A journey through time in the heart of the Andes
Machu Picchu
Peru
Visiting Machu Picchu, the awe-inspiring Inca Citadel nestled high in the Andean mountains, is both a humbling and exhilarating experience. During our back-to-back visits, we were fortunate to enjoy beautiful weather and relatively low crowds as we explored one of the amazing New Seven Wonders of the World.
Getting to Machu Picchu is not for the faint-of-heart.
That statement may strike some as though only the most seasoned and adventurous traveler should endeavor to visit the Lost City of the Inca. Nothing could be further from the truth. However, in order to make the journey as stress-free as possible it is important to have very thorough planning along with perseverance and a healthy dose of patience. It also helps to bring along copious amounts of mosquito repellent!
Fortunately, my travel companion and wife of 30 years, Fernanda (aka :: Director of Logistics), has these qualities in abundance. Her organizational skills make all of our adventures as smooth as possible, notwithstanding the inevitable surprise or two that can challenge even the best game plan.
After four days in the historic city of Cusco we boarded the train to Aguas Calientes along with hundreds of excited passengers. Climbing out of Cusco involved a challenging ascent via five switchbacks with each one feeling steeper than the last. Once we were clear of the switchbacks and the sprawling views of Cusco below, the train settled into a smoother ride towards our final destination with brief stops at the Poroy and Ollantaytambo stations. The views on the second half of the trip revealed more mountainous terrain as we slowly chugged along the rushing Urubamba River. Roughly four hours later we arrived in Aguas Calientes.
Aguas Calientes is best known as the gateway to Machu Picchu. The pueblo is nestled in the lush, mountainous expanse of the Sacred Valley, where the Urubamba River (known locally as the Vilcanota River) winds its way through lichen and moss-covered granite walls. Although it was the dry season, enormous volumes of water cascaded over boulders the size of small cars. Locals shared that during the rainy season, even the largest boulders become completely submerged.
This lively town is packed with energy day and night with dozens of restaurants and cafes along the main street, alongside a variety of shops selling Peruvian art, crafts, and clothing. The numerous languages heard on the streets and alleyways is a testament to Machu Picchu’s allure for travelers from around the world.
Although there is an altitude drop of roughly 4500 feet from Cusco to Aguas Calientes the air is still thin enough to challenge your breathing, which is why we were more than pleased to be greeted by a porter with his wheeled cart intended to transfer our gear to the hotel. Our four days in Cusco, situated at an altitude of 11,152 feet, definitely helped us acclimate. However, knowing that Machu Picchu sits close to 8,000 feet, we quickly realized that the next five days would continue to test our stamina and our lungs.
Being that we arrived in Aguas Calientes on a Monday and our pre-booked tickets (highly advisable) to go up the mountain were for Wednesday we decided to take the gamble and attempt an in-person purchase of tickets for Tuesday as well.
That…was our first test of perseverance and patience!
Without going into too much detail I will say that purchasing same day (nearly impossible) or next day tickets for Machu Picchu requires standing in long lines to receive a voucher, simply to return at a later time the same day to purchase your actual tickets. It is similar to winning a lottery in that only a small portion of tickets are allocated to those who did not pre-book. After receiving our voucher we needed to return at 7pm that evening to obtain tickets for a 1pm time slot on Tuesday. As luck would have it the later departure time gave us plenty of time to sleep late and have a leisurely breakfast before heading to another long line.
Fortunately, this time it was for the bus!
The ride up the mountain is only six miles yet it is a dramatic journey along a narrow, winding dirt road. The bus climbs approximately 1270 feet in elevation as it navigates a series of very tight switchbacks. At every turn the views become more and more breathtaking as the lush Urubamba Valley below fades out of sight and the Andes mountains come into sharp relief. The ride is made all the more challenging as drivers frequently need to pass one another with just inches to spare, sometimes needing to back up to allow passage of an oncoming bus.
There is an alternative to taking the bus providing that visitors have the stamina to endure the 1,270 foot elevation gain and the 1.5 mile steep path of irregular stone steps which are almost entirely uphill. Those who choose to hike the path come away with the rewarding feeling of knowing that they approached the Citadel the same way as the Incas once did. A third option is to ride the bus up and hike back down to take in the amazing views.
