# Machu Picchu - done it?



## NTIL

I can't believe it, but Christmas isn't over yet and I'm already thinking about my summer holiday!!  Bonkers!!  Anyway...

I'm wondering about doing Machu Picchu next summer (the three-day trek, rather than the train).  Has anyone with Type 1 diabetes on this site done it?  If so...

Did you have any problems with judging your insulin regime (exercise vs. strange food)?  Did you bring your own food or rely on a tour?  If you used a tour's food, which tour did you use?  Would you recommend them?  And, finally, did you have any problems with altitude?  I hear that altitude can play jiggery pokery with your sugar levels.  Is this true?

Would love to hear from anyone who knows anything about this!


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## rachelha

Hi NTIL

I have not done Machu Picchu but I did do a 7 day trek in the foothills of the Himalayas last year.  It was with Imaginative Traveller.  I informed them before I went I was diabetic and they had no problems with it.  I told the guide when we arrived too, but he had no medical training and was not really much use.  I was travelling with my husband though and he was well primed. Would you be going by yourself or with someone else?  I took lots of spares, a glucagon kit, and loads of cereal bars and gluco tabs with me.  I was a bit worried about the tight weight limit we had (as the porters had to carry our bags), but between the 2 of us it was fine.

I did not really have any major problems with the food, a lot of it was rice and a veg curry so that was ok.  No puddings - which made life quite easy.  

We went up to 10,000 ft one day and I found I was a bit more out of breath, but the altitude did not really effect me (the breathness could have been due to getting up at 4:30am to climb a hill and watch the sunrise).  I don't remember the altitude having any effect on my sugar levels.  I did run my levels a bit higher than normal as I was worried about hypos due to all the exercise trekking and holding the rest of my group up.

I went to my GP before going and explained what I was doing and along with all the normal jabs she gave me a prescription for antibiotics in case of stomach upset while I was there.  It was quite reassuring to know I had these just in case.  I am not sure of the temperature in Peru but if it is hot I would get a frio bag.  They just need to be soaked in water then keep your insulin cool for a couple of days, before needing to be resoaked. 

I did a far amount of training before going - especially trying to go hill walking to get used to long days of exercise.  There was guidance on the DAFNE programme relating to trekking, I could find it for you.

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.


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## Copepod

Will answer more about trekking at altitude in the Andes when I get back from school this afternoon.


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## Copepod

*trekking in the Andes...*

One of my favourite topics... 
I haven't done the Machu Pichu Trail, but trekked 3 days / 2 nights camping the Inca Trail to Ingapirca, another Inca city (not really ruins, as the Incas really knew how to build earthquake proof buildings) in Ecuador. My partner & I hiked alone, not part of an organised group, and as he'd previously trekked in Chile, Bolivia etc, I'm also drawing on his experiences, and I've also travelled widely in Costa Rica, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Chile, Argentina etc - all but Mexico and first trip to Costa Rica since diagnosis. 
A few general points about travelling in Latin America
(1) Learn as much Spanish as possible (unless you're limiting yourself to Portuguese or English speaking countries) - it's a relatively easy language, particularly if you know any Latin, Italian, French or Romanian. Your efforts will be rewarded out of all proportion to to your efforts. 
(2) South American food is great (lots of beef, rice, avacados, tomatoes, tree tomatoes, mangoes, soup etc), but you will find it difficult if you're vegetarian (especially as saying you don't eat carne is more likely to be interpretted as you don't eat beef [but will eat chicken, pork etc] than that you don't eat any meat; you'll also suffer if you don't like rice as that's the main carbohydrate with most cooked meals, although bread with soup is also available.
(3) Camping food - we bought local versions of the sort of food we'd take backpacking anywhere - packet soups, rice, noodles, pasta, bread, cheese, tomatoes, fruit, bolied sweets, muesli bars, peanuts etc. 
(4) Coffee isn't as good as you'd expect - instant Nescafe is standard in South American cafes, restaurants etc, not good ground Costa Rican coffee.
(5) Altitude - Machu Pichu Trail max altitude reached 4200m, distance 31km, 3or 4 days; Cuzco (nearest city to Machu Pichu) is at 3310m, so worth spending a few days there, sightseeing and buying supplies, while acclimatising to the altitude (we spent a few days at Quito, Ecuador, 2800m before Ingapirca Trail) (details taken from The Andes: A Trekking Guide, by John Biggar & Cathy Biggar, brother & sister who run Andes trekking & climbing company from Castle Douglas in southern Scotland, ISBN 0-9536087-1-9, I have no commercial links with this company, just found their guidebooks excellent) There is a drug, Diamox [trade name] or acetazolamide [generic name] which can be prescribed to take before going to altitude -ask for advice from GP, and if they don't know anything, try a specialist travel clinic or read http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.htm I didn't bother, but had been to 3800m before (in Indonesia, before diagnosis). Remember, it gets cold at altitude, especially at night, so take plenty of layers of clothing, and keep kit as dry as possible, as wet kit isn't as good at insulating. A heat emitting  partner & good sleeping bag helps, too!
(6) For up to date information about trekking companies, I'd suggest you look on the Thorn Tree forum on www.lonelyplanet.com 
(7) Season: recommended season for trek April to September, best May, June & July
(8) I've never bothered with a Frio bag not glucagon, but if you're used tgo travelling with them, then take them, if not, just do what I did- keep insulin in a plastic tub or box, out of direct sunlight, nowhere near bus engines etc, and used hotel / restaurant fridges whenever possible.
(9) Travel insurance - check that there are no exclusions for activities such as trekking, going above 4000m etc, as well as declaring diabetes.
(10) Most of all - buen viaje!


