Machu Picchu (in Pictures)

The payoff.  All the hard work from hiking 4 days on the Inca Trail brought us here, to one of the highlights for any traveler, Machu Picchu.  The mystical, magical city in the clouds that was lost and forgotten for centuries should be high on the list for everyone because it truly is that great.  It’s nearly impossible for anyone to be let down by a visit to Machu Picchu.

Hopefully you’ve read all my posts regarding this epic trek to this spectacular place.  From the lowdown on hiking the Inca Trail to parts one and two of the recap of our journey.  There is so much information everywhere about it, and if you go with a good tour on your hike, you’ll learn everything you possibly wanted to know about this lost city of the Incas.

After completing the hike, traipsing through the Sun Gate, and seeing Machu Picchu for the first time, which truly was one of the most powerful moments of my entire life, we headed down to the site itself to get a closer look.

Cesar, our guide, then led us on a few hour tour of the city, letting us in on so many of the secrets of this mysterious place.  The thing that struck me about the construction of Machu Picchu, which was said to have been built around 1430, was how impressive and forward thinking the Incas were.  From architectural methods that wouldn’t be seen again for centuries to the sheer power and ingenuity of building an entire city in such a remote area of the Andes, the Incas were certainly ahead of their time.

Cesar informed us that no matter how many pictures we had seen, nothing would compare to seeing Machu Picchu in person, and he was correct.  We saw people weeping upon seeing it for the first time, that’s how enchanting it is.  While pictures can’t compare, they do serve the purpose of getting you excited and pondering a visit.

So I urge you, go now, don’t wait, as our guide Cesar sadly informed us that we don’t know how long Machu Picchu can sustain the amount of tourism currently going on.  It may not be the same in five, ten, twenty years, so take advantage of this special point in time and go see one of the greatest man-made sites in the entire world.

Without further ado, I’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story:

un Gate

After a full day exploring, chilling, watching, photographing, and just being there, we were off to the town of Aguas Calientes for one final lunch with all three Peru Treks groups.  We received our certificates for hiking the Inca Trail, we ate, we drank, we laughed, and we reminisced on what was a memorable journey of a lifetime.  It’s difficult to explain the power of Machu Picchu, as I truly believe one has to witness it firsthand to truly understand its magical draw.  It was a long journey to get there, but it was one that was well worth it.  While I’m sure taking the train provides a powerful and wonderful experience as well, there’s something about taking the same trail the Incas took over four centuries before, of experiencing and enduring a difficult and challenging journey, of walking for three and a half days through the mountains to get to the final destination.  If you have ever thought about visiting Machu Picchu before, I plead with you to make it happen.  It is worth nearly any sacrifice you have to make, and the memories you create will last a lifetime.