{"id":6923,"date":"2019-04-30T17:24:31","date_gmt":"2019-04-30T14:24:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/padureanu.ro\/uncategorized\/machu-picchu\/"},"modified":"2019-10-11T08:10:29","modified_gmt":"2019-10-11T05:10:29","slug":"machu-picchu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.padureanu.com\/en\/travels\/peru-en\/machu-picchu\/","title":{"rendered":"Machu Picchu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Located at the border between the Sacred Valley and the jungle, at an altitude of only 2430 m, Machu Picchu<\/strong> is the result of one of the most beautiful accidents in history.<\/p>\n

Left in haste and for reasons still unknown, by inhabitants somewhere around 1572<\/strong>, this Inca village, escaped the destructive fury of the Spanish conquerors, becoming today one of the 7 wonders<\/a> of the modern world.<\/p>\n

Forgotten by the world for over 400 years and completely covered with vegetation, it is accidentally rediscovered by American explorer and adventurer Hiram Bingham<\/strong> in 1911<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What amazes you at Machu Picchu<\/strong> is the high degree of conservation of all buildings and facilities, agricultural terraces and the water collection system.<\/p>\n

Once you get here you have the strange feeling that you are in a village that has only just been abandoned by the inhabitants. It would be sufficient to cover the houses again with thatched roofs to make it functional again.<\/p>\n

From the perspective of history, Machu Picchu is a posthumous revenge of the Inca civilization, the living proof of his genius, for whose erasure from the history books, both the Spanish occupation and the Catholic church have made so much effort.<\/p>\n

All the constructions and the arrangements of this exceptional site lead to one conclusion: the absolute respect of this civilization towards living in harmony with nature, Pachamama or “mother earth”.<\/p>\n

It is a lesson that, just five centuries later, our “modern” civilization is beginning to take into account seriously.<\/p>\n

History and legend<\/h2>\n

Most modern researchers agree that Machu Picchu is not a fortress but an Inca sanctuary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This sanctuary is in a region filled with Andean mythological symbols: the mountain<\/strong>, represented by the Huyana Picchu peak, the snake<\/strong> represented by the Urubamba<\/strong> river and the bird<\/strong>, always present in the sky.<\/p>\n

Machu Picchu<\/strong> is actually the name of the peak that guard the archaeological site and means in the Quechua language “the old mountain”.<\/p>\n

Along it’s ridge, you find the famous Inca Trail<\/strong>, used by the Incas to move from Cuzco<\/strong> the capital, to Machu Picchu<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Here is the picture of this peak, as seen from the main square of the site.\"\"

The steep peak that rises almost vertically from the Urubamba<\/strong> river valley, visible in the background of any photography with Machu Picchu<\/strong>, is called Huyana Picchu<\/strong>, in translation “the young mountain”.<\/p>\n

In fact, according to the Spanish historian Mart\u00edn Rubio, the real name of the sanctuary is Patallaqta<\/strong>, resulting by the chaining of two words from the Quechua language: “pata” – above or step, and “laqta” – place \/ city.<\/p>\n

The construction of the site began around 1440<\/strong>, during the time of the Inca king Pachacutec<\/strong>, the founder, who reigned between 1438<\/strong> and 1471<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It was continued by his followers until 1572<\/strong>, when the site was abandoned, most likely due to the Spanish invasion.<\/p>\n

How to get to Machu Picchu?<\/h2>\n

Machu Picchu<\/strong> is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world. Every day, on average, 4300<\/strong> people from all over the world come here. In the main season, that is in July, August and September, it reaches up to 6000<\/strong> visitors per day. Thus, the number of visitors reached last year an amazing amount of 1,578,030<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Considering the unstoppable appetite of tourists from all over the world to visit this site, the Peruvian authorities were forced to introduce strict access regulations in the area, in order to limit, as far as possible, the number of visitors to protect the historical vestiges.<\/p>\n

This is the reason why the access in the region can be made exclusively using the railway, along the Urubamba<\/strong> river valley, between Ollantaytambo<\/strong> and Aguas Calientes<\/strong> (now called Machu Picchu Pueblo<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

There is no road to Aguas Calientes<\/strong>, and tourists access is tightly controlled from the train station.<\/p>\n

Without a pre-booked nominal train ticket, which is usually purchased together with the entrance ticket to Machu Picchu, you are not even allowed to enter the train station. The name is verified by the passport and if it does not match the one on the ticket, access is not permitted.<\/p>\n

You can reach Ollantaytambo<\/strong> following the road that starts from Cusco<\/strong> and gradually descend through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.<\/p>\n

Along this road, points of particular tourist interest are: the Awana Kancha<\/a> alpacas farm and the Pisac<\/a> ruins.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
Awana Kancha lamas and alpacas farm<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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At Awana Kancha farm, together with local woll weavers<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Various potato varieties at Awana Kancha farm<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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The access road to Pisac fortress<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Together with Corina at the entrance to the fortress of Pisac<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Corina at the entrance to the fortress, perspective towards Pisac valley<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Right at the entrance, on the left, are visible the impressive agricultural terraces built by the Incas<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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On the right side of the mountain you can see the graveyard, where the dead were buried in small caves.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Top perspective, from Pisac fortress<\/div><\/div>
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Agricultural terraces at Pisac fortress<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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In the village of Pisac in the valley there are dozens of local product traders<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

