Visiting Machu Picchu

Located on a mountain ridge in Peru 2,430 meters above sea level, the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu are perhaps the most stunning site in Peru. Built around 1450 and abandoned 100 years later during the Spanish conquest that resulted in the complete destruction of most traces of Inca civilization, Machu Picchu remains one of the only truly untouched remnants of the Inca Empire. Set against the backdrop of the raw natural beauty of the mountainous Peruvian landscape, the site remained essentially undisturbed for centuries, forgotten by history until it was brought to worldwide attention by the American historian Hiram Bingham.

Today, Machu Picchu is the most visited attraction in the country. In particular, the ruins’ three major buildings—the Intihuatana sundial, which translates as “hitching post for the sun”, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows—are amongst its most impressive facets. Drawing around 2,500 tourists daily to experience its truly awe-inspiring visage, the site is reachable by several means, which include a physically strenuous 2-4 day hike up the Inca Trail that ends at the famed Sun Gate, a train ride from the nearby town of Cusco that terminates in the town of Aguas Calientes (the best choice for those wishing to take only a daytrip), and bus.

RealTraveler Paul Dark & Handsome recently made the long, but incredibly rewarding, trek up the Inca Trail, arriving at the Sun Gate at sunrise. Here’s what they had to say about their first glimpses of this truly magnificent place:

“As we descended the 2kms or so from the Sun Gate the clouds began to retreat and Machu Picchu was revealed in all its incredible splendor. Now I guess I must have seen a thousand photographs of the City over the years, the classic one having Wayna Picchu mountain in the background. The view before me was that exact image I had seen a thousand times, and still it took my breath away. It is truly spellbinding. I could not move for several minutes and stood rooted while I soaked up the magnificence before me…

We quickly got over the disappointment of not being first on site and resolved to be the first ones to climb Wayna Picchu, and this we did. We were already exhausted after the charge to get there but adrenalin carried us up the mountain. It was a tortuous climb but the view and the tranquillity at the top ensured it was well worth every painful step. We sat in complete silence for over a hour and luxuriated in the incredible vista before us. Huge, tree-lined mountains, massive vertical drops to rivers, and the Machu Picchu railway thousands of feet below and, of course, the most famous Inca City of all nestling in the valley between the peak on which we were perched and the mountain of the Sun Gate opposite. I wish I could tell you all, in rather more eloquent fashion than I am capable of, just how wonderful it was. I guess you will have to go and look for yourselves!” (more…)

The ruins of Machu Picchu are undoubtedly amongst the most impressive sites in the world, but they also face considerable strain because of the huge number of people who visit each year. As a result of the sites deterioration UNESCO is considering placing the site on its list of Endangered World Heritage Sites. As well, in September 2000 the Intihuatana sundial was damaged when a 1,000 lb. crane, being used in the construction of a new bridge to the site, fell on it, further drawing attention to the danger that growing development poses. This, however, should not deter you from visiting this one-of-a-kind historical, cultural and beautiful place, only serve as a reminder to respect and maintain the integrity of it and other attractions like it around the world.

Here are some useful resources to get you started on your planning:

Machu Picchu Hotels
Cusco Hotels

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