South Africa: Low — One High-Elevation Spot, Most Visitors Won't Go There.
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Low — One High-Elevation Spot, Most Visitors Won't Go There. Cape Town is low elevation; Johannesburg sits around 1,750m, which can cause mild breathlessness for a day or two, and the Drakensberg mountains go higher still for hikers.
South Africa: Low — One High-Elevation Spot, Most Visitors Won't Go There. Cape Town is low elevation; Johannesburg sits around 1,750m, which can cause mild breathlessness for a day or two, and the Drakensberg mountains go higher still for hikers.
South Africa has a specific high-elevation spot, but most visitors won't go there — it's only a concern if your itinerary includes it.
No — this is one of the most common misconceptions. Fitness level doesn't predict who gets hit; even very fit travelers can experience symptoms, while less fit travelers sometimes feel fine. Genetics and how quickly you ascend matter far more.
This reflects the elevation of popular tourist destinations, not a medical assessment — individual susceptibility to altitude sickness varies a lot and isn't predicted by fitness level. If you're headed somewhere moderate or high risk, ascend gradually where possible, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol on arrival day, and talk to a travel clinic about preventive medication (like acetazolamide) if you have a history of altitude symptoms.
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