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There are some places in the world that amaze you no matter how many times you may have seen the photos or how long you have been planning your visit. Machu Picchu is definitely one of those places.
I could go into detail about the history of Machu Picchu, but you would be better off watching the National Geographic channel on your TV. Or I could attempt to describe the sights with superlatives that will not do justice to its immensity, character and general awe-inspiring nature. To those who have visited Machu Picchu I hope you understand what I mean, and to those who have not yet visited, what on earth are you waiting for?!
So instead of giving all the details, here are a few pointers and thoughts from our 12 hour visit to Machu Picchu:
* Having hiked all the way to Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu) over 4 days really made the experience even more special (see my Salkantay Trail blog). It gives you an understanding of how utterly crazy the location of Machu Picchu is, remotely towering high above the Apurimac river, far away from civilisation.
* Getting there early in
the day is well worth the effort. You want your first view of Machu Picchu to be shrouded in mist, and dawn is the best time for this. Catching one of the first buses of the day from Aguas Calientes will get you there in time.
* Explore the unexplored parts! Machu Picchu may be Peru's most visited tourist site, yet it doesn't take much to get off the beaten path. Once we had climbed Wayna Picchu (the big mountain in the middle of my "classic" black and white Machu Picchu shot), we walked down the other side of the mountain to the Gran Cavernas. Almost nobody else bothers (or has the time) to do this walk but it is well worth the effort. We found ourselves scrambling down steep Inca staircases and ladders, with all of the fun just for us but only a short distance away from the sanitised tour groups just seeing the "highlights". Everything in Machu Picchu is a highlight!
* This place deserves at least a whole day, if not more. We would happily have returned for a second day of exploring but unfortunately other circumstances got in the way. If not two
days, then give at least one full day. We were some of the first people to enter the site in the morning and we were the last to leave in the evening (at 5:30pm they were even blowing whistles at us to let us know it was time to go!).
* It is worth doing some reading before visiting Machu Picchu to get the full flavour of what you are seeing. Both Barry and I had read Hiram Bingham's book "The Lost City of the Incas", Hugh Thomson's "White Rock" and we had Peter Frost's "Exploring Cusco" with us. These definitely added to the experience. After all, you don't want to arrive at the site and suddenly realise you don't have a clue who the Inca's were. Although of course lots of the history is still up for debate...!
* Bring your own food and drinks to last the day. Otherwise you will spend a fortune at the ridiculously overpriced cafe at the entrance to Machu Picchu.
In summary: this would be a great place to visit even if there were no "site" here, just for the incredible scenery. But add in a "lost" Inca city, plenty
of unanswered archaeological questions and a mad 4 day hike to get there, and you have one of the definite highlights of our time in South America...
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MikeHK
Happy Feet!
Photos say it all!
WOW, I´ve just read your blog sitting in a hostel in Buenos Aires and am now even more excited about seeing Maachu Picchu. Great tips for the books. Thanks. Sarah