Machu Picchu

We departed Cusco early to get a taxi to the Poroy station where we caught the train to the town of Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Town. The train was a single carriage, a little larger than this combi. The trip follows the Urarumba river which eventually flows in to the Amazon, initially through farmland, and then steep mountain gorges and tunnels.

When arrived in Aguas Calientes it was raining and apparently had been for the past few days and it was forecast to continue. Aguas Calientes is about as touristy a town as you’ll ever come across. Full of hotels and restaurants to ‘assist’ those visiting Machu Picchu. There is no car access so you are caught. It is not cheap, but the location is spectacular as it lies in a deep gorge below the Machu Picchu ruins, enclosed by towering walls of stone cliff and cloud forest, and divided by the rushing Urubamba river.

We decided an early wake up was necessary, despite the rain. So we were up at 4.30 to have breakfast and catch the 5.30 bus to the ruins. It was 8km journey up a zig-zaggy dirt road to the site, Abigail thought she was having a near death experience as the road has few guard rails and its a long drop to the bottom.

We entered the ruins with the first visitors that day, and ahead of the hikers, and headed straight to the guard house up high on the eastern side? The clouds were rolling in up the valley and we could only just make out the full extent of the ruins. Then suddenly there was a gap in the cloud flowing over the buildings revealing Machu Picchu! Impressive- sited on top of the ridge between to mountains with the river far below circling it and higher mountain peaks all around.

Like the Galápagos, the location and ruins here exceeded expectations. Is it the size, location and condition of this Inca City? Is it the mystique created by the clouds alternatively moving over and then flowing away to reveal the ruins? It is a pity that they know little about why this city was abandoned.

We spent 6 hours at the site which included climbing Waynapicchu, which is the mountain on the farside from the entrance. It was a steep and difficult climb, with steel ropes and a tunnel to boot – the view from the top was spectacular. The scale of the agricultural terracing could be seen and the kids thought the ruins took on the shape of a bird from this angle.

For more photos go here.

Kids corner:
It was amazing how the incas bought up all the stone. Abi
It looks spectacular. Wills
I liked walking through all the houses and temples many imaging in how they lived. Isabel