Machu Picchu

We are all excited the next morning where we head out to the bus station for our trip to Machu Picchu. The day before, we had seen long lineups for the buses but had been assured that there are many buses and the wait time is less than 15-20 minutes which was correct.

The bus must execute switchback turns every few minutes to climb the mountain. The mountains are shrouded under the clouds.

We spy intrepid and eager hikers who opt to walk the steep stone steps, dirt track road and bus roads through the rain forest. It will take them at least 1.5 hours to climb the 390 metres (1,280 feet) to get to the gate.

There are a lot of controls when going to Machu Picchu. You have a timed entry pass which is checked multiple times alongside your passport so NEVER forget it! It’s 7:30 am when we enter the gate and we start climbing (again) uneven stone stairs and sometimes manufactured wooden stairs.

We are on route #2 ( you never know which one you are going to get), and luckily it’s the best one of all as it is the one with the money shot.

As we arrive to the spot that overlooks the ruins, a cloud of mist shrouds the entire area.

The cloud and mist tease us with peaks of the ruins and famous mountain and then suddenly, the clouds lift and the beauty of the site is revealed to all.

Machu Picchu is presumed to be an abandoned temple of the Inca emperor Pachacuti. Built around 1450, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Everyone is actively taking photos and videos of the splendid vista. Once the excitement dies down, the magic of the place takes hold of your senses. How did these ancient Incas build this place in the clouds? Why did they leave? The engineering mastery that took place, that took into consideration the earthquakes, the sun and the moon’s position, the celestial skies is mind boggling.

We have four hours to explore and it seems that this is not enough. When you do a circuit at Manchu Picchu, it is only one way. You cannot backtrack. Sometimes, you have to politely (or not) push your way forward away from the Instagram Influencers who like to get every angle possible.

Machu Picchu was actually discovered in 1902 by Peruvian Agustin Lizárraga and then re-discovered in 1911 by American Yale University professor Hiram Bingham, the inspiration for Indiana Jones.

The many terraces that we see were made by the Incas to enable drainage and support crops such as maize, and possibly potatoes.