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Altitude reference
Cusco sits at 3,399 m (11,152 ft) — higher than any peak in the continental United States east of the Rockies, and higher than most people picture when they book. This page lists the real numbers for every route we operate, so you can plan the order of your trip instead of discovering it the hard way.
Prevent acute mountain sickness before your trip. Select your target Andean destination and how many nights you will spend in the highlands before ascending.
Nights spent above 2,300m (Arequipa, Sacred Valley, Cusco or Puno) prior to this day.
Sacred Valley (2,870m) allows 60% deeper sleep and gentler acclimatization than Cusco.
Rushing to Vinicunca summit at 5,036 m (16,522 ft) with less than 2 nights in the highlands is the leading cause of emergency medical oxygen evacuations in Cusco.
| Place | Elevation | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Lima | 154 m505 ft | Sea level. Where most international flights land. |
| Sacred Valley (Urubamba) | 2,870 m9,416 ft | The right place to sleep first. |
| Machu Picchu citadel | 2,430 m7,972 ft | Lower than Cusco. This surprises people. |
| Cusco | 3,399 m11,152 ft | Higher than most travellers expect. |
| Lake Titicaca (Puno) | 3,812 m12,507 ft | Higher than Cusco, and drier. |
| Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain | 4,900 m16,076 ft | Gentle walking, serious elevation. |
| Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain | 5,036 m16,522 ft | The highest point most visitors reach. |
We colour every route on this site by the highest band it reaches. The thresholds are physiological, not round numbers: 2,500 m is where acute mountain sickness starts to appear, 3,500 m is where it becomes common.
No altitude effect. Heat and humidity are the real variables here.
No acclimatisation needed
Comfortable for almost everyone. A good place to start a trip.
No acclimatisation needed
Cusco sits here. Mild breathlessness on stairs for the first 48 hours.
1 night above 3,000 m first
Acclimatisation matters. Expect a slower pace and shorter days.
2 nights above 3,000 m first
Oxygen carried on every departure. Not a first-day activity.
3 nights above 3,000 m first
The single most common mistake is landing in Cusco and going straight up. The fix costs nothing: sleep lower first. The Sacred Valley sits at 2,870 m · 9,416 ft, five hundred metres below the city, and two nights there makes the rest of the trip markedly easier.