From Training to the Andes: Member Stories in Peru

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a number of Altitude members take their training beyond the gym and into some incredibly demanding environments, from high-altitude trekking routes in the Peruvian Andes to deep canyon systems filled with steep climbs, long descents, and thin air.

What’s always rewarding to see is not just where people go, but how they feel once they get there.

The goal of training here has never simply been about performing well inside four walls. It’s about building the physical and mental capacity to step into challenging environments with confidence, composure, and the ability to actually enjoy the experience.

Check out these awesome Altitude member stories from the Andes:

The Salkantay Trek is often considered one of the most rugged and rewarding alternatives to the classic Inca Trail. Spanning roughly 70 km (43 miles) over 4–5 days, the route passes through an incredible range of environments, from alpine mountain passes covered in snow to humid cloud forests lower down the valley.

At its highest point, trekkers cross the Salkantay Pass at over 4,600 metres (15,000 ft), where the air becomes noticeably thinner and the demands on the body increase quickly.

Long days on foot, steep terrain, changing weather conditions, and cumulative fatigue make this far more than just a scenic hike. It’s a serious physical and mental challenge, even for experienced adventurers.

That’s why we loved hearing how Donald described the experience after completing the trek:

“It was great! I didn’t really have too much trouble with the hike to be completely honest. I was just sore by day 4.”

Simple. Calm. Understated.

And honestly, that’s exactly what good preparation often looks like.

When your body is prepared for the demands ahead, you’re able to focus less on surviving the environment and more on experiencing it. Donald’s trip is a great example of how consistent training can translate into real-world confidence at altitude.

Massive respect to Donald for taking on such an incredible route and for sharing part of the journey with us.

For Colca Canyon, Maddy approached her trip a little differently from the start.

Located in southern Peru near Arequipa, Colca Canyon stretches through rugged mountain terrain where hikers can experience everything from intense heat at the canyon floor to thin air and high elevations along the surrounding ridgelines. The area is also famous for its massive Andean condors, which soar through the canyon on rising thermal currents.

For many travelers, Colca Canyon is far more physically demanding than expected. Long descents into the canyon are followed by steep climbs back out, often at elevations well above 10,000 feet, making endurance, pacing, and recovery incredibly important.

She didn’t just want to “get through” the hikes. She wanted to feel ready for them.

Coming from a cross-country running background, Maddy already understood the value of training and endurance. But after years of long work hours and less consistency with fitness, she described herself as “an amateur hiker at best.” With plans to head into high elevations — beginning with the physically demanding terrain of Colca Canyon — she knew preparation would matter.

Like many people preparing for altitude, she went down what she called the “altitude training rabbit hole,” researching everything from acclimatization strategies to altitude tents before eventually finding Altitude Athletic Training.

She began with a Mountain Readiness Assessment, where she learned she was more susceptible to altitude sickness above 14,000 feet. Instead of discouraging her, the assessment gave her clarity and direction.

The goal became simple:
build strength, confidence, and familiarity at elevation.

From there, training became part of her weekly routine. Early mornings. Structured sessions. A combination of strength work and cardiovascular conditioning, all tailored specifically toward her trip by her coach, Jackey.

But one of the things that stood out most to Maddy wasn’t just the programming itself. It was the environment.

Training alongside people preparing for objectives like Mount Elbrus expeditions and Himalayan treks created a sense of motivation and shared purpose. Combined with the atmosphere inside the gym — surrounded by footage of climbs, endurance races, and mountain environments — each session felt connected to something bigger.

By the time she boarded her flight to Peru, she felt ready.

And then the real test began.

After landing in Arequipa, Maddy immediately travelled through elevations as high as 16,500 feet before beginning her hikes through Colca Canyon. Surrounded by steep valley walls, winding trails, and soaring condors overhead, she quickly began to feel the effects of altitude: heavy legs, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

But instead of panic, she felt something familiar.

It felt like training.

Step by step, she continued climbing steadily and confidently until reaching the summit overlooking the canyon.

“It was challenging, no doubt,” she shared, “but it reinforced how valuable my training had been for me.”

Her story is a reminder that you don’t need to be a professional mountaineer or elite athlete to take on ambitious goals.

You simply need the willingness to prepare for them.

What stands out most about Donald and Maddy’s trips isn’t simply the destinations themselves.

It’s the way they were able to move through those environments.

Places like the Peruvian Andes demand more than curiosity and excitement. They require durability. Fitness. Recovery capacity. Mental composure. The ability to keep moving when the terrain steepens and the air gets thinner.

That’s ultimately what we aim to help people build at Altitude.

Not just better fitness inside the gym, but the ability to step into challenging environments and feel capable in them.

Because whether the goal is a trek in Peru, a climb at altitude, a race, or simply wanting to feel stronger and healthier in everyday life, the work put in beforehand matters.

And when preparation meets opportunity, experiences like these become a whole lot more enjoyable.