Tomás Riquelme
Guía de montaña
Climbing above 4,000 meters is not something to improvise. Here is a realistic 8-week plan, recommended by our mountain guides.
The question we get most before a trek above 4,000 meters is not about gear but about fitness. And the short answer is: you do not need to be an athlete, but you do need a plan.
Why altitude changes the rules
Above 3,000 meters, every step requires more oxygen than your body can deliver. That means performance that is normal in Santiago or Lima drops by half. The good news is that the body learns to compensate if we train it.
8-week plan (3 sessions per week)
- Weeks 1-2: Long walks on flat ground (60-90 min) with a light pack (5 kg).
- Weeks 3-4: Climbs with elevation gain (hills, building stairs) plus one leg-strength session.
- Weeks 5-6: Simulated treks of 4-5 hours with a pack at its real weight.
- Weeks 7-8: Reduce volume, keep intensity, sleep well.
What to train specifically
The most underrated muscles are the calves and the hip flexors. Descents wreck more knees than ascents; working on them with Bulgarian split squats and weighted lunges greatly reduces the risk of injury.
The cardio factor
If you can run for 40 minutes at a conversational pace, you have the base. If not, start by walking briskly and build from there. There is no point pounding yourself with HIIT if you are going to walk six hours straight in the mountains.
Acclimatization on the ground
Adding two nights of acclimatization in Cusco (3,400 meters) before the trek to your plan often makes the difference between enjoying it and suffering through it.
What matters: preparation is so that the journey can be enjoyed, not merely survived.