Machu Picchu is one of the wonderful places on Earth, of an extraordinary and unique beauty, which has a curious history that gives you the opportunity to take a trip back in time in order to learn about the life, arts and traditions of the ancient Inca culture. This magnificent city is located among the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes in southern Peru. The Archaeological set is a complex work achieved between the scrupulous work of architecture and engineering carried out by man and the winsomeness of nature that together create a fascinating spectacle, which if you ever have the opportunity you should definitely visit. Well… it is a new Wonder of the World.
THE VESTIGES OF THE GLORIOUS PAST
Machu Picchu in the Quechua language means: “the Old Mountain”. It is a city of the Inca Empire hidden among the mountains, which you should also climb to complete your visit in this sublime place. I promise you that the views from the top are incredible and they will provoke an exaltation within your soul. This ancient Inca town is located in Cusco region, also another beautiful city, full of monuments that will reveal you the past of the Peruvian country. The good news are that Machu Picchu is located only at the height of about 2,400 meters above sea level and I mean only because the Peruvian Andes reach imaginable highest as, for instance, in the case of Humantay Lagoon (4,200 meters) or the Mountains of Seven Colors and the Red Valley (about 5,200 meters). Compared to these mountains, which I will write you about in another blog post, the 2,400 meters looks really small. By the way, keep in mind that when you arrive in Peru, ready to explore new fabulous areas, full of dreamy mountains, be sure to prepare yourself for the high altitudes. You can get the altitude sickness, which causes severe headaches and dizziness. People in Peru frequently chew coca leaves, it`s not a drug!, rather a natural remedy, which helps you to prevent the altitude sickness. In the Western World we associate coca with drugs. Do you know what happened to me? It was in Machu Picchu exactly when I told to my partner who had a headache to take some cocaine instead of coca leaves. My words just came out without thinking… My mistake. But, can you imagine the terrible looks from people around us? Someone also started to laugh so much. Yes, things like that happens to me sometimes. You can buy the coca leaves everywhere, there are also sweets made with coca, I bought some delicious chocolate in San Pedro Market in Cusco, where you can as well eat some traditional dishes or buy a llama wool sweater, great for cold winters or high Peruvian mountains.
Mixing a bit some historical facts and the ancient legends, the city of Machu Picchu was founded in 1450 by the orders of Pachacútec, the chief of Incas, after having obtained the victory over the Chancas due to the help of the God Inti. Pachacútec ordered to build a city worth of the emperors, full of important monuments and great civil and religious works, mostly dedicated to the cult of Sun. However, due to the vanity of the leader of Incas, the God Inti got angry with him. Pachacútec then, following the instructions of the Goddess Quilla (Moon), prepared a very pleasant drink and invited the God Inti to taste it on the Huayna Picchu peak. Maybe it was the delicious Peruvian Pisco? After that episode, the anger of the God Inti disappeared and the construction of this magic place could be completed. However, the city did not remain inhabited for much longer, since after the Inca Civil War between 1531-1532 and the Spanish occupation of Cusco in 1534, the nobility abandoned the Machu Picchu and it felt into oblivion until the beginning of 20th century, when it was officially rediscovered in 1911 by the North American explorer, Hiran Bingham, thus becoming a national symbol of Peru. Currently one of the most splendid places in the World.
NEXT STOP: INCA EMPIRE
The important thing in your visit to the Inca city of Machu Picchu is to carry out an adequate planning, due to the fact that there are many people interested in visiting this wonderful place, but the ticket are limited. It is better to book in advance on the official website. There are four types of tickets, it is only possible to visit the city, but also you can add the museum or one of the two mountains: the Huayna Picchu and the Mountain. I chose to climb the Mountain, but I warn you, it is a long way to the peak and you must keep in mind that you are going to sweat, get tired and perhaps at some point despair because the stairs seem endless… Of course it is worth to climb, since the views from the top are spectacular. You will also burn some calories and get a great body shape. You can do it!
Having booked the Machu Picchu tickets, you should take into account the next step. How to get to the magnificent Inca city? You will not arrive there directly, but first you will spend at least one night in Aguas Calientes, the base town, before embarking on your journey to the past of the Incas. There are two possible options to choose, all depends on your physical condition and the free time you have. One of them is to make a trekking along the Inca Trail (“El Camino Inca”), which is also necessary to book in advance, since only 500 people a day have the opportunity to do it. The prices are quite high up to 1200€ and the medium-high difficulty route last between 2 and 7 days, the guide service is included. On the other hand, the option I chose it was to travel by train. In Cusco you can go by bus to Ollantaytambo and from there by train to Aguas Calientes. There are two famous companies that make this journey: the IncaRail and the PeruRail. Wow, the prices are as well high and you better book in advance. However, the views are amazing. Most of the way you will stay glued to the window admiring the prodigious nature. Some train cars have even the windows on the roof, the option I chose and the experience was unforgettable. It really was my dream trip.
TIPS:
- Book all tickets in advance.
- Be ready to spend a lot of money of the tickets.
- Be careful with the high altitude sickness, chew some coca leaves.
- Enjoy the lush nature in Peru, you will love it.
all about eve`s journeys 