Altitude sickness: what your body does above 3000 metres

Azerbaijan's high peaks — Bazarduzu (4466 m), Tufandag (4191 m), Heydar Aliyev peak (3751 m) — are at altitudes where altitude sickness is real. It does not depend on fitness: a marathon runner can get it, and so can a regular hiker.

Why it happens

At altitude the composition of the air does not change, its pressure does. That means less oxygen reaches your lungs with every breath. The body adapts, but it needs time — days, not hours.

Mild symptoms (usually pass)

• Headache
• Loss of appetite, mild nausea
• Sleeplessness or restless sleep
• Getting tired quickly from ordinary effort

With these: stop climbing, drink water, rest. If you improve, you can continue.

Dangerous symptoms (descend immediately)

• A severe headache that will not go away
• Loss of balance — being unable to walk in a straight line
• Confusion, strange behaviour
• Shortness of breath even at rest, frothy sputum when coughing

These are signs of a serious condition. The only treatment is going down. A descent of 500–1000 metres usually changes the situation. "We're almost at the top" is the most dangerous thought you can have here.

Five things that reduce the risk

1. Climb slowly. Rushing is the single biggest risk factor.
2. Drink water. At altitude you lose more fluid through breathing than you do lower down — aim for about 3 litres a day.
3. Skip the alcohol. Especially when spending the night at camp.
4. "Climb high, sleep low." On multi-day programmes the camp is deliberately not placed at the highest point.
5. Speak up. If you feel unwell, tell your guide. Hiding it puts the whole group at risk.

With altitude sickness, "toughing it out" is not a virtue. Even the most experienced mountaineers turn back.

This is why the Bazarduzu and Tufandag programmes run for three days — one whole day is set aside for acclimatisation. Do not count that day as time lost; it is the day that earns you the summit.