Admiring the spectacular and breathtaking views during a Kilimanjaro trek or succumbing to the magic of an Everest Base Camp trek demands a lot of training and preparation but the reward is well worth it.
Altitude trekking holidays are physically demanding and require a good level of fitness.
Before deciding on a trekking adventure it is worth assessing your current fitness level and deciding on a training programme.
Here are some tips on how to prepare for an altitude trekking holiday: Trekking training programme - nothing is too little when preparing for an altitude trekking holiday, go swimming, run on a treadmill, aerobics, get outdoors and walk during 4 to 6 hours, climb a mountain, walk up hills, climb stairs.
Research the trek - a good thing to do is to research about the trek beforehand, read guides and articles, research the trek online, contact other people that have done it or if you are part of a climbing holiday organiser, ask them for information! Vaccinations - depending on the destination of the trekking holiday, you will need to get vaccinated.
Make sure you are aware of the vaccinations required before you embark in this adventure holiday.
Altitude sickness - Altitude sickness, also known as mountain sickness, affects people at over 6,000 feet and even the most experienced and fittest climbers can develop complications when trekking at altitude.
To prevent suffering from altitude sickness, the best way is to ascent slowly during a period of days giving the body the chance to acclimatise to the altitude.
Some early symptoms include headaches, nausea, fatigue and drowsiness.
Although preparing for a trekking holiday seems a big effort, once you are out there climbing and admiring incredible views, everything you have done to prepare yourself for this holiday adventure will be well worth it.