My Trip To Machu Picchu

 Firstly, I wish I could easily remember how to spell it!  Even still, after being there, I have to think. Did you know Quecha is commonly spoken in Cusco and is the language of the Inca? I didnt, and I have a really hard time remembering the spelling of a lot of the ruins around the valley.

Ok, Machu Picchu! (Il refer to it as MP from now on).  I arrived in Cusco for two months vacay, so booked my tickets for a month after being here - on August 1st, which is heavily in the 'busy' season.  I booked via Get Your Guide while I was still in New Zealand, 2 months before the trip date.  (On that note, I had a nightmare with the company that was taking me, via GYG.  I wrote to them and they assured me I was booked on the much coveted Circuit 2A, great! 3 days before my trip they told me I didnt have that booking, and instead, Id be on Circuit 1B - which according to AI is second best, and then the day before they told me no, thats not true either, I have to settle for 3B AND lose my 6am entry slot for 7am.  

A little of the history -

Built during the height of the Inca Empire, it is thought to have been constructed in the 15th century, probably around the reign of the Inca ruler Pachacuti.

The Incas created Machu Picchu at an extraordinary location, around 2,430 metres above sea level. Rather than being a conventional city, it appears to have served several purposes, possibly as a royal estate, ceremonial and religious centre, and retreat for the Inca elite. Its carefully constructed terraces provided space for agriculture while also helping to stabilise the steep mountainside and manage water.

The engineering is one of Machu Picchu's most impressive features. The Incas built extensive drainage systems, stone terraces, stairways, fountains and buildings from precisely cut stone, often without mortar. The construction had to cope with heavy rainfall, steep terrain and the constant movement of water through the mountain. Much of the site was constructed using local granite.

Several structures appear to have had particular ceremonial or astronomical importance. The Temple of the Sun, with its curved stone wall, is one of the most distinctive buildings. The Intihuatana, a carved stone often associated with astronomical observation and ritual, is another famous feature of the site.

Machu Picchu was occupied for a relatively short period by Inca standards. By the 16th century, the Spanish had conquered the Inca Empire. Interestingly, there is no evidence that Spanish conquistadors ever discovered Machu Picchu. The site appears to have been abandoned, although local people continued to know of its existence. They remained largely unknown to the outside world until the early 20th century.

In 1911, American explorer and historian Hiram Bingham reached Machu Picchu while searching for Vilcabamba, one of the last strongholds of the Incas. His expedition brought international attention to the ruins, although local people were already familiar with the site. Bingham's role in the "discovery" of Machu Picchu has since been debated, particularly because the site was not truly unknown before his arrival.

Archaeological research has continued ever since, revealing more about the people who lived and worked there, the sophisticated engineering behind the site, and its place within the wider Inca landscape.

Today, Machu Picchu is one of Peru's most important cultural and archaeological treasures and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Millions of people are drawn to its terraces, temples and extraordinary mountain setting each year.

Yet perhaps the most fascinating thing about Machu Picchu is how much remains uncertain. We still cannot say with absolute certainty exactly why it was built, how every structure was used, or why it was eventually abandoned. Part of its enduring fascination lies in those unanswered questions, sitting quietly among the mountains more than five centuries after the Inca builders left.

My takeaways from the whole MP trip are - 1) Dont be disappointed if you get Circuit 3B!!

2) A 7am entry is potentially better than 6am, I got amazing light!

3) Dont be put off when you see the bus queues to go up to MP - the whole system runs like a well-oiled machine and you will be entering the site at your allotted time and people are spread out and theres room on the bus! 

4) I had a guide, there was me and one other, necessary? No.

5) It costs to use the toilets at the entry area and theres no toilets inside the ruins. 

6) From Cusco, break the trip by doing the San Pedro train to Aguas Calientes one way, and train and bus / car the other way

7) If you do catch a mini van either from - to Cusco / Aguas Calienties, they wont leave until therye full, and they take 18 pax. (When I left Ollantaytambo I ended up sharing a private car with two others, Id already been waiting for 2 hours for the minivan to fill, and it wasnt even half full)

8) So many people were walking so quickly through MP and missing so many cool shots! Dont hurry! 

9) Once youre in there you can take youre time, my circuit took onlyl a couple of hours and that wasnt rushing

10) People talk about guides taking bribes and getting you on another circuit once inside.  I asked my guide out of interest and he said thats crap as theres cameras everywhere now and its a lot stricter. Maybe it used to happen but not anymore.

11) Dont rush your stay.  I could have done with a second night in Aguas Calientes, just to chill after seeing MP.  I got on my train though but when it stopped at Ollantaytamnbo I decided to have a night there and break up my trip. Pleased I did because I had no idea of the Inca significance of that town.