A friend of mine told me about Machu Picchu around 14 years ago. I didn't know what it was back then so I looked it up online. When I saw images of it in the internet, I immediately knew that I had to visit this incredible place at least once in my life. Needless to say, Machu Picchu was one of the places I was looking forward to seeing the most during my South American trip.
We checked out or our hotel that morning after breakfast and our tour guide picked us up at the lobby of our hotel at around 830am, if I recall correctly. We walked around 10 to 15 minutes to the place where we would get on the bus. There was a long queue of people when we got there but thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. Our bus ride was only about 20 minutes, if I recall correctly. On the way up, I caught glimpses of Machu Picchu and I started to get more excited. As soon as we entered the gate and started walking towards the ruins, I almost couldn't contain myself.
When we finally got to the first main viewing point, I was blown away. It was absolutely awe-inspiring! Thankfully, when we got to the main viewing area, there was no one at the far edge which is where our tour guide took us. This meant we had that area practically to ourselves so we ended up spending a lot of time there taking photos.
Machu Picchu was built in 1450 and was previously and inaccurately believed to have been the Lost City of the Incas. It remained unknown to most of the outside world for centuries and even the Spanish didn't discover it during their colonization of Peru and South America. There is still no definitive proof as to what Machu Picchu was supposed to be but many archaeologists believe it to have been an estate or retreat of Inca ruler Pachacuti. Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Peruvian Historic Sanctuary. It was also voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
While it was amazing to see panoramic views of Machu Picchu from afar, it was equally amazing to walk amidst the ruins.
One thing I learned about the Incas during my trip to Peru is that they were excellent stone masons. As you will see in the next photo, the stones fit perfectly with each other. As such, no mortar is needed.
The surreal experience of seeing and walking through these Inca ruins was made even better by the stunning mountain scenery.
The tall mountain that provides a magnificent backdrop to Machu Picchu is called Huayna Picchu. Guests can hike up this mountain but the number of visitors is strictly controlled.
Our tour guide walked us through many different parts of the ruins and talked to us in detail about the history of Machu Picchu. I admit I don't recall much of what she said because I was in awe of where we were and I was continually taking photos.
I do remember her talking to us about the Temple of the Condor. She pointed out the big rock formation that formed the wings...
...and she also pointed out the head of the condor that was on the ground in front of the wings.
Oh and we also got to see a couple of free-roaming llamas!
This was the fourth day that our tour group had been together and by now we were all getting along quite well. It was great that our guide recommended that we take a big group photo.
I also only learned during this visit that you can get your passport stamped at Machu Picchu. When we were told we needed to bring our passports here, I thought it was for proper documentation but as it turns out, it was just so that we could get them stamped. So cool!
I am also grateful that the sun was up and the weather was great when we were there. Truth be told, it was actually quite hot but I was wearing a plain black shirt which didn't look great in photos. As such, I kept putting on my jacket each time I had my photo taken. Here's what I would have looked like with just my black shirt (quite bland in my opinion LOL):
We spent about 3 hours in Machu Picchu; we arrived at around 930am and we left at about 1230pm. I initially thought that a half-day visit here wouldn't be enough but as it turned out, it was. I wouldn't have minded spending more time here but that said, I didn't feel cheated that our tour lasted just three hours . I can't believe that I have now visited Machu Picchu. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and experience.
Next: Traveling to Machu Picchu
We checked out or our hotel that morning after breakfast and our tour guide picked us up at the lobby of our hotel at around 830am, if I recall correctly. We walked around 10 to 15 minutes to the place where we would get on the bus. There was a long queue of people when we got there but thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. Our bus ride was only about 20 minutes, if I recall correctly. On the way up, I caught glimpses of Machu Picchu and I started to get more excited. As soon as we entered the gate and started walking towards the ruins, I almost couldn't contain myself.
When we finally got to the first main viewing point, I was blown away. It was absolutely awe-inspiring! Thankfully, when we got to the main viewing area, there was no one at the far edge which is where our tour guide took us. This meant we had that area practically to ourselves so we ended up spending a lot of time there taking photos.
Machu Picchu was built in 1450 and was previously and inaccurately believed to have been the Lost City of the Incas. It remained unknown to most of the outside world for centuries and even the Spanish didn't discover it during their colonization of Peru and South America. There is still no definitive proof as to what Machu Picchu was supposed to be but many archaeologists believe it to have been an estate or retreat of Inca ruler Pachacuti. Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Peruvian Historic Sanctuary. It was also voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
While it was amazing to see panoramic views of Machu Picchu from afar, it was equally amazing to walk amidst the ruins.
One thing I learned about the Incas during my trip to Peru is that they were excellent stone masons. As you will see in the next photo, the stones fit perfectly with each other. As such, no mortar is needed.
The surreal experience of seeing and walking through these Inca ruins was made even better by the stunning mountain scenery.
The tall mountain that provides a magnificent backdrop to Machu Picchu is called Huayna Picchu. Guests can hike up this mountain but the number of visitors is strictly controlled.
Our tour guide walked us through many different parts of the ruins and talked to us in detail about the history of Machu Picchu. I admit I don't recall much of what she said because I was in awe of where we were and I was continually taking photos.
I do remember her talking to us about the Temple of the Condor. She pointed out the big rock formation that formed the wings...
...and she also pointed out the head of the condor that was on the ground in front of the wings.
Oh and we also got to see a couple of free-roaming llamas!
This was the fourth day that our tour group had been together and by now we were all getting along quite well. It was great that our guide recommended that we take a big group photo.
I also only learned during this visit that you can get your passport stamped at Machu Picchu. When we were told we needed to bring our passports here, I thought it was for proper documentation but as it turns out, it was just so that we could get them stamped. So cool!
I am also grateful that the sun was up and the weather was great when we were there. Truth be told, it was actually quite hot but I was wearing a plain black shirt which didn't look great in photos. As such, I kept putting on my jacket each time I had my photo taken. Here's what I would have looked like with just my black shirt (quite bland in my opinion LOL):
We spent about 3 hours in Machu Picchu; we arrived at around 930am and we left at about 1230pm. I initially thought that a half-day visit here wouldn't be enough but as it turned out, it was. I wouldn't have minded spending more time here but that said, I didn't feel cheated that our tour lasted just three hours . I can't believe that I have now visited Machu Picchu. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and experience.
Next: Traveling to Machu Picchu
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