Altitude sickness (soroche) in Ecuador: Quito and the volcanoes

Altitude sickness (soroche) in Ecuador: Quito and the volcanoes

Meteo Info Online team Reading time: 1 min

Quito is at around 2,850 m, and many attractions (Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, the cable car) exceed 4,000 m. Arriving from the coast or from abroad, it is common to feel altitude sickness, or soroche.

Symptoms

Headache, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and trouble sleeping. They usually appear within the first hours and generally ease with rest.

How to acclimatise

  • Rest on the first day and avoid intense effort on arrival.
  • Drink water and eat light; herbal teas help many people.
  • If symptoms are severe, seek medical help and descend.

Cold and the strong radiation at altitude make it worse: check the temperature and the UV index before heading out.