Getting to Machu Picchu... tricky!

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When we arrived in Aguas Calientes, it was almost 10 p.m. and we just missed the closing time of the cultural center where you have to buy your entry tickets to Machu Picchu. We found a really cheap hostel to stay in that night called Hostal International. The next morning we had to get up at 4:30 a.m. so that I could go get in line at the cultural center and Ryan could go get in line at the bus stop. There were about 15 people ahead of me in line before the ticket office even opened at 5 a.m. After the first 2 people, who took about 20 minutes to get their tickets, the line moved really fast. The tickets cost 126 soles (about $42) and MUST be paid in soles. No US dollars, no credit cards. When I went to meet Ryan at the bus stop, there were at least 100 people ahead of him. The line must’ve started forming around 3 or 4 in the morning. However, there were at least 20 buses lined up, just waiting to be filled and head up with the herds. We didn’t realize that we had to purchase the bus tickets ($14 each) in advance at a ticket booth at the far end of the bus line. So we got up to the front, next in line, and couldn’t board the bus until I ran up the road and bought the tickets… in US dollars. Half an hour up the mountain in the bus and we were almost there! Except for the huge line of people waiting to have their tickets stamped upon entry. Entering in with the herds of other tourists was really the least inspiring way to arrive to Machu Picchu.

BUT Machu Picchu itself was worth all the hassle and all the expenses. It was beautiful and incredible. We got a tour guide and learned about the history, how it was “discovered” by an American guy back in 1911 while he was searching for a different Incan site. Two local Quechua families had set up homes among the ruins long before he arrived and all the ruins were completely covered in trees and brush. They cleared the land and discovered the great site. The Incas that lived there built a great city that housed about 600 people. The city was abandoned when the Spanish attacked Cuzco and were heading in the direction of Aguas Calientes. The Incas living in Machu Picchu destroyed all the trails that led into the city, thus cutting off their food sources. They eventually had to flee to Vilcabamba, another Incan site north of Machu Picchu. The Spanish never did discover the site.

Machu Picchu is actually the name of one of the mountains that surrounds the Incan city and means “Old Mountain.” We got up there early enough to get one of only 400 tickets to hike up Huaynapicchu (“New Mountain”), which is the mountain that is in the background of all the famous Machu Picchu photos. They allow something like 3,000 guests into Machu Picchu each day, so if you’re not there before 7 a.m., you won’t get a ticket for Huaynapicchu. We were lucky.

Despite the presence of all the tourists, you can’t help but feel like you’re experiencing something amazing, something much bigger than yourself, and something so historic while roaming the ruins. You can spend an entire day there. And we nearly did. We didn’t leave until around 3 p.m.

We spent the rest of the afternoon eating linner and then at the hot springs (Aguas Calientes means Hot Waters). Then it was back on the train to Ollantaytambo, a combi (taxi van) to Cuzco, a night at the crappiest hostel in the universe (but cheap!) and then back to the Cuzco airport early the next morning for our flight back to Lima.

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Photos

Llamas at Machu Picchu
According to our tour guide, they are there for "decoration"

Comments

[Lorna Moseman]

Rock On
You guys look like rock stars!