Machupicchu Magical Travel Agency, Tourist Package in Perú: WEB SITE: http://www.tourmachupicchutravel.com/ Telephone number: +51-84-254571 / +51949755958 (whatsapp)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
PERU TRAVEL
Through this Peru Travel Guide you will acess to a brief about the most important Peru travel destinations you may visit in a future. History, attractions, what to visit, climate, lodging, arrival and departures, photos, etc., will give you an overall idea of any destination you may want to choose. The best travel and vacation tips on Machu Picchu, Cusco, Nazca Lines, Paracas, Titicaca Lake, Manu, Lima, Arequipa..Enjoy the journey!.
PERY TOURS Travel to Cusco, explore the amazing sites of Machu Picchu, Choquequirao...
Travel to Cusco, explore the amazing sites of Machu Picchu, Choquequirao, Sillustani or Kuelap, fly over the Nazca Lines, explore the Manu rainforest, sail the Titicaca Lake or walk the Inca Trail. Practice your favorite adventure sport on the coast, rivers or mountains, or enjoy the wide variety of flora and fauna of the Peruvian Amazon jungle. Let us organize your trip and choose one of our "Peru Hot Tour Deals", with unbeatable prices, or take some of our Recommended Trips covering circuits for the best knowledge of our country. Select our Premium Travel Collection including everything necessary for the fullest possible enjoyment of your journey to Peru. If you are of an adventurous spirit, Nature Tours and Adventure Travel are waiting for you. Enjoy Peru with us!
INCA TRAIL Machu Picchu PARK REGULATIONS
The Inca Trail is part of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a protected area managed by the Peru National Institute of Natural Resources, INRENA.
All visitors must obey park regulations prohibiting littering, cutting or damaging trees, removing or damaging stones of ruins and the Trail, removing plants, killing animals, lighting open fires or camping in the archeological sites (only authorized campsites can be used).
The following procedures must be followed:
1. Payment of entrance fees:
a. The only valid document granting the right to walk the Inca Trails Network - the Machupicchu Historical Sanctuary Network RED or SHM - is the ticket issued by the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary Management Unit (UGM). This ticket is personal and non transferable, and includes the entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
b. Payment for the right to use the RED can only be done in the city of Cusco, and has a cost of US$50, usually included in the payment will make to an authorized agency.
c. Under no circumstances, payment for the use of the RED will be accepted at its registry and entry control points.
d. Payment for the right to use the RED must be made a minimum of five (5) days before beginning the trip and the acquisition must be made under your name.
e. The reimbursement of payment for the right to use the RED is not possible under any circumstance.
f. In case of having done the corresponding payment for the right to use the RED and having fixed the dates of the visit, these dates can be postponed with four (4) days notice, providing an additional payment of 20%, and subject to place availability for the dates and routes required.
2. Reservations
a. Reservations will be made in the offices of the Departmental Headquarters of the National Institute of Culture in the city of Cusco, receiving confirmation with corresponding reservation code.
Note: Reservations will be subject to the daily capacity emitted by the UGM (500 people, including guides, porters, helpers and around 150 tourists), therefore we recommend you to reserve your place with as much notice as possible.
b. The Tour Operator can ask for reservations up to sixty (60) days before the trip begins, making a payment for the equivalent of fifty percent (50%) of the entrance ticket.
c. To maintain the reservation, the Tour Operator must cancel the balance due and provide full names, passport numbers, ages, nationalities and passport photocopies of all those going on the trip, to the relevant authorities. The traveler must send this information and documentation to us from his or her home country.
d. Failure to confirm reservations will result in their cancellation, and no reimbursement of fees will be made in this case.
e. Only people under 28 years old with valid International Student Identification will be considered as a student, entitling them to a 50% discount on the RED entrance fee.
All visitors must obey park regulations prohibiting littering, cutting or damaging trees, removing or damaging stones of ruins and the Trail, removing plants, killing animals, lighting open fires or camping in the archeological sites (only authorized campsites can be used).
The following procedures must be followed:
1. Payment of entrance fees:
a. The only valid document granting the right to walk the Inca Trails Network - the Machupicchu Historical Sanctuary Network RED or SHM - is the ticket issued by the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary Management Unit (UGM). This ticket is personal and non transferable, and includes the entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
b. Payment for the right to use the RED can only be done in the city of Cusco, and has a cost of US$50, usually included in the payment will make to an authorized agency.
c. Under no circumstances, payment for the use of the RED will be accepted at its registry and entry control points.
d. Payment for the right to use the RED must be made a minimum of five (5) days before beginning the trip and the acquisition must be made under your name.
e. The reimbursement of payment for the right to use the RED is not possible under any circumstance.
f. In case of having done the corresponding payment for the right to use the RED and having fixed the dates of the visit, these dates can be postponed with four (4) days notice, providing an additional payment of 20%, and subject to place availability for the dates and routes required.
2. Reservations
a. Reservations will be made in the offices of the Departmental Headquarters of the National Institute of Culture in the city of Cusco, receiving confirmation with corresponding reservation code.
Note: Reservations will be subject to the daily capacity emitted by the UGM (500 people, including guides, porters, helpers and around 150 tourists), therefore we recommend you to reserve your place with as much notice as possible.
b. The Tour Operator can ask for reservations up to sixty (60) days before the trip begins, making a payment for the equivalent of fifty percent (50%) of the entrance ticket.
c. To maintain the reservation, the Tour Operator must cancel the balance due and provide full names, passport numbers, ages, nationalities and passport photocopies of all those going on the trip, to the relevant authorities. The traveler must send this information and documentation to us from his or her home country.
d. Failure to confirm reservations will result in their cancellation, and no reimbursement of fees will be made in this case.
e. Only people under 28 years old with valid International Student Identification will be considered as a student, entitling them to a 50% discount on the RED entrance fee.
INCA TRAIL Machu Pichu ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Because you are visiting Andean areas, do not forget to take precautions to avoid altitude sickness. When you arrive at altitude, make sure you drink hot tea or coca leaf tea (mate de coca), walk slowly and eat lightlY
In order to prevent any health disorder, remember always drink bottled water.
Altitude Levels
Cusco City: 3,360 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l.)
Machu Picchu: 2,400 m.a.s.l.
Urubamba Valley: 2,850 m.a.s.l.
In order to prevent any health disorder, remember always drink bottled water.
Altitude Levels
Cusco City: 3,360 metres above sea level (m.a.s.l.)
Machu Picchu: 2,400 m.a.s.l.
Urubamba Valley: 2,850 m.a.s.l.