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## Northerner

Copepod said:


> ...(5) Altitude - Machu Pichu Trail max altitude reached 4200m, distance 31km, 3or 4 days...



I was reading my test strip leaflet the other day and they said they have been tested to 3,053 metres (which I'm guessing is about 10,000 feet). It doesn't say what to do above that altitude!


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## Copepod

Wonder where is 3053m? Not very high. Or perhaps just a conversion from altitude measured in USA in feet? In western Europe, they could have got it to over 4800m at summit of Mont Blanc or Mount Elbrus in Russia at over 5600m or Jebel Toubkhal at over 4100m in the Atlas Mtns in Morocco.


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## NTIL

Thank you guys for your replies!  Sorry for not replying sooner... been a HUGELY busy week!!

I?ll be going with my husband, who is VERY prepared for these kind of things and happy to help me out wherever he can (aren?t I lucky?!).  He?ll probably be asking me to test my sugars more than I would ever think of!!!  It does have the advantage of having more places to put all my diabetic stuff... ?You don?t really need clothes, do you hubby?!?  He?s actually done the three-day Macca Picchu trek before (a while back) so is advising me accordingly.  We?re planning to use the same company that he used as we know (more or less) what to expect.

I was planning to run my sugars higher on the trek (it?s only three days), even though I find exercise harder when that happens... Out of breath and tired.  It?s better than having a hypo up a hillside though!!

I already have a frio bag that I?ve used to previous travels so I?ll definitely take that.  It?ll be warm when not up the mountain so I?ll need it then.  It gets chilly at altitude but not worryingly enough for it to be a problem for the insulin (I?ll just put it in my sleeping bag if necessary!!).

Rachel, it would be GREAT if you could send me the information re trekking from DAFNE... That course is not open to me where I am (too long a waiting list).

I'm really shocked about the blood test strips!  I wouldn't have even considered that!  It looks like the trip I'd like to take goes up to approx 4,500m so I might be in trouble... Question for my consultant, I think!

Re travel insurance, I?ve got other medical conditions as well and have found it really tricky to find someone to insure me (?we?ll insure you, excluding your present medical conditions? ? what?s the point?!) so I use a company called PJ Hayman who will cover me and all my conditions (at a rather large fee, of course!).

SO much to consider but thank you everyone for your inputs to date!

Natalie


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## rachelha

Hello there - I have used a company called Columbus travel before.  They have covered me for the diabetes fine and at not much of a higher cost than for my husband.  They do cover for all sorts of different things, including high altitude trekking.  
NTIL - could you pm me your email address and I will put the DAFNE guidelines in a word doc and send it to you.


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## Copepod

Best ask the company who makes your strips & meter - when I've asked in the past, they've been willing to admit that their strips actually have wider tolerance than stated in their leaflets. But keep testing kit under clothing to stop it getting too cold / damp.


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