Get Vaccinated for Your Trekking Trip
Posted by The Backpacking Team in Beginner Backpacking, Trekking Trips
Nothing will ruin your long-planned expensive trekking trip (and possibly the rest of your life) like contracting a disease or illness while on your globe-trotting adventure travels. Getting vaccinations are often overlooked in many people’s adventure trip planning process.
We in the United States are very fortunate to not have to worry about many dangerous diseases or illnesses - wherever we decide to explore in the states. That is what makes it easy for us to forget that the rest of the world is still battling diseases that we have overcome decades ago.
Because many diseases are still common in many parts of the world - even though they rarely occur in the United States - it is your responsibility to get vaccinations before going on your trekking trip.
Get Your Trip Vaccinations Early
It’s a good idea to contact your doctor anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks prior to your departure date to discuss your travel plans and receive the recommended (and sometimes required) vaccinations for the countries you will be visiting.
In addition, your doctor may be able to prescribe antibiotics which could be taken either preventatively or as a result of exposure to some nasty bacteria. Although many health authorities frown upon taking antibiotics for travel (because your body can build up resistance to them over time), we have taken them on a trip to Peru where nearly everyone was sick on the trail, except for us.
Check out the U.S. Government’s Center for Disease Control web site to understand more about which vaccinations are recommended or required.
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