Sacred Valley

There are two stations to get to Machu Picchu by train from Cuzco, one about a 20–minute drive to the Poroy station but then a 3.5–hour train ride or about a 2–hour drive to the Ollanta station in the Sacred Valley and then a 1.5–hour train ride. We took the latter option. The moon was still out when we got to our rest stop in the Sacred Valley and the sun was just coming up, turning a mountain golden.

Peru Rail

There are three train companies going to Machu Picchu: Peru Rail, Inca Rail, and the very upscale Belmond Hiram Bingham. We went via Peru Rail. You need reservations for the train rides.

Sacred Valley

There was beautiful scenery seen from the train on the way to Machu Picchu. We went along the Urubamba River.

Inca Trail

There are hiking trails to Machu Picchu. One is the Inca Trail which takes about four days to reach Machu Picchu. There are other trails, some that take as little as about two hours. We were told that this bridge is part of the Inca Trail. You need a guide and reservations to hike on the trails and some of them are gruesome to complete.

Machu Picchu

We got off the train at Aguas Calientes and took a bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu. A beautiful view greeted us up on the mountain where Machu Picchu is located. “Machu Picchu” is a Quechua (one of the languages of Peru) word that means “Old, Ancient, or Elder Mountain.” Machu Picchu is both the name of the mountain and where the Inca ruins are located.

Machu Picchu

My tour group minus two of us climbed up the steep steps to the top of the complex. One of my tour mates, Tina, and I with a sore foot had a private guide so we didn’t have to do much stair climbing. From what I observed, the way to see Machu Picchu is to climb up to the top (some of my group said it was a very hard climb) and then to walk down steps to other areas. One of my other tour mates, Lisa, sent me some photos that she took from the top and I have included them. This one of Lisa’s photos.

Machu Picchu

The route I took to see the ruins. There is an observation deck past the stone buildings, but you still have to climb down steps to get to it. We spent a bit of time on the deck, which was very peaceful and a very good viewing area.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a 15th–century Inca citadel most likely built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti. It was built around 1450, but abandoned about 100 years later, when the Spanish arrived. It is believed to have served as a religious and a solar worshipping sanctuary and as an administrative center of the Inca empire. The Spanish never found Machu Picchu and, therefore, much of it is still intact, with about 30% of its buildings having been restored. American historian Hiram Bingham brought Machu Picchu to world attention in 1911. It is known as “The Lost City of the Incas.”

Machu Picchu

More of Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

One of the interesting sights in Machu Picchu is of Intihuatana, a rock at the top of a hill which was a precise indicator of two solstices and told the Incas when to plant their crops.

Llamas

A few llamas were walking around the ruins, not paying attention to all their visitors. A daily quota of 5,200 people are allowed entrance to Machu Picchu though more on Sunday when the people who live in Cuzco province are allowed in free. The site is so big that, to me, it didn’t seem like there were that many people at it.

I have put my (and some of Lisa’s) photos on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/machu–picchu/ (Slide Shows, South America, Peru, “Machu Picchu”).

Sacred Valley

We ate lunch in Aguas Calientes, where the train station was. There were numerous souvenir stores here but little time to shop. Then, we were back on the train and, next, back on the bus driving through the Sacred Valley and past this small village. The architecture is different here from what we had been mostly seeing in Peru––a lot more modern.

Sacred Valley

We passed this small village on our route.

Sacred Valley

We also passed much farmland with a view of the snow–capped mountains.

Sacred Valley

Donkeys were at a rest stop that we made on our way back to Cuzco.

Sacred Valley

These Andean women and their llamas were also at the rest stop. The sun was going down and it was soon dark.

I have put my photos of our drive from the train station back to Cuzco on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/machu–picchus–to–cuzco/ (Slide Shows, South America, Peru, “Machu Picchu to Cuzco”).