INCA TRAIL Machu Picchu WHAT TO BRING
A: Clothes
1. Hiking boots and trainers (sneakers).
2. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts
3. T-shirts
4. Sweaters and a thick jacket
5. Rain wear during rainy season
B: Equipment
1. Camera and films
2. Insect Repellent and sunblock
3. Torch and knife
4. Backpack and light case
C: Personal toilet items:
1. Soap, shampoo, toothbrush and dental floss.
2. Towel
We recommend you to: - Use boots during the whole trek. - Drink a lot of liquid during long excursions and on the Inca Trail.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Our company prides itself in providing first class service and products, and being especially concerned about the wellbeing and safety of you, the traveler.
Consequently, we provide you our own equipment and the following service.
1. Bilingual guides for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
2. Porters to carry heavy equipment. We provide an optional service of personal porters.
3. All meals are provided throughout the length of the journey, consisting of breakfast, lunch and supper. All meals are hot and freshly prepared at each mealtime along the way.
4. Our company employs porters to carry kitchen equipment.
5. Water, fruit and snacks.
6. Bathroom tent.
7. Dining tent, with table and chairs.
8. Dining utensils and cutlery.
9. First Aid kit.
10.Mattresses.
11. Comfortable, ample tents suitable for outdoor acitivities. Three-people tents are used to accommodate two people.
1. Hiking boots and trainers (sneakers).
2. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts
3. T-shirts
4. Sweaters and a thick jacket
5. Rain wear during rainy season
B: Equipment
1. Camera and films
2. Insect Repellent and sunblock
3. Torch and knife
4. Backpack and light case
C: Personal toilet items:
1. Soap, shampoo, toothbrush and dental floss.
2. Towel
We recommend you to: - Use boots during the whole trek. - Drink a lot of liquid during long excursions and on the Inca Trail.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
Our company prides itself in providing first class service and products, and being especially concerned about the wellbeing and safety of you, the traveler.
Consequently, we provide you our own equipment and the following service.
1. Bilingual guides for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
2. Porters to carry heavy equipment. We provide an optional service of personal porters.
3. All meals are provided throughout the length of the journey, consisting of breakfast, lunch and supper. All meals are hot and freshly prepared at each mealtime along the way.
4. Our company employs porters to carry kitchen equipment.
5. Water, fruit and snacks.
6. Bathroom tent.
7. Dining tent, with table and chairs.
8. Dining utensils and cutlery.
9. First Aid kit.
10.Mattresses.
11. Comfortable, ample tents suitable for outdoor acitivities. Three-people tents are used to accommodate two people.
INCA TRAIL Machu Picchu WEATHER
The climate in the Andes can basically be divided into two seasons, the wet season and the dry season.
The dry season is normally between May and September, with generally sunny days, warm evenings and often very cold nights.
The rainy season is from October to May, though rains usually come only between January and March. The Inca Trail is usually closed for these months due to the possibility of landslides or mudslides ("huaycos").
For information about temperatures, please, visit Cusco destination, clicking on the left bar.
The dry season is normally between May and September, with generally sunny days, warm evenings and often very cold nights.
The rainy season is from October to May, though rains usually come only between January and March. The Inca Trail is usually closed for these months due to the possibility of landslides or mudslides ("huaycos").
For information about temperatures, please, visit Cusco destination, clicking on the left bar.
INCA TRAIL Machu Picchu STEP BY STEP
Preparatory Session
A day before the tour, you and your fellow trekkers are given a "briefing" session where you receive information and recommendations about the trek schedule, campsites, park ecological regulations (Machu Picchu is a Natural Reserve protected by the Peruvian State), equipment and essential materials, clothing, food, security aspects, first aid, transportation and a customer suggestion sheet.
Trip to Ollantaytambo, Chilca and Piscacucho
Early in the morning ( 4:30 - 5:00 ) we will pick you up at your hotel by bus and transfer you to Piscacucho in Chilca, passing through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the towns of Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. There is an optional breakfast at Urubamba.
Beginning the Trek
At km. 82 on the railway line ( Piscacucho ) you and your fellow travelers prepare your backpacks and, accompanied by your guide and porters, begin the trek by crossing the suspension bridge over the Urubamba river. Your adventure on The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu starts at this point.
Patallaqta ("Town on the Heights")
This is an Archaeological Complex at the foot of a mountain on the left bank of the Cusichaca River, a tributary of the Urubamba River. There is a large number of agricultural terraces that probably served to feed other towns and " tambos" on the Inca Trail. Its urban sector has more than one hundred buildings. It also has an Inca altar named " Pulpituyoq".
Wayllabamba ("Grassy Prairie")
This is a small Indigenous village located at the foot of a mountain and surrounded by fields of corn, potatoes, etc. On sunny days, you can see the snow covering peaks of the Cordillera of Urubamba, including Mt.Veronica . Most groups normally camp here on their first night because it has public baths and plenty of water. In Patawasi, an archeological site nearby, there are Inca terraces and some ancient buildings.
Abra de Warmiwañiusca ("Dead Woman's Pass")
This is the highest point on the Inca Trail. The trail is steep here, and so the trek is hard and tedious. A definite change in nature can be appreciated on the way, from temperate valley forest to the treeless grasslands of the windswept puna. A highland grass called "ichu", used for pasture, grows here. There is a campsite called "llulluchapampa" just before the pass, situated on a flat area surrounded by two streams of crystalline water, and again with public baths. Many hikers rest here before the final trek to the pass which is cold and windy.
We recommend not to stay too long in order to avoid altitude sickness (soroche).
Runkuraqay ("Oval Buiding")
This is an Inca "tambo" built in a semi circular shape that overlooks the valley of Paqaymayu ("Hidden River"). On the way to the Inca site, at the bottom of the valley, there is the Paqaymayu campsite, with plenty of water, public baths and a small waterfall. You can rest here and have some lunch. The trail then climbs to the Runkuraqay Pass (4,000 m.a.s.l. / 13,114 f.a.s.l.), passing by the twin lakes of "Yanacocha" ("Black Lake"). It's also possible to camp here.
Sayaqmarka ("Dominant Town")
This is a magnificient Inca site situated on the edge of a mountain with a panoramic view of the Aobamba Valley, and in the distance the snow covering the peak of Mt. Pumasillo. This ruin has narrow mazelike halls. The only access to the site is by a steep, but solid stone staircase built into the edge of the mountain. Descending quickly by the same stairs, on our way back to the Trail, we will find a cloud forest full of exotic plants, such us orchids, moss, and lichens, and the song of the birds and calls of the native wildlife, all perfectly harmonized in this unique environment. The sensation of being in these diverse natural environments is an experience to treasure for the rest of your life.
On our way to the trail, we also pass by Conchamarka, a small, recently discovered archaeological complex, and Chakicocha ("Dry Lake") campsite, a spacious flat area with public baths and good water supply. The trail then starts to climb again by the edge of the mountains arriving at the first tunnel on the Trail. The tunnel is 20 meters long and has stairs carved out of solid rock. Coming out of the other end of the tunnel, we climb a little more and arrive at the third and last pass on the trail, Phuyupatamarka Pass.
