Archaeologists have found evidence to suggest that the area where Machu Picchu was built has been used for agriculture dating back as far as 760 B.C. According to historians and archaeologists, Machu Picchu was estimated to have a population of between 300 and 1,000 people during the 1400s. These people were the highest social class of Inca people called “llactas.”
View of the Sacred Valley and Andes from the train to Machu Picchu
Visiting the lost city of Machu Picchu is yet another of many remarkable and unforgettable experiences of my life. I have been fortunate to have visited there twice and would love to return.
It takes some effort to get there. I had to first arrange a flight from Lima to the mountain city of Cusco located over 13,000 ft above sea level. Take some time to adjust to the altitude and sip some coca tea before moving on. The locals swear that this is a sure way to avoid altitude sickness that many tourists suffer from while visiting this area.
Arranging to take the train ride to the site proved to be a great decision. The ride was comfortable and beautiful as the trip winds through the Sacred Valley and follows the Urubamba River. One time, due to flooding, I had to do the bus partway and then switch to the train which afforded me time to stop in several small villages along the way.
There are several trains to the site, the most expensive and lavish being the Hiram Bingham. Peru Rail offers this and two other options. All are well worth it and offer outstanding service, entertainment, food, and views! The train ride takes just over four hours from Cusco, so enjoying the time is a great way to begin your trip to the site. The train used to leave from downtown Cusco, which was easy to get to in the early morning from your hotel. On my last trip from Machu Picchu, I was on the first train to arrive at the new station of Poroy. It is located several miles outside the city, so be prepared now to have transportation from your hotel in Cusco to Poroy and back!
The Incas developed structured communication systems and trails connecting Machu Picchu and other sites throughout the region which stretched over many miles. This ranged from building bridges to paving mountain trails.
Urubamba rivers rages along the Inca trail to Machu Picchu
The train trip takes about four hours and is a lot of fun. Leaving downtown Cusco just before sunrise, you are treated to the valley's beauty. Often spotting small villages and watching the locals rise to begin their daily activities, the train meanders and rocks gently as you near the lost city. Passing the villages of Urubamba and Ollantaytambo provided unexpected stops where you can experience the village's old town, Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets, and adobe buildings. The departure point from Cusco changed while I was there, and although I initially left Cusco Center, you must now travel to Poroy, located about 6 miles northwest of Cusco.
After a nice breakfast and riding the numerous switchbacks up the mountains, you will arrive at the frontier village of Aguas Calientes (Hot Waters), the stopping point of the train, and the beginning of the adventure to Machu Picchu. I spent the day exploring this pueblo and slept here before going up to Machu Picchu the next morning. Enjoy the hot springs just outside the city.
In Aqua Calientes you will need to find two places that are essential to continue. Next to the small church in the village square, there is a government-run store where you must purchase your tickets to the Lost City. Without these, you can't get in, so either purchase them here or, I believe, you may now be able to get them online before the trip.
The next one is up to you. If you wish for an adventure, you can walk up the mountain to the site, or you can purchase round-trip bus tickets that will take you up the same path the donkeys used years ago.
The bus trip up to the site takes about 20 minutes. After numerous switchbacks and some nice views, you eventually get to the top of the mountain and a visitor's center. Up to this time, you can't see the lost city, but within minutes of entering the path that leads you to a small stone hut and passing through its opening, you are treated to a magnificent sight, the Lost City of the Incas! I will never forget that moment, passing through the small passageway and then appearing in front of me, the ancient city.
I was glad that I had waited and spent the prior evening in Aguas Calientes, the morning train from Cusco, full of tourists, wouldn't arrive until much later that morning, and I was pretty much alone and would be for a few more hours. When I arrived at the site at sunrise I was thrilled and was fortunate to meet one of the workers at the center. He shared with me to start at the lower part of the site first and work my way up. By doing this, I would be sure to avoid tourists who would later arrive and begin at the top of the site. This proved to be so true as I explored the lower part of the site pretty much by myself. He also explained to me that the mist would burn off around 10:30 or 11:00, about the time the tourist would be coming to the lower part, and that the iconic photo of Machu Picchu could be taken, again with very few people around. This too turned out to be true as I had the upper part pretty much free for a short while until many of the tourists realized that their opportunity and great photos required them to return.
My first views of the ancient city were breathtaking. Covered with the morning mist you could barely see the structures and the surrounding mountains. An eerie feel hovers over the ruins making for a real adventure as I made my way through this ancient city.
The Inca people did not keep any written records, keeping the intended purpose of Machu Picchu up for debate. It was only populated for 100 years, after which it was abandoned (around the time of the Spanish invasion). Some People believe that Machu Picchu had to be abandoned by the Incas because of an outbreak of smallpox.
The exact reason it was abandoned by the Incas is still a mystery.
