Trip planning
How to deal with Altitude Sickness
Watch · Devkant on the trail, July 2025
ऊँचाई, ऑक्सीजन और दवाइयाँ
Altitude, oxygen & medicines
“When you come on the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib tour — Hemkund Sahib is at over 14,000 ft, the valley goes up to about 12,000 ft, and Ghangaria is at 10,500 ft so some people get oxygen problems, or other troubles. The…”
0:56 · Hindi with English captions · full screen
All 22 reels
As lack of Oxygen is very common at high altitude areas. But before it becomes severe need to know about the remedies.
Symptoms of altitude sickness
DrowsinessShortness of breath upon exertion
Nausea or vomiting
Persistent rapid pulse
Loss of appetite
Fatigue or weakness
Peripheral edema (swelling of hands, feet, and face)
Insomnia
Dizziness or light-headedness
Pins and needles
Remedies for altitude sickness
- You need to drink plenty of water as altitude sickness may be due to dehydration as the lungs lose high amount of water vapours at higher altitudes. If you are losing water due to perspiration then maintain a proper electrolyte balance by having some sports drinks.
- Acclimatizing means to get used to a specific climate. It takes some time to Acclimatize in a new climate. Here are some steps to Acclimatize fast. Well the “golden rule” for high altitude Acclimatizing is climb high and sleep low- Once you've made your way up past 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), do not ascend more than 300 metres (1,000 feet) per day to sleep. You can climb as high as you want, just make sure that you come back to a base camp that's no more than 300 m (1,000') higher than your previous night's sleeping elevation. This is a useful guideline to keep in mind if you're driving to a high altitude, as well.
- If you are not having the enough time for golden rule. Like if you are flying to a destination which is thousand feet above the departure site. Then you can reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness after reaching there.
Simulated altitude equipmentthat produce hypoxic (reduced oxygen) air. Portable hyperbaric chambers are especially useful if inclement weather or other factors could make the climb or drive down to base camp impossible.
- Acetazolamide(Diamox), medication will be very useful as it’ll reduce the recovery time to half and don’t drink alcohol and drink a plenty of water.
- Coca leaves can be chewed to deal with mild altitude sickness.
- Ginkgo Biloba is fossil tree and an inexpensive herbal supplement. You can use 120 mg per day to reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness.
- Gamow bag is a portable plastic pressure bag inflated with a foot pump. It can reduce the effective altitude by 5,000 feet.
- Take it easy. You need not to push yourself too much. Don’t try to breathe too fast and too quick. Resting at the altitude at which you became ill is often the most effective remedy for altitude sickness. You'll usually feel better in 1-2 days.
- If you are moving in a car never look in to the valley. As you are not habitual of seeing this kind of scenes. So when you’ll look down in to the valley it’ll look very deep and if you’ll be looking into the Valley when the car is moving it can be resulted in to vomiting whenever you look in to the valley from the car.
If you are having headache then have one litre water and take the medicine named acetaminophen (Tylenol). If your headache disappears rapidly then you are not suffering from altitude sickness its just dehydration.
Kindly consult your doctor before taking the above medicines. We Blue Poppy Holidays are not responsible for any harm or side effects
Questions travellers asked us
Real questions from readers of this page over the years, answered by Devkant Sangwan. Each one shows its date. Roads, rules and arrangements may have changed since, so please ask us about your own dates.
-
Dsc R. ·
Iam a cardiac patient.Permanent pacemaker has been. Installed.having LV dysfunction.and BP and sugar.aged 60.can i bear the altitude sickness.now taking regular medicines.
Devkant Sangwan ·
Hi,
I would recommend you to consult your doctor first. Please visit Can Senior Citizens Visit the Valley of Flowers? page for more information. -
Neelam S. ·
Having four days 13th to 17th Augest only,so as we want to visit only valley of flowers
Devkant Sangwan ·
This trip can not be done in for days. Sorry madam.
What travellers say about trekking with us
-
★★★★★
Blue Poppy Holidays – Where Passionate Ownership Meets Professionalism Blue Poppy Holidays is where passionate ownership truly meets professionalism. Our experience was simply unimaginable and far beyond our expectations. The hospitality extended by the entire team, led personally by Mrs. Seema Sangwan, the owner herself, sets an exceptionally high standard. The property at…
Read the full review
Blue Poppy Holidays – Where Passionate Ownership Meets Professionalism
Blue Poppy Holidays is where passionate ownership truly meets professionalism.
Our experience was simply unimaginable and far beyond our expectations. The hospitality extended by the entire team, led personally by Mrs. Seema Sangwan, the owner herself, sets an exceptionally high standard.
The property at Joshimath is an absolute pristine beauty. The variety of plants and flowers nurtured there is so incredible that it almost feels like having a little Valley of Flowers within the property itself. Mr. Devkant Sangwan, the owner, takes genuine pride in his garden and personally showed us each and every plant during our visit. His passion and knowledge make the experience even more special.
