Most of Ladakh is situated at an altitude of over 3,000 mts. Leh is at 3,500 metres. Places this far up have reduced oxygen levels. Now, what normally happens when you travel to places this high too quickly, or exert yourself at these altitudes, is that you begin to experience fatigue, shortness of breath, disorientation, nausea, dizziness, headaches, loss of appetite, etc. This is called Acute Mountain sickness (AMS).
People tend to get AMS while doing a quick road trip, or while crossing high road passes, or soon after they fly to, or over exert themselves in Ladakh after only just arriving there. AMS is a silent enemy; it may not strike at once but settle in during your first night or second day in Ladakh. Different people are affected to different degrees.
To acclimatise or get used to the low oxygen Ladakhi atmosphere, you need to:
- Take your time getting there, giving your body more time to adjust. Travelling by road is better than flying in, and a two-day road trip is better than a one-day trip.
- Take it easy during your first few days in Ladakh. No exercise, just rest.
- Drink lots of water. Hydration helps counter AMS, so sip on water continually, even if you don't have an appetite for food.
- No alcohol.
To counter AMS while crossing a high pass on the Srinagar-Leh or Manali-Leh highway, cross it as quickly a possible. These high mountain passes offer stunning scenery but their heights and the quick time it takes you to reach them ensures that AMS hits you immediately, so it is advised not to stop there for more than 5 minutes for photography or other purposes and get to a lower altitude quickly, especially if you are travelling by yourself or operating your own vehicle.
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