Machu Picchu - altitude sickness?

[Work2hard]

Had a half thought about taking DCs next year - they will then be 8 and 6. Am worried that they might get altitude sickness - no one seems to know if this is more or less likely with young children. Anyone here had any experience of this sort of travel or know any more about it?

I visited MP with parents and youngest bo when he was 14.He got altitude sickness and so did mum but dad and I were unaffected.I think it is somewhat luck of the draw.I am unsure about how it generall affects young children.The worst moment was getting of the plane in Cuzco and I did feel quite dizzy,but you do acclimatise after a day or so.The locals encouraged us to drink Coca tea but obviously this is probably unsuitable for children.(My mum was all for taking some back to UK until we pointed out it was the leaves of the coca plant,so prob illegal...she hadn't realised!!!!)

If you do go for it I would say that it is the most beautiful country I have ever visited,and if you stay in the town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of MP they have the most wonderful hot springs which are fab to relax in after a hard day,watching the mountains and hummingbirds fluttering around.The train ride from Cuzco to MP is spectacular,and MP itself is stunning.

i got altitude sickness in cuzco. it was dreadful. of course the trip was absolutely worthwhile, and i lost heaps of weight with the coca tea suppressing my apetite.

i think macchu pichu is great when you do the full 5 day trek to get there for sunrise and i think this would be too much for a six year old.
it's definitely more of a gap year type of trip than a family trip imo.
will a 6 year old understand what they are looking at?

Oh and the costs of hotels is REALLY cheap.We stayed in a what was classed as quite basic hotel for twenty dollars a night It was basic but had clean comfortable beds and the most fabulous view.The cost included a breakfast of local bread and fruit and good coffee,sitting al fresco with lots of beautiful flora and fauna around.In AC we ate in a hare krishna restaurant,5 courses,total cost £1 equiv,of delicious veggie food.Yum.

Oh I am getting all nostalgic now.I think it is the most favourite place I have ever been.

I loved MP and the Inca Trail too. Agree totally with Dragonbutter that doing the trek would be way too much for either an 8 or a 6 year old. I was 30, and it was the toughest walking I've ever done, esp the second day which is really really tough - hours and hours uphill at high altitude.

I don't know if altitude is more likely to hit children, it seemed pretty random to me who suffered. Having had it mildly, and seen some people really suffering, I would be very cautious with littlies.

MIL ended up in hospital in Cuzco with altitude sickness. She was fine in the end, but very scary. Would hesitate to take young children myself. I agree with the poster who asks whether a six-year-old could really appreciate it.

I went to MP in 2007. There were quite a few kids who had gone up on the train (as we did). I think so long as you spend a few days in Cuzco acclimatising the kids you'll be fine. If going by train - get your tickets as soon as you land - they go quite quickly. I don't think they can have the coca leaves but there was coca tea and coca sweets which may be ok as not as potent(I'm no expert). Best thing is probably to talk to your GP. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Have a great time!

Thanks everyone.
I definitely wouldn't try and get teh boys to do the trek so I think this is one to come back to when they are teenagers (argh!)
i think we will do Galapagos plus a beachy/wildlifey week (don't want to go that far for just one week's holiday, they've not been long haul before and I don't do jet lag that well myself!).

Have been to both Peru and Galapagos - you definitely need to watch the altitude. Bear in mind that generally when you go to the Galapagos you fly to Quito (more than 3000m above sea level) we were fine but you need to take this into consideration. Make sure you take sea sickness tablets.