And then comes the organic food — freshly prepared, delicious, and served with a smile every single time. The cooking is excellent, and the warmth with which everything is served makes you feel less like a guest and more like family. Special mention to Mr. Anuj - Manager & Ajay leading the team.
The staff behaviour is simply beyond excellent — courteous, caring, attentive and always ready to help.
Our experience at Ghangharia was equally wonderful. The tent accommodation was arguably the best one could expect at such an altitude, complemented by excellent service lead by Mr. Shankar and a wonderful team.
A special mention for our guide, Mr. Pramod, who was extremely caring and supportive throughout the trek. He took complete care of our 7-year-old throughout the journey, giving us immense confidence and peace of mind.
We had visited Blue Poppy Holidays almost 10 years ago, in 2016, and returning after such a long gap was an equally memorable experience. It is rare to find a place where the hospitality, people, property, food and attention to detail come together so beautifully.
We will definitely be visiting again — and if you are planning a trip to the Valley of Flowers with your family, we would blindly recommend Blue Poppy Holidays.
Your family deserves nothing less. ❤️
Thank you, Team Blue Poppy, for making our journey so beautiful, comfortable and memorable.
Vishal, Keshani & Arjun 🫶Vishal V. · August 2026
Google review of Blue Poppy Premier, Jyotirmath (Joshimath) -
★★★★★
I stayed in Blue Poppy Resort Auli Branch for about 8 days after trekking to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. I was travelling solo since a couple and a friend who were supposed to travel with me backed out at the last moment. I am 63 and a retired Wg Cdr from Indian Air Force. I had some apprehension of being a bit lonely during my trek and travel and was unaware of my…
Read the full review
I stayed in Blue Poppy Resort Auli Branch for about 8 days after trekking to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. I was travelling solo since a couple and a friend who were supposed to travel with me backed out at the last moment.
I am 63 and a retired Wg Cdr from Indian Air Force. I had some apprehension of being a bit lonely during my trek and travel and was unaware of my fitness level etc. All these turned out to be absolutely unfounded. I immediately made really great friends and the smiles and politeness shown by the youngsters who looked after the guests made the experience very pleasant. Devkant and Seema look after the guests like family. Devkant is huge in his knowledge of the flora and fauna… he is enthusiastic and protective about all environment….. he is an ideal guide who connects with all the participants and educates them. I learnt a lot from him and Seema.. I think they provide excellent hands on service in a clean and natural environment.
The accommodation and food were top class while requiring participants to refrain from wastage and leaving the area cleaner then before they came.
I did a few treks around Auli to Gordon Bugyal and could not go for the 3 day camping trip. Maybe next time when I bring my children and their families.
I had an extremely spiritual experience far away from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai.
There’s excellent mobile coverage and one can keep in touch with family at all times.
There’s excellent views of the majestic Himalayas all around and Nanda Devi is visible quite often.
Thanks Devkant and Seema. I learnt a lot and relaxed at the same time. Will see you again with family in the next few years when my granddaughter is a little older.
Keep up the good work!Uday K. · August 2021
Google review of Blue Poppy Resort, Auli -
★★★★★
We were picked up from Haridwar by Mr Mukesh and taken by Tempo traveller. Due to landslides we were delayed by two days initially at Kodiyala and then near Chamoli, hence we went direct from Chamoli to Pulna via Gobindhghat. Mr Mukesh is an expert driver and helped us to reach Gobindhghat safely. From here we were transferred to a local transport to climb up to Pulna. Inspire…
Read the full review
We were picked up from Haridwar by Mr Mukesh and taken by Tempo traveller. Due to landslides we were delayed by two days initially at Kodiyala and then near Chamoli, hence we went direct from Chamoli to Pulna via Gobindhghat. Mr Mukesh is an expert driver and helped us to reach Gobindhghat safely. From here we were transferred to a local transport to climb up to Pulna. Inspire of these delays we forged great friendships on the way and I was entertained by the spirit of my companions especially the group from Surat. We had to trek or travel by pony to Ghangria. abhishek our guide joined us at Joshimath and helped us through our trip to Ghangria. Especially the odd straggler.
Rooms at the Swiss cottage Gangaria were good and bathrooms were hygienic and food was excellent .we really had diff foods in each meal. The staff of 4 Ashok Anuj and others were ever smiling and helpful.
Our tour guide Mr Abhishek helped us a lot ,took care of every member in the group .He is really helpful . He really helped anyone feeling unwell or tired.
Last but not the least hot water facility and leg massages after the trek was awesome. Subsequently I extended my stay and spent some great days trekking around Auli branch of Blue Poppy resorts. I will cover this in more detail in a separate review. Mr Devkant and Seema were especially friendly and treated us like guests in his own home.Uday K. · August 2021
Google review of Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage Camps, Ghangaria