Comments on: Coca tea or Cappuccino – in Peru

By: London Photo

London Photo — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 01:29:04 +0000

The best coffee you get in Italy – London only has to the American chains…
London Photo´s last [type] ..London Coffeehouse

By: admin

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:36:29 +0000

@ CM thanks for clarifying that – I’d hate to think I had to take hard drugs just to ward of altitude sickness

By: CM

CM — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:42:46 +0000

coca tea does NOT have cocaine in it. cocaine does not exist naturally – it is produced by people USING the coca leaf. cocaine is super duper concentrated coca mixed with chemicals of some kind. coca is naturally a stimulant, which is why when you concentrate it during the process of making cocaine, you end up with a drug that is a huge upper in a way that is dangerous, as opposed to the slight stimulant found naturally in the leaf. just to clarify.

By: A beach paradise at Cabo Polonia and Valizas in Uruguay | Heather on her travels

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:10:56 +0000

[...] South America Backpacking with Indie Travel Podcast – podcast Coca tea or Cappuccino – in Peru Warm baths and waterfalls at Baños – in [...]

By: Edmund

Edmund — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:14:56 +0000

I’d have to agree–Coca Tea is amazing. It doesn’t have any huge sedative effect, like you’d expect from something that’s used to make cocaine. It’s extremely relaxing, though, and it does help with the altitude sickness (I had it in Cuzco/Machu Picchu, where it really helped out).

Another great thing to do with coca leaves is to just chew/suck them whole in the mouth–you can get packets from all around Peru.
.-= Edmund´s last blog ..O’Fournier A Crux Malbec- Part II =-.

By: Mark H

Mark H — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:28:36 +0000

I enjoyed the coca tea when I trekked the Inca Trail and walked around Cusco. It was free in the hotels though it was welcome in the small cafes around the villages. I’ve no idea if it helps with altitude but some feel uplifted by drinking it. Looks nicer than the cappucino anyway.

By: Daniel Robinson

Daniel Robinson — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:43:42 +0000

Peru is definitely a golden place, it has everything that makes you have an unforgettable vacations. I suggest to everybody to visit this beautiful country and if you go, I recommend hiring Kawsay, a travel agency that works responsible tourism and give you the opportunity to know Peru in a different way. Its website is http://www.perufairtravel.com/

By: Priyank

Priyank — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:10:37 +0000

Hi Heather!
I loved cocoa tea too, it was offered free in most places I stayed. Being a source of cocaine, it is unfortunately unavailable here in Toronto…

By: derek

derek — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:19:59 +0000

There are no amphetamines in coca tea! The stimulant effect comes from very minute amounts of cocaine.

By: Cappuccino Gifts

Cappuccino Gifts — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:00:53 +0000

Great story, enjoyed the read

By: carl

carl — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:42:22 +0000

Well, I must respectfully disagree with the author re: coca tea. I just returned from Cousco … upon my arrival I’d heard to drink the coca tea as it would help w/the altitude adjustment … by my third day I was taking oxygen from a local doctor who worked for a company that seemed to do a thriving business tending to altitude-sick tourists … the doc confirmed that I wasn’t eating fatty meats, didn’t smoke, had held off the alcohol — but said that upon arrival I should have one cup of coca tea and no more. The tea has lots of amphetamines and if your body is trying to adjust to the altitude too much of the tea doesn’t help. Now, when you go to Cousco you get the tea but it’s not served in large cups (maybe 4 oz cups) and I had no more than three cups in one day (along with drinking lots of other water) … Final point: I see a lot of these tours that have people fly into Cousco and the next day begin the rounds … and I realize that the altitude affects different people in different ways … but I would suggest to anyone who flies in to Cousco from sea level to give yourself two full days to acclimate (Yes, I’m sure there are lots of folks who hit the ground running … but there are lots who, like me, are in excellent shape but need some time) … and I would say to proceed cautiously with the coca tea.

By: Eva & Jeremy Rees

Eva & Jeremy Rees — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:33:26 +0000

We just left Perú, and our coca tea, yesterday. Over the past few weeks we got quite used to it, and I have to say that I was looking forward to the light grassy flavor with my meals. We chewed the leaves during our 5 day trek to Machu Picchu, and found that it really helped to regulate our heartbeats during exercise at such high altitudes (we trekked through a pass at over 15,000 ft.!). The locals, including our guide, were chewing it non-stop, often with the quinoa ash alkalide substance which changes the flavors and strengthens the effect.

By: laradunston

laradunston — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:28:09 +0000

Oh yes, coca leaves was the first thing I bought when I went to Peru, gosh, almost 12 years ago I think. I spent a month there and easily got through the bag. I was in Cusco for a week before I did the 3-day trek to MP, so I didn’t suffer from altitude sickness, but I later got malaria from a jungle tour – despite taking medication and not finding a single mosquito bite on me.

The nescafe obsession across South America astounded me on that first visit too. The sachets on the saucer were customary everywhere except Buenos Aires and Brazil, the only places where they seemed to appreciate good coffee and it was possible to get a short espresso.

By: admin

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:04:28 +0000

I think the vote is for the coca tea.

And I stand corrected on the altitude of Lima – I’ve taken that out now. I have been to Quito so I should know although I didn’t have any altitude problems myself. My friend Joanne has been to Lima and I should know that it’s at sea level as I’ve written about her time in Lima and the Park of Love overlooking the sea. I guess I got carried away at all those shots of the Machu Picchu.

At least some of you were paying attention!

By: Andres Guhl

Andres Guhl — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:41:39 +0000

Lima is at sea level!!! Quito is at high altitude, but Lima is not. Check your geography before writing!

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 02 May 2009 19:28:03 +0000

Lima is not a high altitude destination!

By: frank

frank — Sat, 02 May 2009 12:21:48 +0000

Heather, nice article, just one small clarification, Lima is NOT a high altitude capital, it is a sea-level city (which makes it cold and humid in the loooong winters), of course other cities in Peru such as Cuzco and Puno are indeed at altitudes close to 4,000 meters high. And certainly coca tea, coca mate helps one deal with the altitude sickness.

By: wandermom

wandermom — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:16:36 +0000

Oh my! You’ve brought back some fond memories for me with this post. Yes, we did use coca tea when we visited Peru (our older son was 2), but I have to say, I didn’t really appreciate any benefit.

Thanks for helping me remember when my grumpy pre-teen was a cuddly toddler

By: Carolina

Carolina — Sat, 02 May 2009 00:31:09 +0000

I learned the hard way that I should have had the coca tea. I took the “Tren de las Nubes” (no longer in operation, I think) in Argentina, and got super-sick from the altitude. They served the tea on the train. I thought to myself: Should’ve had it, while I sat in the med. car w/ my oxygen mask.

By: Debbie Dubrow

Debbie Dubrow — Fri, 01 May 2009 23:03:44 +0000

Fascinating! Thanks for sharing