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When Nerves Clash With Excitement
Do you suffer from chronic anxiety? 18% of the US population struggles with some sort of anxiety disorder. A quarter of that number is considered severe.
So you’re in good company if anxiety is a part of your daily life.
But Machu Picchu isn’t a part of daily life. You’ve seen the photos and the smiling faces of visitors. You want the same experience. But how do you keep anxiety in a box where it will not taint your adventure to Peru?
Planning and Timing Are Everything
Your travel strategy needs to focus on minimizing your social interactions.
The first step is to plan on traveling alone. Going abroad by yourself may sound risky, but it’s the surest way to make sure that you are not under compulsion to engage in conversation. Friends will want to fill the silence. Strangers will tend to let you be. A licensed tour operator like TOUR IN PERU can book a solo path for you.
The second step is making sure that when you visit Machu Picchu, it’s not likely to be crowded.
Let’s be realistic: it’s impossible to ever have the citadel entirely to yourself. But there are times of the day, week, and year that Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail have fewer people.
The Least Crowded Months
You will experience a steady stampede of people during the months of June, July, and August when the weather is cooler in The Andes.
So there will be fewer elbows to bump into during the months of April, May, September, October, and early November.
The Impact of Covid-19 on Crowds
Nothing truly good has come from the recent pandemic of Covid-19. But an unexpected advantage has arisen for anxiety sufferers.
The daily cap of visitors has been reduced to about 650 per day. Before the pandemic, the daily traffic was more like 3500 a day. Quite a difference!
The Least Crowded Hours
We’ve mentioned before that early sunrise is rewarding for experiencing Machu Picchu with few people, but due to changing shifts of tourists, it’s not always possible to guarantee an early morning visit. But There are also fewer tourists after 3:00 or 3:30 pm.
The Least Crowded Days
Machu Picchu is just as beloved by the locals as it is by world travelers. Peruvians tend to use their weekend to visit the citadel. So try not to make your trip on a Sunday if you want to dodge heavy traffic!
For More Severe Anxiety
What if your anxiety is more than just nervousness around crowds? What if you struggle with panic attacks and an intense fear of leaving home?
You have our deepest sympathies and we cannot endorse any one program of treatment, but we can offer some general advice.
Severe anxiety often comes from a feeling of losing control. Some have gotten around this by planning their first few days in meticulous detail. Making your arrangements with TOUR IN PERU can avail you of help in making those plans a reality.
Remind yourself why you want to go. When you feel the urge to cancel your plans, think of how you’ll feel when you’re looking at the real Machu Picchu instead of photos.
Think ahead to a year later. Do you want to look back with regret on a missed opportunity to visit one of the wonders of the world? Leverage that fear of regret!
Join an online community for support. This may sound trite, but there are many coping strategies that never make it to print. You will only be able to tap into this knowledge by talking to those that have been forced to rely on trial and error.
You may never eliminate your anxiety, but there are ways of finding a motivation that is stronger than your anxiety.
May your journey to Machu Picchu with TOUR IN PERU be more excitement and less nerves!
