Machu Picchu Experience

Waking up early morning was very hard... and to get to Machu Picchu, we need to have another stop at Ollantaytambo, it lies midway on the Cusco-Machu Picchu train route. Those who goes on the Inka trail will be dropped off by km 104..Also  to get to the Inka trail requires a special permit from the Peruvian or local goverment.... they only require 500 people to hike and this includes the tour guides. You may have a 2 or 4 day hike. It's one way of preserving Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu, the royal retreat of the Incan emperos Pachacuti, sits atop the Urubamba Valley in Peru. Meaning "Old Mountain" in the Quenchua Indian language, the complex was constructed in the 15th century as a place for the emperor and his retinue to relax, hunt or entertain foreign dignitaries.

The site also boasts Huayna Picchu Mountain, which looms nearly 1000 feet above terraces, plazas, and stone ruins as mists swirl up from the Urubamba river. After the Spanish conquest in 1532, jungle growth enveloped the structures and temples. In 1911, Yale historian Hiram Bingham stumble upon the "lost city of the Incas." Since then , its magnificent setting and detailed stonework have captivated countless visitors.

There is never a wrong time to visit Machu Picchu, but the ideal moment to experience the vista is during the rise of the Inca's most powerful deity, the sun. (Spend the night in Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu, to catch the sunrise.)The best view is from the guardhouse, where visitors can anticipate the sun with nothing more than a llama grazing in the distance.

"As the golden rays slip down Huayna Picchu, the buildings on the ridge below start to emerge from the shadows until Machu Picchu is presented in all its glory." (Ruth Wright)

I just love Machu Picchu... a lot of memories to be remembered and  one of the most recommended places to visit. They offer a 2 or 4 day hike, and if you love the challenges of hiking then go for the four day hike, the 2 days was more than enough for me. Our tour guide told me that if you go for the 4 day hike, they carry oxygen tank with them all the time(this is enough to scare me already) and medical supplies. A lot of hikers get the altitude sickness and this slows them down but  the experience of walking  the trail is really great and there is still a lot of things that still needs to be seen here...