2. Give yourself time to acclimatise

Combining your trip with a tour of Lake Titicaca or Arequipa is a good way to acclimatise. Some people combine their tour with a trip to the amazing Salar de Uyuni salt plains in Bolivia. These three locations are all at high altitude and don't involve much exertion. So on the Inca Trail, whilst others are gasping for oxygen, you can serenely soak up the magnificence of your surroundings.

Stay healthy
The highest point on the trek is Warmiwanusca (Dead Woman’s Pass) at 4,200m. Don’t let the altitude put you off – to help avoid discomfort, buy coca tea before the trek and drink it en route. Never just take aspirin to fight off headaches since this could mask the symptoms of altitude sickness and stop diagnosis by the group leader. The Adventure Company’s trips include regular breaks for refreshments plus three meals a day, but it is also worth taking energy bars and glucose tablets which are easy to digest even if you are not feeling hungry