Phuyupatamarka ("Town above the Clouds")
This is one of the most singular cities on the Inca Trail. Almost always surrounded by clouds typical of a cloud forest environment, Phuyupatamarka is located on the edge of a gorge that dominates the Urubamba valley. The town has many agricultural terraces and a group of ritual fountains with fresh running water.
At the top of the site, there is a square from where, with good weather, one can appreciate the gorgeous scenery of the Urubamba Valley and the snow covering peaks of the mountain range. At the lower part of the site, there is a group of circular and curved buildings that seem to follow the geographic form of the terrain, illustrating graphically the great skill of Inca engineers to harmonize man labor with nature. Near the Phuyupatamarka Pass, there are several small campsites with superb views of the surrounding landscape. Then the Inca Trail descends quite abruptly, going down by several stone staircases, and passing through a second tunnel, to continue on a cornice like path above the Urubamba Valley, and finally descending towards Wiñaywayna.
Wiñaywayna ("Forever Young")
This site is named after an orchid native in the area, which blooms all year-round, decorating the site with vibrant reds, violets and yellows. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful citadels on the trail, and the last urban center before Machu Picchu. The place was built on the steepest side of the valley over the left bank of the Urubamba River. It has four main sectors: the urban sector on the lower part of the town, with more that twenty buildings, the ritual fountains sector, the agricultural terraces sector and the Tower sector. The last sector has the finest architecture of the complex, leading experts to believe that it was a religious or royal quarter.
The following day, very early in the morning at about 4.15 a.m, we leave Wiñaywayna for the Intipunku or Gate of the Sun, to watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu. From this point, the astonished traveler can contemplate the majesty and grandeur of Machu Picchu, the Sacred City of the Incas, under the first dawn rays.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the Inca city, and many claim it to be the most beautiful, best preserved and most famous fortress in the world. It is the climax of the Inca Trail trip. The city was considered lost for many centuries, covered as it was by a lush vegetation typical of the Southern Peruvian Andes cloud forest, until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham, the American historian, on July 24, 1911.
The city is divided in three main sectors: urban, agricultural and adjacent areas. The urban sector has, amongst other attractions, the following archaelogical sites: the City Gate, the Ñusta's bedroom, the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Tomb, ritual fountains, the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple, the Intiwatana (The Hitching Post of the Sun), the Main Plaza, the Sacred Rock, artisan workshops, the industrial quarter, and the jails. The agricultural sector includes the terraces, the funerary rock and the cementery. Finally the adjacent areas are: the Intipunku, the Temple of the Moon, Wayna Picchu (a mountain peak beside the city) and the Inca drawbridge.
The Incas worshiped the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains and the mother earth and Machu Picchu and the citadels all along the Inca trail were built primarily for religious purposes. Traveling along this Sacred Path, therefore, is now as it was in Inca times, a pilgrimage to the religious heart of the Inca Civilization.
A day before the tour, you and your fellow trekkers are given a "briefing" session where you receive information and recommendations about the trek schedule, campsites, park ecological regulations (Machu Picchu is a Natural Reserve protected by the Peruvian State), equipment and essential materials, clothing, food, security aspects, first aid, transportation and a customer suggestion sheet.
Trip to Ollantaytambo, Chilca and Piscacucho
Early in the morning ( 4:30 - 5:00 ) we will pick you up at your hotel by bus and transfer you to Piscacucho in Chilca, passing through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the towns of Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. There is an optional breakfast at Urubamba.
Beginning the Trek
At km. 82 on the railway line ( Piscacucho ) you and your fellow travelers prepare your backpacks and, accompanied by your guide and porters, begin the trek by crossing the suspension bridge over the Urubamba river. Your adventure on The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu starts at this point.
Patallaqta ("Town on the Heights")
This is an Archaeological Complex at the foot of a mountain on the left bank of the Cusichaca River, a tributary of the Urubamba River. There is a large number of agricultural terraces that probably served to feed other towns and " tambos" on the Inca Trail. Its urban sector has more than one hundred buildings. It also has an Inca altar named " Pulpituyoq".
Wayllabamba ("Grassy Prairie")
This is a small Indigenous village located at the foot of a mountain and surrounded by fields of corn, potatoes, etc. On sunny days, you can see the snow covering peaks of the Cordillera of Urubamba, including Mt.Veronica . Most groups normally camp here on their first night because it has public baths and plenty of water. In Patawasi, an archeological site nearby, there are Inca terraces and some ancient buildings.
Abra de Warmiwañiusca ("Dead Woman's Pass")
This is the highest point on the Inca Trail. The trail is steep here, and so the trek is hard and tedious. A definite change in nature can be appreciated on the way, from temperate valley forest to the treeless grasslands of the windswept puna. A highland grass called "ichu", used for pasture, grows here. There is a campsite called "llulluchapampa" just before the pass, situated on a flat area surrounded by two streams of crystalline water, and again with public baths. Many hikers rest here before the final trek to the pass which is cold and windy.
We recommend not to stay too long in order to avoid altitude sickness (soroche).
Runkuraqay ("Oval Buiding")
This is an Inca "tambo" built in a semi circular shape that overlooks the valley of Paqaymayu ("Hidden River"). On the way to the Inca site, at the bottom of the valley, there is the Paqaymayu campsite, with plenty of water, public baths and a small waterfall. You can rest here and have some lunch. The trail then climbs to the Runkuraqay Pass (4,000 m.a.s.l. / 13,114 f.a.s.l.), passing by the twin lakes of "Yanacocha" ("Black Lake"). It's also possible to camp here.
Sayaqmarka ("Dominant Town")
This is a magnificient Inca site situated on the edge of a mountain with a panoramic view of the Aobamba Valley, and in the distance the snow covering the peak of Mt. Pumasillo. This ruin has narrow mazelike halls. The only access to the site is by a steep, but solid stone staircase built into the edge of the mountain. Descending quickly by the same stairs, on our way back to the Trail, we will find a cloud forest full of exotic plants, such us orchids, moss, and lichens, and the song of the birds and calls of the native wildlife, all perfectly harmonized in this unique environment. The sensation of being in these diverse natural environments is an experience to treasure for the rest of your life.
On our way to the trail, we also pass by Conchamarka, a small, recently discovered archaeological complex, and Chakicocha ("Dry Lake") campsite, a spacious flat area with public baths and good water supply. The trail then starts to climb again by the edge of the mountains arriving at the first tunnel on the Trail. The tunnel is 20 meters long and has stairs carved out of solid rock. Coming out of the other end of the tunnel, we climb a little more and arrive at the third and last pass on the trail, Phuyupatamarka Pass.
