Intrepid Travel

I just got back from the Classic Inca Trail with Intrepid Travel and wanted to share what really helped me deal with altitude sickness, since I was pretty worried about it beforehand.

Before the trek:

• Arrived in Cusco 3 days early to acclimatize (this was crucial!)

• Took it super easy the first 2 days - just walked around slowly, no strenuous activities

• Drank coca tea at the hotel every morning and evening

• Stayed really hydrated - like 4-5 liters of water per day

What I packed:

• Diamox (altitude sickness medication) - got it prescribed before I left

• Ibuprofen for headaches

• Electrolyte tablets for my water bottle

• Coca leaves (bought in Cusco - way cheaper than at home)

During the trek:

• Started taking Diamox 2 days before we began hiking

• Our guide was amazing at setting a "pole pole" (slowly slowly) pace

• Forced myself to drink water even when I wasn't thirsty

• The coca leaves actually did help with the headaches

What surprised me:

• Day 2 (Dead Woman's Pass at 4,215m) was tough but manageable with proper pacing

• Sleeping at altitude was harder than hiking - bring earplugs!

• The guides carry oxygen tanks just in case (never needed it but good to know)

My advice:

• Don't skip the acclimatization days in Cusco - I saw people who flew in the day before really struggling

• Listen to your body - there's no shame in taking breaks

• The porters and guides know their stuff - trust them when they tell you to slow down

Anyone else doing this trek soon? Happy to answer questions! The whole experience was incredible and totally worth the preparation.

The conflict in the Middle East is continuing to have impacts on travel in the region including some increased travel advisory levels and disruptions to flights through Middle Eastern hubs.

JORDAN, SAUDI ARABIA & OMAN

All trips in Jordan & Saudi Arabia are cancelled up to 30th April 2026 (including the Jordan section of Egypt combination trips), and trips in Oman are cancelled up to 2nd May 2026. These cancellations have been made in recognition of the current uncertain security situation in these destinations. All affected customers will be contacted by their booking agent. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation on the ground, and decisions regarding departures beyond these dates will be made in the coming weeks.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

Trips to other destinations around the world are continuing to operate. Travellers to other destinations should continue to follow the guidance of their government's travel advice and check with their airlines for updates regarding possible flight disruptions. Travellers transiting through major Middle Eastern hubs should contact their airline or booking agent for more information. If you are scheduled to fly through Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi within the next 30 days and you are uncertain whether you will be able to join your Intrepid trip, please contact us to discuss your options.

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts

The conflict in the Middle East is continuing to have impacts on travel in the region including some increased travel advisory levels and disruptions to flights through Middle Eastern hubs.

JORDAN, SAUDI ARABIA & OMAN

All trips in Jordan & Saudi Arabia are cancelled up to 30th April 2026 (including the Jordan section of Egypt combination trips), and trips in Oman are cancelled up to 2nd May 2026. These cancellations have been made in recognition of the current uncertain security situation in these destinations. All affected customers will be contacted by their booking agent. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation on the ground, and decisions regarding departures beyond these dates will be made in the coming weeks.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

Trips to other destinations around the world are continuing to operate. Travellers to other destinations should continue to follow the guidance of their government's travel advice and check with their airlines for updates regarding possible flight disruptions. Travellers transiting through major Middle Eastern hubs should contact their airline or booking agent for more information. If you are scheduled to fly through Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi within the next 30 days and you are uncertain whether you will be able to join your Intrepid trip, please contact us to discuss your options.

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts

The conflict in the Middle East is continuing to have impacts on travel in the region including some increased travel advisory levels and disruptions to flights through Middle Eastern hubs.

EGYPT

All trips in Egypt will recommence from 1st April 2026. This includes the Egypt section only of combination trips with Jordan. Foreign travel advisories for Egypt remain at the same levels as prior to the conflict and operations are continuing as normal, including international and domestic flights.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

Trips to other destinations around the world are continuing to operate. Travellers to other destinations should continue to follow the guidance of their government's travel advice and check with their airlines for updates regarding possible flight disruptions. Travellers transiting through major Middle Eastern hubs should contact their airline or booking agent for more information. If you are scheduled to fly through Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi within the next 30 days and you are uncertain whether you will be able to join your Intrepid trip, please contact us to discuss your options.

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts

The conflict in the Middle East is continuing to have impacts on travel in the region including some increased travel advisory levels and disruptions to flights through Middle Eastern hubs.

JORDAN, SAUDI ARABIA & OMAN

All trips in Jordan & Saudi Arabia are cancelled up to 30th April 2026 (including the Jordan section of Egypt combination trips), and trips in Oman are cancelled up to 2nd May 2026. These cancellations have been made in recognition of the current uncertain security situation in these destinations. All affected customers will be contacted by their booking agent. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation on the ground, and decisions regarding departures beyond these dates will be made in the coming weeks.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

Trips to other destinations around the world are continuing to operate. Travellers to other destinations should continue to follow the guidance of their government's travel advice and check with their airlines for updates regarding possible flight disruptions. Travellers transiting through major Middle Eastern hubs should contact their airline or booking agent for more information. If you are scheduled to fly through Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi within the next 30 days and you are uncertain whether you will be able to join your Intrepid trip, please contact us to discuss your options.

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts

Cuba is currently facing repeated nationwide power outages, including the March 16 island‑wide blackout that left roughly 10 million people without electricity. We expect that the current global fuel shortage will further intensify Cuba's limited local fuel supply in the coming weeks, increasing the likelihood of disruptions to essential services.

Travellers currently in Cuba can safely continue and complete their itineraries as planned; however, due to the anticipated worsening of conditions, we are cancelling future trips to Cuba up to and including April 30. All affected customers will be contacted by their booking agent.

We are continuing to monitor the situation on the ground and decisions about departures beyond April 2026 will be made in the coming weeks.

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts

Planning this trip for May and pretty close to booking. Have read through the experiences here which helped a lot, thank you everyone.

One thing I can't figure out: the itinerary doesn't spend much time in Tokyo and also ends before you get deep into Kyoto. We can add about 3 extra days but can't do both ends because of flights.

For people who added days — did you get more value from arriving early in Tokyo or staying on after for Kyoto and Osaka? Trying to pick the more useful end.

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts

For more information: Intrepid Travel Alerts