Machu Picchu is the jeweled crown of the ancient Incan empire. Located in the towering Andes Mountains of Peru at 8,000 feet in elevation, Machu Picchu stands as the most unique and undisturbed city of the Incan empire. It’s situated about 45 kilometers northwest of Cusco.
Machu Picchu is Pristine
It’s here that tourists can see the craftsmanship of these Incan warriors. The Incans built terraced agricultural structures with giant blocks of stones. The stone masonry is so precise that not a blade of grass can pass between the tightly fit stones. Three main structures of note make up Machu Picchu. They are the Room of Three Windows, Intihuatana and the Temple of the Sun. More than 140 other structures also stand at this site. These include temples, water fountains, sanctuaries and parks. This Incan city is pristine because the Spanish conquistadors simply didn’t find Machu Picchu.
Traveling to Machu Picchu requires planning. Visitors can’t hop in a taxi and visit this Incan wonder. To get to Machu Picchu requires a flight into Lima, Peru. Then a visitor will need to hop a flight to Cusco. Once in Cusco, visitors will need to either hike 45 kilometers along steep Andes Mountain trails or hop on a train in Cusco that will deposit them near Machu Picchu.
In order to control the number of tourists and limit the damage of thousands of feet pounding the trails, the Peruvian government clamped down on visitors to Machu Picchu in 2011. The new rules state that only 400 people per day may pass through the ancient Machu Picchu gates.
Start the Machu Picchu Trek in Lima
The best way to get to Machu Picchu is by booking a flight to Lima, Peru on the Pacific coast. Most international flights will arrive in Lima late at night. Flights to Cusco start in the morning. Tourists should make arrangements to stay in lodging at Miraflores, which is about a 45 minute drive from the airport.
In the morning, tourists can catch a one-hour flight to Cusco. This city is situated at about 11,000-feet above sea level. No flights travel to Cusco after 3 pm. Also be aware that the weather in the mountains can delay or cancel flights. Another option to get to Cusco is to hire a driver or take a bus on a long, twisting and arduous mountain road journey. The drive takes about 20 hours.
Once at Cusco, most tourists kick back, relax and get acclimated to the thin mountain air for a day or so.
From Cusco, tourists can hop on a bus that will take them to the train station at Ollantaytambo. The train will take passengers to the Incan gateway town of Aguas Calientes. The transit time is about two hours. The trains have no baggage cars, so tourists should pack lightly with carry-on bags. From Aguas Calientes, visitors travel via tour bus to Machu Picchu.
Inca Trail Hike
The fit and hardy can take the four day hike to Machu Picchu. Only a licensed Machu Picchu tour guide can take visitors on this journey. This guide will buy your permits, provide travel guides, offer porters and cook meals during this trek. These tours are tightly controlled. Tourists are not allowed to wander off the trail nor may people hike the Inca trail by themselves.
The trail to the Incan crown city is both grand and spiritual. It’s the most spectacular way to slowly drink in the majesty of the Incan empire. The trail transverses the 125-square-mile Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. Sites created by both man and nature are in overflowing and brilliant abundance.
Hikers should carry cold and wet weather gear. Waterproof and broken-in hiking boots are a must. Because the number of visitors are now limited, the cost of a Machu Picchu tour guide hike has gone up a good bit. A standard Machu Picchu tour guide trip now costs about $450 per person. Hiring a porter to carry gear is about $130. Premium hikes range from $750 to $1,000 per person. The old saying that you get what you pay for applies on this trek.
This must be a very interesting and enchanting trip, I guess is a real adventure and something you´ll never forget. I´ve been in other places in Latin America and they are really wonderful and people is wonderful everywhere, they are all very inviting and kind. I hope I can do this trip to Machu Pichu and for sure I´ll follow your recommendations.