If you arrive in Peru on your dream vacation and find yourself suffering from altitude sickness, coca leaves are a great local cure that will prove to be a lifesaver as you acclimate to the new altitude.

Coca leaves have been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years, even during pre-Inca times. Typically cultivated in the lower altitudes of the eastern slopes of the Andes, coca leaves have also been used throughout history as a cure for exhaustion, hunger, and thirst.

Called "a gift from the Gods" by the Incas, coca leaves are more widely known as the plant that is chemically extracted to make cocaine. The natural form is widely used by locals and tourists to combat altitude sickness and exhaustion and is not addictive. The effects are similar to a strong cup of coffee and the only side effect is a numbing of the mouth, but most say its worth it for its amazing healing effects.

Peru is the world's largest source of coca leaves, providing two thirds of the worldwide supply. This has caused some controversy, since the leaves are also used to make the chemical form, cocaine, which is highly addictive and illegal in most countries.

Needless to say, coca leaves are plentiful in Peru. You can by a small bag for 25 cents and chew on the leaves or make tea out of a mixture. Most restaurants and hotels also serve the tea or sell the leaves.

Because of its essential nutrients, proteins, and vitamins coca leaves have been especially useful in poorer areas where food is scarce. It has also been used in traditional medicine to alleviate pain of rheumatism, wounds, broken bones, childbirth, nosebleeds, asthma, and malaria.

So, if you want to be skipping up and down the mountainsides of the Andes like the locals, it is recommended that you chew on the leaves while on a high altitude hike and discover first-hand why this miracle plant was believed to be a gift from the Gods.

---

Get the most from your Peru Vacation.
Let the travel professionals at AR Tourism arrange the perfect vacation for you, while saving you money and eliminating the inconvenience of handling overseas arrangements.
AR Tourism Peru - Peru Vacation Travel Agency

Peru Culture Overview

  Peruvian Cuisine
    Traditional Foods
    Inca Foods
    Alpaca
    Cuy
    Aji Peppers
    Pisco

    Coca Leaves
    San Pedro Cactus

Visit Peru

Enjoy the best hotels, tours and activities when you visit Peru on a vacation organized by AR Tourism Peru.
> More