It’s also 100% avoidable—if you learn how to prepare for altitude and listen to your body instead of ignoring its increasingly loud complaints. 

If you skip the prep, the consequences can go from “I feel gross” to full-on emergencies. We’re talking about things like high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)—aka fluid crashing your lung party—or its even nastier cousin, high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), which involves brain swelling. Both are the kind of conditions that require you to descend immediately. As in, drop everything and go immediately. 

Spending time at higher altitudes—say, acclimatizing for a few days above sea level on Kilimanjaro—is a simple way to prevent these dramatic plot twists. 

You can't recreate the thin-air chaos of the Andes or Himalayas at sea level, but you can train your body to be less surprised when the oxygen levels start playing hard to get. 

Learning how to prep for high altitude starts months before your plane takes off. Here’s your game plan: 

The goal here is endurance, not speed. Think long hikes, uphill climbs, and workouts that make your heart and lungs work—because they’re about to get tested. 

Cardio you should totally be doing: 

Prepping for higher altitudes like Everest Base Camp? Build up to 60–90 minutes of sustained effort, 3–5 times a week. Your lungs will be happy when you’re trekking at 4,572 meters (15,000 ft) and still feeling good. 

This isn’t about bulking up—it’s about building the kind of strength that keeps you steady when the terrain is throwing rocks, roots, and switchbacks at you. 

Essential moves: 

If you’re eyeing steep treks like Annapurna or Mount Meru, this kind of prep could be the difference between “I feel strong” and “carry me like a backpack.” 

If you’ve got the budget and the motivation, altitude simulation is next-level prep. Think hypoxic training masks, altitude tents, and gym setups that reduce the oxygen environment so your body can adapt before you leave home. 

Does it work? Yes—especially if you’re heading above 4,267 meters (14,000 ft) or planning a fast ascent with minimal time for acclimatization. It’s not essential for most travelers, but if you’re tackling super high elevation in a short window, it might give you the edge. 

There’s an art to packing for the mountains. Go too light, and you’ll be freezing. Go too heavy, and you’ll feel like you’re hauling a baby yak through the Himalayas. 

You don’t need to bring the entire REI store, but some things are non-negotiable: 

Pro tip: You’re not finding a pharmacy on your way to the summit. Bring it all. Especially on routes like the Manaslu Circuit where resupply isn’t an option until you come back down. 

Look, altitude sickness doesn’t care if you ran a marathon last month. Knowing how to prepare for altitude is less about your fitness and more about how your body responds to low oxygen levels—which can’t be predicted. 

That’s why it’s a smart move to talk to your doctor before heading to higher elevations. Especially if you’ve never been above 8,000 feet. Common altitude meds include: 

A go-to for helping your body adjust to the thinner oxygen environment. It encourages faster breathing and reduces the risk of developing altitude sickness. 

A heavy-hitter used for more serious conditions like high altitude cerebral edema. If this is in your pack, your doctor definitely knows you’re not here to play.

Low iron = sluggish red blood cell production = slower adaptation to high altitudes. Get checked beforehand—this isn’t the time to guess. 

Some trekkers also try supplements like ginkgo biloba. Jury’s still out on effectiveness, but nothing beats spending time acclimatizing and ascending slowly. 

Okay, so you’ve arrived. You’ve trained, packed like a pro, and brought your meds. Now comes the real test. 

Knowing how to prepare for high altitude means staying sharp once you're in the mountains. 

Acclimatisation days are built into itineraries for a reason—take full advantage. 

Here’s a truth that doesn’t make it onto many travel blogs: altitude sickness is equal-opportunity annoying. It doesn’t care how many lunges you did or what your resting heart rate is. 

One day you’re marveling at glaciers, the next you’re lying in your sleeping bag googling “symptoms include confusion at 4,000 meters?” 

But don’t panic. You can absolutely avoid altitude sickness if you respect the climb: 

And most importantly, go with people who know what they’re doing. 

At Follow Alice, all treks are designed with safety (and oxygen) in mind. Our itineraries help your body adapt gradually, guides monitor for high altitude pulmonary symptoms, and you’ll never be rushed past your comfort zone. 

That means you actually get to enjoy the views—breathe them in, feel the magic—and not just survive the climb. Because that first deep breath when your body finally says, “Okay. We got this.”? That’s the moment the mountain becomes yours.