Phuyupatamarka ("Town above the Clouds")
This is one of the most singular cities on the Inca Trail. Almost always surrounded by clouds typical of a cloud forest environment, Phuyupatamarka is located on the edge of a gorge that dominates the Urubamba valley. The town has many agricultural terraces and a group of ritual fountains with fresh running water.
At the top of the site, there is a square from where, with good weather, one can appreciate the gorgeous scenery of the Urubamba Valley and the snow covering peaks of the mountain range. At the lower part of the site, there is a group of circular and curved buildings that seem to follow the geographic form of the terrain, illustrating graphically the great skill of Inca engineers to harmonize man labor with nature. Near the Phuyupatamarka Pass, there are several small campsites with superb views of the surrounding landscape. Then the Inca Trail descends quite abruptly, going down by several stone staircases, and passing through a second tunnel, to continue on a cornice like path above the Urubamba Valley, and finally descending towards Wiñaywayna.
Wiñaywayna ("Forever Young")
This site is named after an orchid native in the area, which blooms all year-round, decorating the site with vibrant reds, violets and yellows. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful citadels on the trail, and the last urban center before Machu Picchu. The place was built on the steepest side of the valley over the left bank of the Urubamba River. It has four main sectors: the urban sector on the lower part of the town, with more that twenty buildings, the ritual fountains sector, the agricultural terraces sector and the Tower sector. The last sector has the finest architecture of the complex, leading experts to believe that it was a religious or royal quarter.
The following day, very early in the morning at about 4.15 a.m, we leave Wiñaywayna for the Intipunku or Gate of the Sun, to watch the sun rise over Machu Picchu. From this point, the astonished traveler can contemplate the majesty and grandeur of Machu Picchu, the Sacred City of the Incas, under the first dawn rays.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the Inca city, and many claim it to be the most beautiful, best preserved and most famous fortress in the world. It is the climax of the Inca Trail trip. The city was considered lost for many centuries, covered as it was by a lush vegetation typical of the Southern Peruvian Andes cloud forest, until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham, the American historian, on July 24, 1911.
The city is divided in three main sectors: urban, agricultural and adjacent areas. The urban sector has, amongst other attractions, the following archaelogical sites: the City Gate, the Ñusta's bedroom, the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Tomb, ritual fountains, the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple, the Intiwatana (The Hitching Post of the Sun), the Main Plaza, the Sacred Rock, artisan workshops, the industrial quarter, and the jails. The agricultural sector includes the terraces, the funerary rock and the cementery. Finally the adjacent areas are: the Intipunku, the Temple of the Moon, Wayna Picchu (a mountain peak beside the city) and the Inca drawbridge.
The Incas worshiped the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains and the mother earth and Machu Picchu and the citadels all along the Inca trail were built primarily for religious purposes. Traveling along this Sacred Path, therefore, is now as it was in Inca times, a pilgrimage to the religious heart of the Inca Civilization.
INCA TRAIL HIKING THE INCA TRAIL Machu Picchu
The Lost City of Machu Picchu is without doubt the most recognizable symbol of Inca Civilization for us as well as for the international visitor. "The Inca Trail", as it is known now, was the Royal Highway that led pilgrims and officials of the Empire to the Sacred City of the Incas.
Hiking the Inca Trail is a highly rewarding holiday choice! It is the best of its kind in the world, due to its exquisite natural beauty and unforgettable views offering a wide variety of ecological areas, from deserts to tropical Andean cloud forest; home to exotic plants and animal life. On the Inca Trail, there are over 250 known species of orchids , and in the different ecosystems, numerous rare birds, animals, and reptiles including several species considered to be in danger of extinction.
Walking the ancient Inca Trail gives you the opportunity to visit overgrown Inca buildings undiscovered by the Spanish Empire, giving you the feeling that you are the first to come across them.
Walking this Andean highway is a truly fascinating and unforgettable experience. The Trail is paved with blocks of stone, It has stone stairways, tunnels and wooden bridges. It crosses rivers, streams, temperate valleys, warm cloud forests and cold highlands.
Witnessing and experiencing all this wonder make the traveler to marvel at the intellectual and spiritual grandeur of Andean man, whose highest achievement was Inca civilization.
The Inca Trail is part of a 30,000 kilometer highway system, that integrated the vast Inca Empire of Tawantinsuyo (The Four Ways), running from southern Colombia to central Chile passing through the cities of Quito in Ecuador; Cajamarca, Huanuco, Jauja, Huamanga and Cusco in Peru; La Paz and Cochabamba in Bolivia; and finishing in Salta and Tucuman in Argentina. These highways run mainly by the coast, through the Highlands and in some cases reached the tropical mountains near the Amazon forest. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a fine example of this last type of highway.
Following the footsteps of the original Incas, on one of the most accessible treks in the region, the Inca Trail to the enigmatic Machu Picchu, The Lost City of the Incas, is one of the greatest adventures you are ever likely to have nowadays. Years of experience with adventurers on this trail have helped us to design three unforgettable Inca Trailtreks that we are now proud to offer you.
Hiking the Inca Trail is a highly rewarding holiday choice! It is the best of its kind in the world, due to its exquisite natural beauty and unforgettable views offering a wide variety of ecological areas, from deserts to tropical Andean cloud forest; home to exotic plants and animal life. On the Inca Trail, there are over 250 known species of orchids , and in the different ecosystems, numerous rare birds, animals, and reptiles including several species considered to be in danger of extinction.
Walking the ancient Inca Trail gives you the opportunity to visit overgrown Inca buildings undiscovered by the Spanish Empire, giving you the feeling that you are the first to come across them.
Walking this Andean highway is a truly fascinating and unforgettable experience. The Trail is paved with blocks of stone, It has stone stairways, tunnels and wooden bridges. It crosses rivers, streams, temperate valleys, warm cloud forests and cold highlands.
Witnessing and experiencing all this wonder make the traveler to marvel at the intellectual and spiritual grandeur of Andean man, whose highest achievement was Inca civilization.
The Inca Trail is part of a 30,000 kilometer highway system, that integrated the vast Inca Empire of Tawantinsuyo (The Four Ways), running from southern Colombia to central Chile passing through the cities of Quito in Ecuador; Cajamarca, Huanuco, Jauja, Huamanga and Cusco in Peru; La Paz and Cochabamba in Bolivia; and finishing in Salta and Tucuman in Argentina. These highways run mainly by the coast, through the Highlands and in some cases reached the tropical mountains near the Amazon forest. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a fine example of this last type of highway.
Following the footsteps of the original Incas, on one of the most accessible treks in the region, the Inca Trail to the enigmatic Machu Picchu, The Lost City of the Incas, is one of the greatest adventures you are ever likely to have nowadays. Years of experience with adventurers on this trail have helped us to design three unforgettable Inca Trailtreks that we are now proud to offer you.