We arrived at Ollantaytambo<\/strong> at 4 pm and although we were not in peak season, we were impressed by the intense traffic in this small town. On the narrow streets you could not throw a needle.<\/p>\n

The car access is hardly controlled by the local police, which lets the cars pass in one direction at a time, until they reach the central market of the city.<\/p>\n

Ollantaytambo<\/strong> is the only city in Peru inhabited continuously, from the time of the Incas until today. It’s narrow streets, the sewerage system using cobblestones on the edge of the streets, the houses with facades finished with clay, all, are from the time of the Incas and are still used today.<\/p>\n

As you approach the main street leading to the train station, the traffic becomes suffocating and you begin to realize what logistical problems can generate the huge number of visitors from all over the world who want to reach Machu Picchu.<\/p>\n

This is probably one of the reasons why, from here on, tourists with big luggage are not allowed, only a relatively small backpack being accepted.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
Arriving in Ollantaytambo central market you are impressed by the “pyramid” formed by the terraces that go up to the fortress<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Perspective on the climb to the Ollantaytambo fortress<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Ollantaytambo Wall of the Temple of the Sun.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Ollantaytambo Temple of the Sun.<\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Ollantaytambo Terraces<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
On the busy road to Ollantaytambo train station<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
The entrance to the train station is blocked until the train arrives. It is only entered on the basis of ticket and passport<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Hooray! Finally, after waiting for an hour and a few bottles of beer, we arrived on the platform!<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Aguas Calientes city center<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Train travel, operated by the state-owned Peru Rail<\/strong>, is more than decent. The luggage is stored at the ends of the wagons, and the journey generally takes about two hours.<\/p>\n

Due to the narrow line, on which runs wagons with standard width, the pitch is quite large at curves (and not quite pleasant), so the speed cannot exceed 40 km\/h.<\/p>\n

Once we arrived at Aguas Calientes<\/strong>, after solving the accommodation problems, we hurried to visit the city.<\/p>\n

We were actually amazed by the difference from the other cities we went through in Peru. Everything seems newly built, the center is impeccably lit, there is a sports hall and a large stadium, as well as plenty of guesthouses or hotels and countless restaurants or taverns. It is probably the result of capitalizing on the huge interest of tourists from around the world for this region.<\/p>\n

From Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu<\/h2>\n

If you want to be able to quietly admire the site, you must wake up early. Otherwise, at noon, you will find a crazy rush in the mountain trails.<\/p>\n

We woke up, at the instructions of our guide, at 4 o’clock in the morning, so we sat arrived the first at the bus queue, somewhere at 5:45 am.<\/p>\n

The buses start to go on the route at 06:00 and operate in two shifts: from 06:00 to 12:00 and from 12:00 to 05:30. The objective is that everyone who climbs in the morning shift have the opportunity to descend until the second part of the afternoon visits begins.<\/p>\n

When boarding a bus, a controller scans your boarding pass with a mobile terminal, the data being centralized. The same thing happens when you get on the descent bus, so at any given moment they know the number of people who are climbing the mountain and who has been late.<\/p>\n

If the maximum number of visitors has been reached, the buses are suspended until the accepted number of tourists is reached and then resumed.<\/p>\n

The buses, of medium size, are clean and modern, leave almost one after the other and descend at the same pace, to make room for the next ones.<\/p>\n

The access road was built in the modern period and has a length of about 9 km linking the town of Aguas Calientes, with the point of entry to the site.<\/p>\n

The level difference of 400 meters is covered in about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

For backpackers, it is possible to climb by foot, a well-mentained trail, which frequently crosses the road, called Hiram Bingham trail.<\/p>\n

On the trails of Machu Picchu<\/h2>\n

The Machu Pichu<\/strong> sanctuary is completely hidden by the mountain peaks that surround it. From the access road and even from the parking place from the entrance to the site, nothing can be seen. It is as if it doesn’t exists…<\/p>\n

On March 24, 2019, at 06:55 am, I entered the access gate to Machu Picchu. I marked this date in my mind. For me it was the date when I lived an experience that seemed to me, just a few years before, impossible. It is a sensation that I wish you all those who will follow our footsteps at Machu Picchu!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I had the privilege of entering among the first in that day in the sanctuary. That is why the feeling was even stronger, because the interaction with the mountain was more intimate, more personal.<\/p>\n

After passing the gate, the path goes around the left side of the valley and then climbs a few stairs through the clearing.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
At the entrance to Machu Picchu site<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
As the trail goes on, the houses in the “Waiting Area” and Huyana Picchu appears<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Climbing the steps to the upper area<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Through the lights begin to see some constructions<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/a>
Then the path turns and you can see some houses almost intact.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

You climb up a few minutes and with the exception of some reconstructed houses, visible among the branches, nothing prepares you for what follows after the last curve …<\/p>\n

\"\"

It’s a breathtaking image! Especially if you are alone on the mountain and you are lucky to find a sunny weather as we had.<\/p>\n

Dominated by the peak of Huyana Picchu, in solemn silence, the entire Inca shrine was suddenly revealed to us in all its splendor.<\/p>\n