Machu Picchu

 

Leaving Cusco on Saturday, we took the train (about 3 1/2 hours) to a town called Aguas Calientes, the jumping off point for Machu Picchu.

 

It was a “panoramic” style train so we could take in a bit more of the scenery as we wound our way through the mountains

The time flew by as we passed through small villages and people watched

At one of the stops, women were selling Orchids which grow naturally in this part of the Peruvian jungle

The town of Aguas Calientes.  A rather unremarkable place that seems to exist solely to support the throng of tourists that must pass through on the way to Machu Picchu!  We bought “dinner” at the market, which consisted of cookies, chips and other cheaper, high calorie food!

  The next morning we were out the door at 5:00am so we could arrive at Machu Picchu in time for sunrise.

We had very high expectations for this place and were not let down! It truly is breathtaking!!

Huayna Picchu, or ‘Waynapicchu’ is the iconic peak that rises beyond the Inca structures of Machu Picchu.  If you make reservations in advance, you can be among the 400 people allowed to climb to the top each day.  Despite being out of shape, we gave it a go!

Waynapicchu as seen from Machu Picchu

Zoomed-in shot of the peak where you can see some of the structures built by the Incas.  You can also see the first trekkers that were allowed onto the Huayna Picchu trail.  They staggered groups of people so as to not clog up the trail (it can get very narrow in spots and is not made for people trying to pass each other!). 

With steep steps built into the mountainside, we now understand why they call this 1-hour trek to the top the “gringo killer”.  Altogether it is a 1200 ft climb up Huayna Picchu, putting you at 9,000 ft above sea level.  It can be a very precarious climb at times, with steep drop offs in certain areas with no fences or gates to hold you back. 

We made it! Machu Picchu in the distance

After climbing back down, we explored Machu Picchu up close.  It was great to be able to walk around all the ruins. 

Our first llama sighting!!!  Here, they are grazing on the terraces of Machu Picchu.  We wondered how they got the grass to look so well-manicured!

We have a ton more pictures/ video, and will post a link to the full set on Flickr a bit later.

We took the 5:30pm train back to Cusco (3 hours) and arrived back at our hostel around 9:30pm… we were beat! The next day (today) will be a perfect day to sleep in, do a blog post, explore Cusco a little more and make arrangements for our next destination—Puno (Lake Titicaca).