TRANSPORTATION IN MACHU PICCHU
Peru Rail (ex-ENAFER, the National Railroad Company) offers a variety of services to Machu Picchu, from San Pedro Station, in Cusco, to Aguas Calientes.
WHEN TO GO TO MACHU PICCHU
The ideal months for visiting Machu Picchu are from June to October as the weather is mild during this time of the year.
WEATHER AND CLIMATE IN MACHU PICCHU
From June to October the mornings are warm with brilliant sunshine, though it can get quite cool in the shade. At night temperatures can drop to 10ºC.
From from December to April showers and downpours are common, followed by bright, intense sunshine.
We recommend to take a raincoat or umbrella to protect yourself from the rain.
From from December to April showers and downpours are common, followed by bright, intense sunshine.
We recommend to take a raincoat or umbrella to protect yourself from the rain.
RESTAURANTS IN MACHU PICCHU
In Aguas Calientes, the small town situated near down Machu Picchu, there are several restaurants and hotels which offer you a varied carte du jour with the most delicious dishes of Cusco and the best of the international food.
In Machu Picchu top, located in a privileged site with a spectacular view on the citadel of Machu Picchu, you will find Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge restaurants offering you an exquisite menu of Peruvian and International food.
In Machu Picchu top, located in a privileged site with a spectacular view on the citadel of Machu Picchu, you will find Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge restaurants offering you an exquisite menu of Peruvian and International food.
HOTEL AND LODGING IN MACHU PICCHU
As tourists have access to hotel facilities in Cusco city, a one-day visit to Machu Picchu is feasible. However, if the visitor wishes to stay overnight, the small town of Aguas Calientes, about 8 kilometers from Machu Picchu, has a good number of small hotels, hostels, and restaurants as well as standard facilities such as a police station, electricity, water supply and telephones.
For those taking the Inca Trail, there is a lodge very close to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna which has terraces and comfortable rooms.
If you count with higher budget and you want a special place where spend the night, consult about the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, located close to the Citadel.
For those taking the Inca Trail, there is a lodge very close to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna which has terraces and comfortable rooms.
If you count with higher budget and you want a special place where spend the night, consult about the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, located close to the Citadel.
MachuPicchu Travel and Tour Information Machupichu
In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead, gigantic precipices of many-colored granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids; it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle."
Hiram Bingham on Machu Picchu
Since Machu Picchu discovery on July 24, 1911, by north american Hiram Bingham, it has been considered oneof the world's greatest architectural and archaeological monuments, due to its extraordinary magnificence and harmonious structure.
At 2,400 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l), in the province of Urubamba, department of Cusco, Machu Picchu surprises us because of the way its stone constructions are spread over a narrow and uneven mountain top, bordering a sheer 400 meter cliff side of the Urubamba River canyon.
Machu Picchu is a citadel shrouded in mystery, and to this day archaeologists have not uncovered the history andpurpose of this city of stone. The site has an area of about one square kilometer, and stands in a region that the Incas considered to be magical, due to the meeting of the Andes mountains with the mighty Amazon river.
Perhaps, Machu Picchu mystery may never be fully explained as, so far, there are only hypothesis and conjectures. For some, it may have been an advance settlement for planned further expansions by the Incas. Others believe Machu Picchu have been a monastery where young girls (acllas) were trained to serve the Inca and the Willac Uno (HIgh Priest). Support for this theory comes from the fact that of the 135 bodies discovered while exploring the site, 109 were female.
The surprising perfection and beauty of Machu Picchu's walls, built by joining stone to stone without using any cement or adhesive whatsoever, has led to many myths developing around how the city was constructed .
It is said that a bird by the name of Kak'aqllu knew the formula for softening rock but by command, perhaps, of the ancient Inca gods, had its tongue torn out. It is also said that there was a magic plant which could dissolve and compress stone.
Nonetheless, mysteries and myths aside, the real attractiveness of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, lies in its squares, aqueducts and watchtowers, its observatories and in its sun clock, evidence of the wisdom and skill of the city's Andean builders.
ATTRACTIONS IN MACHU PICCHU
"I was left speechless" wrote Hiram Bingham, about the moment he discovered the ancient citadel, and since then thousands of visitors on seeing Machu Picchu for the first time have reacted in the same way. Machu Picchu is an indispensable place to visit for everybody who gets to Cusco, and on seeing it, you, like the famous North American archaeologist, will be left speechless and won't want to leave.
The Citadel of Machu Picchu:
Machu Picchu has two sectors; an agricultural sector and an urban sector. The agricultural sector consists of stepped terraces for cultivation (andenes) built on the slopes of surrounding mountains.
The urban sector is "U" shaped and has two immense architectural groups with streets and stairwells that consist of a total of 3,000 steps, as well as a network of water canals suitable for domestic and irrigation use, interspersed with small squares and courtyards.
The constructions in Machu Picchu have rectangular floor spaces. Many of the enclosures, called masmas, have only three walls, which at one time were all thatched with tree trunks and ichu (straw).
Doors and windows are encased in trapezoid shapes as arethe niches in the walls where idols and other objects were placed; a typical feature of Inca architecture.
Each wall in Machu Picchu is different; even those that share the same enclosure have different styles. The best finished wall is the main wall of the Templo Principal (Main Temple), where the cut and polished stones are flawlessly fitted together.
Worthy of attention too are the Intihuatana, a sundial made out of polished stone; the Torreón (Watchtower), a building with curved walls, and the Templo de las Tres Ventanas (Temple of the Three Windows).
HISTORICAL SANCTUARY
Due to its special location in a region of Peru where the Andes and the Amazon meet, the 32,592 hectares surrounding the citadel have been declared a protected area in order to preserve the flora, fauna and geological formations, as well as the archeological remains .
The Machu Picchu Sanctuary is a priceless example of Andean archeology and culture, combined with a spectacular natural environment home to species of fauna and flora unknown elsewhere in the world.
Apart from Machu Picchu itself, there are 34 other archeological groups in the Sanctuary, which are interconnected by the ancient Inca Trail, an impressive original Inca route, which nowadays is open to tourists.
Notable amongst these sites are the Inca constructions of Runquracay, the ruins of Sacyamarca (similar to Machu Picchu), the citadel of Phuyupatamarca ("Town above the Clouds"), the ruins of Wiñay Wayna ("Eternally Young"), the Temple of the Moon and the archeological group known as the Gran Caverna ("Great Cavern"). The flora of Machu Picchu is exuberant, and in higher areas different species of high-Andean grains are found. In the low areas, trees such as the "aliso" Alnus jorullensis, "nogal" Juglans neotropica, "intimpa" Podocarpus glomeratus, "Kisuar" Buddleja incana may be found. There are also 30 genus and over 90 species of orchids.
