Why Altitude Sickness in Ladakh Affects Malaysians
If you are planning a trip, the 7 day Ladakh tour package from Dhesu includes proper rest days built into the schedule to help with acclimatisation.
Almost every Malaysian traveller lives close to sea level. When you fly from Delhi to Leh, you climb more than three kilometres in about an hour, and your body has no time to adjust to the thinner air. Fitness does not protect you. Young marathon runners and older grandparents are both at risk, and there is no reliable way to predict who will feel it.
Understanding this helps you take the precautions seriously rather than assuming you will be fine.
Rest for the First 24 to 48 Hours
The most important rule is to do very little on your first day, ideally your first two days. Check into your hotel, drink tea, sleep and let your body catch up. It is tempting to rush out to see Leh Palace or Shanti Stupa straight away, but that is exactly when symptoms tend to appear.
Good itineraries keep the first day completely free and the second day light, with gentle sightseeing around Leh at similar altitude. Only after that should you head to higher places like Khardung La, Nubra Valley or Pangong Lake.
Hydrate, Skip the Alcohol and Ascend Gradually
The dry mountain air pulls moisture out of your body quickly, and dehydration makes altitude symptoms worse. Aim to drink water steadily through the day, more than you would at home. Warm soups and herbal tea help too.
Avoid alcohol completely for at least the first two days, and go easy after that. Alcohol dehydrates you and can mask early symptoms. Heavy meals, smoking and sleeping tablets are also best avoided while your body is adjusting.
Ladakh's most famous spots are higher than Leh. Pangong Lake is well above 4,000 metres and the passes on the way are higher still. Plan your route so that you sleep at Leh for at least two nights before travelling to those higher places, and return to Leh rather than sleeping at the highest point on your first trip up.
The standard advice from travel medicine and altitude experts is to ascend no more than 300 to 500 metres of sleeping elevation per day above 3,000 metres, to rest for at least one day at altitude before going higher, and to descend at the first sign of worsening symptoms.
A slow ascent gives your body a chance to adjust step by step. Agencies with Ladakh experience build itineraries this way, which is one reason a well designed seven day plan works better than a rushed four day dash.
AMS Warning Signs
Mild Symptoms
Mild Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) often feels like a hangover. Common signs include headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and dizziness. Poor sleep is also common on the first night at altitude. These symptoms frequently ease within 24 hours of rest and good hydration. Tell your guide if you feel unwell so they can monitor you.
Severe Symptoms: Descend Immediately
The following are signs of serious altitude illness, including High-Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACE) or High-Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPE). These require immediate descent and emergency medical care.
- Severe headache that does not respond to rest or paracetamol
- Confusion, disorientation or unusual behaviour
- Inability to walk in a straight line
- Shortness of breath at rest
- Persistent cough, or coughing with frothy or pink sputum
Do not wait to see if these symptoms pass. Begin descent immediately and seek medical help. Never leave a sick traveller alone.
When to Stop Ascending
Stop ascending and rest, or descend, if you develop any symptoms of AMS. If symptoms do not improve with rest and hydration within 24 hours, descend at least 500 metres. Do not ascend further while experiencing symptoms of any kind.
This applies to every member of the group, including guides and drivers who may be acclimatised but may not recognise symptoms in passengers quickly enough.
Talk to Your Doctor Before You Go
Medication such as acetazolamide (Diamox) may be prescribed by a doctor before high-altitude travel. Consult a travel medicine doctor or GP well before departure. Do not self-medicate, as Diamox has contraindications and requires a prescription. Whether this approach suits you depends on your health history, allergies and other medicines.
Anyone with heart, lung or blood pressure conditions, and pregnant travellers, should seek medical advice before booking a Ladakh trip. Bring your usual medication, a basic first aid kit and travel insurance that covers high altitude travel and emergency evacuation. Leh has a hospital, but remote areas do not. Combining Ladakh with a Srinagar to Leh road trip via the Manali or Srinagar highway is one way to acclimatise more gradually before reaching Leh.
This article is general information only. Please consult your doctor for personal advice about high altitude travel and medication.
