To fully enjoy, not to mention successfully complete, a trek, it’s important to make sure you’re well-nourished from start to finish. A multi-day trek through the Peruvian Andes is one that will test your body’s endurance. You’ll need to feed it with plenty of water and the right types of food to make sure you’re always replacing calories lost and restoring your energy reserves for the next day of trekking. At Explorandes, we have a few tips up our sleeve to help you find the perfect nutritional balance for your trek.
General Factors You Should Keep in Mind:
- The duration of the trek
- The planned stops for consumption of food
- The time of year that you are trekking
- Your food preferences
With these factors in mind, follow these four tips for a well-nourished trek in Peru:
- Eat a wholesome breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A good breakfast will give you all of the energy you need to face any challenge the trek puts before you. Ideally the time to have breakfast is any time before 9AM. If you can, avoid any early morning caffeine cravings, as caffeine tends to lead to dehydration.
- Stay hydrated
Plan to drink at least a liter of water before setting off on the trail each day to ensure you’re pre-hydrated. During the trek, take sips frequently to restore electrolytes lost from sweating. Water is the greatest natural source of electrolytes. Staying hydrated will also help to prevent any muscle cramping and will compensate for the low oxygen levels at the high altitudes. By day’s end, try and drink at least four to five liters of water.
- Eat during the trek
Pack a few snacks to have on hand. They will help to keep your body constantly refreshed and moving forward. Your snacks should contain a healthy mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Here a few snack options we recommend:
- Nuts, walnuts, almonds
- Granola bars
- Dried fruits and vegetables
- Energy bars (sugar-free)
- Cans of tuna
- Stay away from certain foods
There are certain kinds of food that you need to stay away from while trekking, as they could lead to problems later in the trek. They are:
- Chocolate and Sugary Energy Bars: They almost entirely rely on sugar and corn syrup which can lead to an unhealthy spike and then later a crash in your energy levels. This will lead to hunger pangs eventually.
- Protein: Protein-rich food often takes longer to digest at high altitudes due to the low oxygen levels in the air.
- Alcohol: It can lead to dehydration that could then trigger Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) during a high altitude trek.
In many of our treks we offer breakfast, dinner and lunch specially prepared with nutritious food that will give you all of the protein, fat and carbohydrates you will need to complete the trek. For more information, please contact us.
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