Among the fauna of Machu Picchu we can find birds such as the "condor" (Vultur gryphus) and diverse species of hummingbirds, and mammals such as pumas (Felis concolor), the "tigrillo" (Felis pardalis) as well as a few species of monkeys and ophidians of the Bothrops species. There are species in danger of extinction in the Sanctuary as well, such as the "rock hen" ("gallito de las rocas"), the "spectacled bear" ("oso de anteojos"), the otter and the mountain cat.
Hiram Bingham on Machu Picchu
Since Machu Picchu discovery on July 24, 1911, by north american Hiram Bingham, it has been considered oneof the world's greatest architectural and archaeological monuments, due to its extraordinary magnificence and harmonious structure.
At 2,400 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l), in the province of Urubamba, department of Cusco, Machu Picchu surprises us because of the way its stone constructions are spread over a narrow and uneven mountain top, bordering a sheer 400 meter cliff side of the Urubamba River canyon.
Machu Picchu is a citadel shrouded in mystery, and to this day archaeologists have not uncovered the history andpurpose of this city of stone. The site has an area of about one square kilometer, and stands in a region that the Incas considered to be magical, due to the meeting of the Andes mountains with the mighty Amazon river.
Perhaps, Machu Picchu mystery may never be fully explained as, so far, there are only hypothesis and conjectures. For some, it may have been an advance settlement for planned further expansions by the Incas. Others believe Machu Picchu have been a monastery where young girls (acllas) were trained to serve the Inca and the Willac Uno (HIgh Priest). Support for this theory comes from the fact that of the 135 bodies discovered while exploring the site, 109 were female.
The surprising perfection and beauty of Machu Picchu's walls, built by joining stone to stone without using any cement or adhesive whatsoever, has led to many myths developing around how the city was constructed .
It is said that a bird by the name of Kak'aqllu knew the formula for softening rock but by command, perhaps, of the ancient Inca gods, had its tongue torn out. It is also said that there was a magic plant which could dissolve and compress stone.
Nonetheless, mysteries and myths aside, the real attractiveness of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, lies in its squares, aqueducts and watchtowers, its observatories and in its sun clock, evidence of the wisdom and skill of the city's Andean builders.
ATTRACTIONS IN MACHU PICCHU
"I was left speechless" wrote Hiram Bingham, about the moment he discovered the ancient citadel, and since then thousands of visitors on seeing Machu Picchu for the first time have reacted in the same way. Machu Picchu is an indispensable place to visit for everybody who gets to Cusco, and on seeing it, you, like the famous North American archaeologist, will be left speechless and won't want to leave.
The Citadel of Machu Picchu:
Machu Picchu has two sectors; an agricultural sector and an urban sector. The agricultural sector consists of stepped terraces for cultivation (andenes) built on the slopes of surrounding mountains.
The urban sector is "U" shaped and has two immense architectural groups with streets and stairwells that consist of a total of 3,000 steps, as well as a network of water canals suitable for domestic and irrigation use, interspersed with small squares and courtyards.
The constructions in Machu Picchu have rectangular floor spaces. Many of the enclosures, called masmas, have only three walls, which at one time were all thatched with tree trunks and ichu (straw).
Doors and windows are encased in trapezoid shapes as arethe niches in the walls where idols and other objects were placed; a typical feature of Inca architecture.
Each wall in Machu Picchu is different; even those that share the same enclosure have different styles. The best finished wall is the main wall of the Templo Principal (Main Temple), where the cut and polished stones are flawlessly fitted together.
Worthy of attention too are the Intihuatana, a sundial made out of polished stone; the Torreón (Watchtower), a building with curved walls, and the Templo de las Tres Ventanas (Temple of the Three Windows).
HISTORICAL SANCTUARY
Due to its special location in a region of Peru where the Andes and the Amazon meet, the 32,592 hectares surrounding the citadel have been declared a protected area in order to preserve the flora, fauna and geological formations, as well as the archeological remains .
The Machu Picchu Sanctuary is a priceless example of Andean archeology and culture, combined with a spectacular natural environment home to species of fauna and flora unknown elsewhere in the world.
Apart from Machu Picchu itself, there are 34 other archeological groups in the Sanctuary, which are interconnected by the ancient Inca Trail, an impressive original Inca route, which nowadays is open to tourists.
Notable amongst these sites are the Inca constructions of Runquracay, the ruins of Sacyamarca (similar to Machu Picchu), the citadel of Phuyupatamarca ("Town above the Clouds"), the ruins of Wiñay Wayna ("Eternally Young"), the Temple of the Moon and the archeological group known as the Gran Caverna ("Great Cavern"). The flora of Machu Picchu is exuberant, and in higher areas different species of high-Andean grains are found. In the low areas, trees such as the "aliso" Alnus jorullensis, "nogal" Juglans neotropica, "intimpa" Podocarpus glomeratus, "Kisuar" Buddleja incana may be found. There are also 30 genus and over 90 species of orchids.
Among the fauna of Machu Picchu we can find birds such as the "condor" (Vultur gryphus) and diverse species of hummingbirds, and mammals such as pumas (Felis concolor), the "tigrillo" (Felis pardalis) as well as a few species of monkeys and ophidians of the Bothrops species. There are species in danger of extinction in the Sanctuary as well, such as the "rock hen" ("gallito de las rocas"), the "spectacled bear" ("oso de anteojos"), the otter and the mountain cat.
CUSCO - PERU Transportation
You can use public transport buses and mini-buses to get about the city with a charge of just under one Sol (S/.1.00). On the other hand, taxis have a fixed urban tariff of two Soles (S/. 2.00) possibly rising to five Soles if you're going to the airport.
To get to Machu Picchu, the visitor must travel by direct train to Aguas Calientes and from there, board any of the buses provided by the six different agencies which cover the route up to the citadel.
Peru Rail (ex-ENAFER The National Railroad Company) offers a variety of services to Machu Picchu.
Tourism autowagon: Daily departures from Cusco 7 days a week. 6 and 9 a.m. Length of journey: 3 hours. Return to Cusco: 3 and 6.30 p.m. The service includes bilingual hostesses, video-tv, snacks, sale of souvenirs and tourist Information. Fare: 55 dollars.
Inka Coach (Coche Inka): Monday through Saturday. Departure from Cusco: 6:25, 8:40 and 10:15 a.m. Return to Cusco: 4, 6 and 8:15 p.m. Same services as provided by the autowagon. Fare: 45 dollars.
Pullman Coach (34 dollars) and Tourist Class (20 dollars) with the same times of departure and arrival as the Inka Coach.
To get to Machu Picchu, the visitor must travel by direct train to Aguas Calientes and from there, board any of the buses provided by the six different agencies which cover the route up to the citadel.
