Machu Picchu has earned the title of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The mysterious ruins find themselves nestled 7,000 feet high above sea level. The majestic city is built on an Andean Mountain Range overlooking the Urabamba Valley that lies below.
The “Lost Cities”, built by the Inca was finally discovered in 1911. It is estimated that right around 1200 people lived there, primarily rulers. It is in such an isolated area in Peru that no one could possibly attempt to live there now, being so far away from civilization.
Tourists and hikers describe the climb traveling the Inca Trail to the ruins as being magical. Templates, terraces and fields seem to transport you to another time. The Funerary Rock Hut is the most photogenic spot here, believed to be where the Incan nobility were turned into mummies. Herds of llamas as well as alpacas find their way here daily to feed on the grass. The steps leading up to this location are quite tiresome but you've come this far and you simply cannot pass up the view.
Next you can find stone steps that will lead you into a Royal Tomb. The area resembles a cave with ceremonial niches and carvings of a cross by the Inca across from the Temple of the Sun.
Inside the tomb you will find over 100 remains of skeletons, 80% being women. Due to this, the theory is that the area was populated with high priests and their chosen women. Over to the left of the tomb are 16 ceremonial baths joined together by one aqueduct system and above this is a watershed hut. Traveling to the left of this brings you to the Sacred Plaza.
Surrounding the Sacred Plaza are the important city buildings. You can view the Principal Temple here and be simply awed by the polished smooth stone blocks. The Inca did not use any mortar to assist their walls to hold but rather relied on stones cut precisely to make solid foundations. These structures have held up through even earthquakes.
The Sacred Rock is found across the Central Plaza,, this is a common object to Inca villages. A sacred stone has to be dedicated to a site before a village could be erected. Hikers are welcome to sign their name in the Gatekeeper's shack here to prove they tackled the climb.
The Intiwatana is a carved rock pillar, whose corners are faced toward cardinal points. The Inca were astronomers and were able to predict solstices with them. During the winter solstice in June, the highest priest would wrap a rope around a golden disc attaching it to the Intiwatana as a symbol to represent catching the sun to bring it back to the earth for another cycle.
The Temple of the Condor can only be described as breathtaking and truly artistically remarkable. A natural formation of rocks that Inca shaped into a condor in flight. The temple floor is a large rock with a condor's head carved into it. This was assumed to be a sacred altar. A prison stands behind the temple with a maze of underground dungeons.
The lands of Machu Picchu offer you plenty of natural animals and over 420 bird species nest in this location, many of these birds cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The Inca Trail is one of the most famous hiking trails in the world. It take anywhere from three to five days to complete the trail through the mountain ranges and subtropical forest leading you through the Machu Picchu. May through September is the dry season attracting the most tourists but if you want your hike to be secluded you may have to go during the wet season and then you don't have to carry water! This is a trip worth making in your lifetime. Make sure to be in good physical shape, it is not an easy hike but then, witnessing a New Seven Wonder of the World should be this hard to enjoy.
How To Get To Machu Picchu
Most people arrive to Machu Picchu from Cusco via train (Peru Rail). There are different types of trains: Vistadome and Explorer are the less expensive ones, even if they look very much the same. The Hiram Bingham is a luxury Orient Express type train.
What may be surprising to you is that even if you book the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu you are actually taken by bus half of the way to Ollantaytambo and then board the train there.
The destination is Aguas Calientes, now more commonly known as Machu Picchu Village.
From there, buses leave every 30 minutes to Machu Picchu (the descent over the picturesque road takes around 30 minutes).
The Luxury Option: Staying Overnight At Machu Picchu
There is only one hotel that is right up on Machu Picchu, the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. It can be quite the expense of your Machu Picchu with rates starting at $800 - per night. This includes free bar and full board, at least.
Is it worth it? Depends. You will be the first in the actual Machu Picchu site and can be the last to leave. The last buses leave at 4.30pm and Machu Picchu closes at 5pm - so if you stay at the lodge, you will have half an hour almost alone on Machu PIcchu.