The Citadel is comprised of four “circuits” and tickets are specific to each of them. The circuits are basically one-way loops which helps to keep visitors moving in the same direction. Our circuit the first day was number three which focuses on the lower portion of Machu Picchu. While this route doesn’t have the extraordinary views as the higher circuits it is rich in architectural detail, agricultural terraces, aqueducts, fountains and the Sacred Rock. And of course there are llamas.
There are also two additional, more strenuous hikes. One of which is called Huayna Picchu (Young Peak) which requires a separate ticket to ascend. Those who choose to hike this route will experience breathtaking views. The second peak is Machu Picchu Mountain (Old Peak), located on the opposite side of the Citadel. Like the smaller peak it offers panoramic views of the mountains and ruins below. Both hikes will test even the fittest enthusiast.
Machu Picchu
The Inca crafted roughly 200 exquisite, earthquake resistant buildings from tens of thousands of enormous stones. Not only were these massive, multi-ton boulders transported from the valley 1,600 feet below, a feat that is astonishing in itself, but then they were fractured, shaped, sanded and meticulously assembled using nothing more than hammerstones made of harder rock.
Over the centuries, earthquakes, jungle overgrowth, weathering, and general neglect took its toll on many of the structures. However, through the collective efforts of the Peruvian government, numerous archaeologists, UNESCO, and other international organizations, many of the outlying buildings have been carefully reconstructed to give visitors a clearer understanding of how they originally appeared.
Arriving at the Citadel we were finally able to appreciate up close the incredible engineering prowess of the Incan master stonemasons. Although the precision of the stonework varies depending on the function and significance of each structure, one thing is abundantly clear…the quality of the masonry throughout the entire complex is truly mind-boggling. This is especially true when considering that the more important religious and ceremonial buildings, like temples, royal residences, and places of high social or spiritual value were constructed without the use of mortar, metal tools or the wheel.
For less significant structures, such as common housing, terrace walls or storage buildings, the Inca used more functional, less meticulous methods called “fieldstone” masonry. This style was quicker to assemble, using smaller stones and mortar, since precision was less important. This difference reflects the Inca emphasis on functionality and status as buildings of greater importance to society or the Inca elite received the highest level of craftsmanship.
Regardless of the specific building method used, the magnitude of effort and the remarkable skill involved make it easy to see why Machu Picchu is regarded as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The combination of high altitude, humidity from the nearby Amazon, and diverse microclimates contributes to unpredictable weather patterns, often causing rapid shifts between sunny, rainy, or foggy conditions within hours. As luck would have it, on our first of two visits the sky was impossibly blue, with intermittent clouds illuminated by flashes of bright sunlight and an occasional god ray. It was truly magical and discovering quiet corners of the circuit contributed to our sense of awe, making contemplation effortless.
There is something liberating about visiting a site like Machu Picchu without a guide. While having a trained expert to share the history and lore of this magnificent global treasure can be invaluable, exploring it on our own provided us with a more meaningful connection. Without the steady stream of conversation we were free to immerse ourselves in the wonder and mystery of this supernatural place. As a substitute for a guided tour, we returned to our hotel at the end of the day and, from the comfort of our room, watched several documentaries about Machu Picchu and Inca culture.
On our second day we climbed to the mid-level heights of the Citadel to explore circuits one and two. In contrast to the flatter terrain of circuit three, the seemingly endless stone staircases presented a greater test of our endurance. However, the effort paid off, as we were greeted with breathtaking panoramic views of the area we had visited the day before.
Looking down at the sprawling urban and agricultural sectors, it’s impossible not to feel a deep sense of wonder at the scale and grandeur of this magical place. Unfolding before us, like a tapestry of stone and grass, was the timeless view that, for years, we had marveled at from countless magazines and documentaries.
Once again, we were blessed with fantastic weather, which allowed us to enjoy four peaceful, mostly crowd-free hours. The change in the weather could not have been more stark when we awoke the next day to pounding rain, making us even more grateful for the perfect conditions we experienced during our two visits.
Machu Picchu is often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas” when in fact it was never truly lost. For centuries it had simply been forgotten and overlooked. Stories remain to this day that locals always knew of its existence long before Hiram Bingham arrived in 1911. In fact, many were growing crops and using the overgrown terraces to graze their livestock.
Today Machu Picchu is considered one of the most famous and visited tourist attractions in the world, in no small part part due to its inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Peruvian governments recognition as a Historical Sanctuary.
Like many historical sites around the world whose original inhabitants have long since departed, Machu Picchu endures, inviting us to explore, learn, and be filled with amazement.