Peru Rail (ex-ENAFER The National Railroad Company) offers a variety of services to Machu Picchu.
Tourism autowagon: Daily departures from Cusco 7 days a week. 6 and 9 a.m. Length of journey: 3 hours. Return to Cusco: 3 and 6.30 p.m. The service includes bilingual hostesses, video-tv, snacks, sale of souvenirs and tourist Information. Fare: 55 dollars.
Inka Coach (Coche Inka): Monday through Saturday. Departure from Cusco: 6:25, 8:40 and 10:15 a.m. Return to Cusco: 4, 6 and 8:15 p.m. Same services as provided by the autowagon. Fare: 45 dollars.
Pullman Coach (34 dollars) and Tourist Class (20 dollars) with the same times of departure and arrival as the Inka Coach.
CUSCO - PERU FLIGHTS
From Lima you can get to Cusco by air, in a 70 minutes approximately flight.
Flights from Lima to Cusco:
Daily flights via Lan Peru, StarPeru, Taca Peru .
Flightsfrom Cusco to Lima:
Daily flights via Lan Peru, StarPeru, Taca Peru .
We recommend you always reconfirm reservations and check flight departure times.
Cusco can also be reached overland but the journey is exhausting and takes close to a day and a half. From Lima as a starting point there are three routes:
Route 1: Lima - Arequipa - Juliaca -Cusco.
Route 2: Lima - Nasca - Puquio - Chalhuanca - Abancay - Cusco.
Route 3: Lima - Huancayo - Ayacucho - Abancay - Cusco.
The journey by road is not recommended, its better by far to get to Cusco by air.
Flights from Lima to Cusco:
Daily flights via Lan Peru, StarPeru, Taca Peru .
Flightsfrom Cusco to Lima:
Daily flights via Lan Peru, StarPeru, Taca Peru .
We recommend you always reconfirm reservations and check flight departure times.
Cusco can also be reached overland but the journey is exhausting and takes close to a day and a half. From Lima as a starting point there are three routes:
Route 1: Lima - Arequipa - Juliaca -Cusco.
Route 2: Lima - Nasca - Puquio - Chalhuanca - Abancay - Cusco.
Route 3: Lima - Huancayo - Ayacucho - Abancay - Cusco.
The journey by road is not recommended, its better by far to get to Cusco by air.
WHEN TO GO TO CUSCO
The ideal time to visit Cusco is between June and October, when you can enjoy brilliant sunshine from very early in the day, as is the case throughout the Peruvian highlands all year round. Nevertheless, it can get rather chilly in the shade, thus you should always keep a warm garment with you when you're out and about.
Another important reason for visiting Cusco in June is the Inti Raymi or "Celebration of the Sun". This event is a reenactment of the most important ceremony from Inca times, when the Inca Emperor venerated the Sun God, and implored Him to grant abundant harvests and eradicate famine from the Empire.
Another important reason for visiting Cusco in June is the Inti Raymi or "Celebration of the Sun". This event is a reenactment of the most important ceremony from Inca times, when the Inca Emperor venerated the Sun God, and implored Him to grant abundant harvests and eradicate famine from the Empire.
CUSCO - PERU WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Between June and October, temperatures can drop to almost about 3º or less at night, but unlike from April to December, there are no heavy rains.
Generally speaking, Cusco's weather can be cold, but rarely freezing.
The average annual temperature is 12ºC, ranging from an average morning temperature of 18º and nighttime temperature at around 6º
Generally speaking, Cusco's weather can be cold, but rarely freezing.
The average annual temperature is 12ºC, ranging from an average morning temperature of 18º and nighttime temperature at around 6º
CUSCO PERU - TYPICAL FOOD AND RESTAURANTS
No need to worry about eating out in Cusco, as the city offers a variety of menus to suit all tastes, excellent service and very fine cuisine. Why ask for more? The majority of restaurants are close to the Main Square ("Plaza de Armas"), offering different levels of service quality and menu variety, depending on your budget or the price you're prepared to pay.
However, if you want to try typical Cuscan food, we recommend you make a round of the Cusqueñan "picanterías" and "chicherías", to try some native dishes. If around in November or December you could try Quso Kapiche, a stew of boiled lima beans and potatoes, seasoned with onion, garlic, lard, milk and red pepper.
On Carnival Tuesday, in February, a traditional soup prepared with beef, lamb, bacon, pork, cabbage leaves, potatoes, chick peas and rice is served.
You should also try rabbit or guinea pig "pepián". "Chicha de jora"; an Andean beverage made from fermented corn, is also worth a try.
However, if you want to try typical Cuscan food, we recommend you make a round of the Cusqueñan "picanterías" and "chicherías", to try some native dishes. If around in November or December you could try Quso Kapiche, a stew of boiled lima beans and potatoes, seasoned with onion, garlic, lard, milk and red pepper.
On Carnival Tuesday, in February, a traditional soup prepared with beef, lamb, bacon, pork, cabbage leaves, potatoes, chick peas and rice is served.
You should also try rabbit or guinea pig "pepián". "Chicha de jora"; an Andean beverage made from fermented corn, is also worth a try.
Cusco - Peru HOTEL AND LODGING
HOTEL AND LODGING
Cusco offers a wide range of hotels and hostels, providing the tourist with a variety of facilities and quality service.
One can find basic hostels (lodging) or those with 1, 2 or 3-stars; Apart Hotels and hotels from 1 to 5 stars.
There are also private homes, authorized by the Cusco Municipality to take in lodgers at reasonable prices.
Prices for accommodation vary according to the category of the establishment.
The current rate in Cusco for one night can be anything between 10 and 300 dollars.
Cusco offers a wide range of hotels and hostels, providing the tourist with a variety of facilities and quality service.
One can find basic hostels (lodging) or those with 1, 2 or 3-stars; Apart Hotels and hotels from 1 to 5 stars.
There are also private homes, authorized by the Cusco Municipality to take in lodgers at reasonable prices.
Prices for accommodation vary according to the category of the establishment.
The current rate in Cusco for one night can be anything between 10 and 300 dollars.
CUSCO - PERU ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
The sites surrounding Cusco, such as Machu Picchu, Saqsaywaman and Ollantaytambo, are, due to their grandeur and perfection, archaeological jewels which reflect the greatness of Andean man.
Machu Picchu located in the province of Urubamba, close to the Collpani valley, at an altitude of 2,330 masl, and surrounded by exuberant vegetation, adorned by the most diverse and colorful orchids, Machu Picchu was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Some scientists believe that Machu Picchu was a fortress; others, that it was a citadel or monastery. What is beyond doubt however, is the skill of the Inca architects who built it. Machu Picchu has clearly differentiated sectors, such as an agricultural area, squares, living quarters, watchtowers, observatories, and a sundial, amongst others.