Unfortunately, most cities built by the Inca civilization were destroyed by the Spanish conquest. Machu Picchu was in a hidden location—invisible from below and not found, making it one of the most well-preserved Inca cities and an archeological gem.
The site “disappeared” for centuries. Machu Picchu is often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas” due to the belief that the Spanish never found the city when they conquered the Incan Empire in the 1500s. The ancient Inca site was built midway through the mid-1400s but was unknown to outsiders until 1911 when it was brought to international attention by archaeologist Hiram Bingham.
Machu Picchu means “Old Mountain” or “Old Peak” when translated from Quechua into English. You can still hear the Quechua language, as many people still speak it to this day.
Walking through the old city was an incredible experience. I was fascinated by the architecture and to see that many of the housing structures at one time were two-story buildings. Sitting alone on the rocks along one cliff you could sense that this was once a bustling city with a purpose. Many different theories exist about Machu Picchu’s purpose, a royal estate and a secret ceremonial center among them.
The Incas were some of the best masons in the world. The structures were so well built with a technique called ashlar (stones that are cut to fit together without mortar) that not even a knife blade can fit in between stones.
At the lower northern part of the city I wandered off the path and eventually stumbled across a rocky area that seemed to be where many of the llamas lived. There was a small three sided building where I could sit and probably was where they spent the night.
As I continued my exploration I found the path blocked by this mother and baby. A nice photo but afterwards she and the baby didn't plan on moving so I had to climb down a steep rocky ridge to move around them in order to get back on a path that would lead me back into the ancient city.
The Room of Three Windows in the distance
The Inti Watana, or Intiwatana, is one of the strangest and most enigmatic structures at Machu Picchu. Known as the “hitching post of the sun,” many archaeologists believe this carved stone structure served as some kind of sundial or calendar.
On June 21 — the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere — the Inti Watana stone casts its longest shadow, spilling out along its southern flank. Conversely, on December 21, the summer solstice, a far more truncated shadow is cast on the northern side. The sun god, Inti, was among the most revered gods of the Inca civilization.
Early morning from the lower part of the city before the mist burned off.
Beautiful resident lizard
A Viscacha, a relative of the chinchilla
Finally at the upper part of the lost city! This is the iconic photo of Machu Picchu. This one was taken on my first trip there. I had gotten there early in the morning and had explored most of the city. Making my way up to the highest point of the city I found myself there at a time when the mist was still there but remembering what the worker had told me earlier, waited and was able to watch the mist disappear and reveal another look of the ancient city.
A few years later I was able to visit the site again. On my second visit, I was able to capture a different view without the mist. It is hard for me to pick which one I like the most. Each one has a very different feel.
More than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru. A symbol of the Incan Empire and built around 1450 AD, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
Unfortunately, as more people visited, some users abused the site, so we've implemented new and stricter rules for future visitors.
Since I was last there, the Peruvian government has implemented strict restrictions on how long you can stay, as well as limiting the number of visitors. You can no longer spend the entire day there; morning and afternoon, "shifts" are now enforced. Several of the "main" features are now off-limits. While you were once able to explore the entire area of the lost city, you are now limited to 3 trail options that limit your choices and restrict your experience.
One thing you can't avoid are the numerous llamas that live on site. They seem to be watching over the place and know that modern day humans are only visiting. Strict restrictions prohibiting feeding them are enforced.
Near the lower part of the city. I encountered these llamas who seem to be guarding this ancient house in this part of the city.
It’s not as small as you might think. More than 150 buildings make up Machu Picchu. These buildings range from temples and sanctuaries to baths and houses. There are also over 100 flights of stairs in Machu Picchu. Most of which were carved from one single slab of stone.
The times that I visited the site it was quite accessible and it seemed that all areas were open to explore. I did wander into the green grassy area one morning following several llamas. A worker politely asked me to not walk on the grass and I quickly made my way back into the ancient village.
You are allowed to climb the mountain that overlooks the city, Huayna Picchu, but a separate ticket is required. There is a strict limit to how many people can climb per day.
Unfortunately, you are no longer able to enter the site if you are not in the company of an official tour guide. This was done to protect the site but limits your ability to explore on your own as I did.
Archaeologists have been able to identify the 3 main structures of Machu Picchu. These are the Temple of the Sun, the Room of the Three Windows, and the Intihuatana.
Machu Picchu was an astronomical observatory, and its sacred Intihuatana stone accurately indicates the two equinoxes.
To stop the structures from sliding down the side of the mountain, the Inca people also built over 600 terraces. For their time, the advancements they made in structural engineering were unheard of! It is also thought that the terraces were used for agricultural purposes.
Finally, Machu Picchu is not pronounced Mah-choo pee-choo, it’s Mah-choo peek-choo. Locals emphasize the importance of this because pronouncing the second word as "pee-choo" means penis in Quechua. So practice before you go, peek-choo, not pee-choo!
A short slideshow of my travels to Machu Picchu