The trapezoidal doors and windows stand out , as do the roofs, which have one or two sides, and which, in Inca times, were covered with tree trunks and "ichu" (a local straw). Due to its unique archaeological value, UNESCO has declared Machu Picchu Cultural Patrimony of Humanity.To get to the site, you must take a three hour train ride to Aguas Calientes , a small town at the foot of the mountain where Machu Picchu is situated, and then a 30 minute bus ride up the mountain. If you are a trekking enthusiast you can reach the citadel on a four-day trek along an ancient roadway, the Inca Trail.
Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park
Sacsayhuaman covers an area of 3,000 hectares, two kilometers north of Cusco. The site is considered unique in the world due to its singular architectural characteristics.
In building Sacsayhuaman, the Incas used stone blocks of up to 9 meters high and 5 meters wide, each fitting perfectly with the other. The fortress has an area of approximately 360 meters and has doors, galleries and watchtowers at strategic points.
Apart from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman , the archeological park also contains the sites of Q'Enqo or Kenko ("labyrinth"), a center for ceremonies worshipping the Pachamama ("mother earth"); the Puca Pucara or "Red Fort" and Tambomachay or the Inca Bath, built to worship the element of Water.
OLLANTAYTAMBO
Ollantaytambo, 97 kms. from Cusco, was an administrative, social, religious and agricultural center in Inca times.
The site, and the town of the same name, is a must-see amongst the many sites of interest along the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The valley runs along the banks of the Urubamba or, in Quechua, "Wilcamayu" River.
It's astounding natural beauty is further accentuated and embellished by the many pre-Hispanic ruins found all along its course.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is comprised of the towns of Pisaq (32 kilometers from Cusco) where there is a pre-Colombian settlement and stepped terraces; Calca (50 kilometers from Cusco), famous for the sulfurous thermal-medicinal springs of Machacancha ; Yucay, where the advanced agricultural engineering skills of the Incas can be appreciated; and Urubamba, the heart of the valley, and ideal for adventure tourism.
Machu Picchu located in the province of Urubamba, close to the Collpani valley, at an altitude of 2,330 masl, and surrounded by exuberant vegetation, adorned by the most diverse and colorful orchids, Machu Picchu was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Some scientists believe that Machu Picchu was a fortress; others, that it was a citadel or monastery. What is beyond doubt however, is the skill of the Inca architects who built it. Machu Picchu has clearly differentiated sectors, such as an agricultural area, squares, living quarters, watchtowers, observatories, and a sundial, amongst others.
The trapezoidal doors and windows stand out , as do the roofs, which have one or two sides, and which, in Inca times, were covered with tree trunks and "ichu" (a local straw). Due to its unique archaeological value, UNESCO has declared Machu Picchu Cultural Patrimony of Humanity.To get to the site, you must take a three hour train ride to Aguas Calientes , a small town at the foot of the mountain where Machu Picchu is situated, and then a 30 minute bus ride up the mountain. If you are a trekking enthusiast you can reach the citadel on a four-day trek along an ancient roadway, the Inca Trail.
Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park
Sacsayhuaman covers an area of 3,000 hectares, two kilometers north of Cusco. The site is considered unique in the world due to its singular architectural characteristics.
In building Sacsayhuaman, the Incas used stone blocks of up to 9 meters high and 5 meters wide, each fitting perfectly with the other. The fortress has an area of approximately 360 meters and has doors, galleries and watchtowers at strategic points.
Apart from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman , the archeological park also contains the sites of Q'Enqo or Kenko ("labyrinth"), a center for ceremonies worshipping the Pachamama ("mother earth"); the Puca Pucara or "Red Fort" and Tambomachay or the Inca Bath, built to worship the element of Water.
OLLANTAYTAMBO
Ollantaytambo, 97 kms. from Cusco, was an administrative, social, religious and agricultural center in Inca times.
The site, and the town of the same name, is a must-see amongst the many sites of interest along the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The valley runs along the banks of the Urubamba or, in Quechua, "Wilcamayu" River.
It's astounding natural beauty is further accentuated and embellished by the many pre-Hispanic ruins found all along its course.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is comprised of the towns of Pisaq (32 kilometers from Cusco) where there is a pre-Colombian settlement and stepped terraces; Calca (50 kilometers from Cusco), famous for the sulfurous thermal-medicinal springs of Machacancha ; Yucay, where the advanced agricultural engineering skills of the Incas can be appreciated; and Urubamba, the heart of the valley, and ideal for adventure tourism.
CUSCO - PERU CHURCHES AND CONVENTS
The Cathedral of Cusco was originally built inside the Inca structure of the Suntur Wasi (currently the Church of El Triunfo). Years later, the Cathedral was ordered to be rebuilt in the Kiswarcancha (Palace of Inca Wiracocha).
The Church and Convent of Santo Domingo are, without doubt, amongst the most beautiful examples of Spanish architecture superimposed on Inca constructions to be found in Cusco. This complex was built over the Qoricancha or Korikancha, meaning the Temple of the Sun.
La Compañía de Jesus, or Jesuit Cathedral,
is a splendid stone construction housing, amongst other treasures, a collection of unique paintings. It was built over what was formerly the Amaru Cancha ("Fence of the Serpent") close to Cusco's main square.
The Church and Convent of La Merced, built in 1536, is famous as the home of the shrine of Our Lady of La Merced, decorated with gold and precious stones.
The Church and Convent of Santo Domingo are, without doubt, amongst the most beautiful examples of Spanish architecture superimposed on Inca constructions to be found in Cusco. This complex was built over the Qoricancha or Korikancha, meaning the Temple of the Sun.
La Compañía de Jesus, or Jesuit Cathedral,
is a splendid stone construction housing, amongst other treasures, a collection of unique paintings. It was built over what was formerly the Amaru Cancha ("Fence of the Serpent") close to Cusco's main square.
The Church and Convent of La Merced, built in 1536, is famous as the home of the shrine of Our Lady of La Merced, decorated with gold and precious stones.
CUSCO - PERU ATTRACTIONS
Day or night, Cusco is a city full of charisma and attractions. Mornings are ideal for strolling through its streets, visiting its churches, wandering about the artisan quarter of San Blas or going to the towns and archeological remains in the surrounding countryside.
At night, when the city is dressed up in light, discos, pubs and restaurants are the main attractions. Cusco's night life offers you a wide variety of places to go out and enjoy yourself, satisfying even the most different demands.
Being in Cusco, visits to the city's Churches and Convents, and the nearby archeological sites as Machu Picchu , Saqsayhuaman and Ollantaytambo are a must
At night, when the city is dressed up in light, discos, pubs and restaurants are the main attractions. Cusco's night life offers you a wide variety of places to go out and enjoy yourself, satisfying even the most different demands.
Being in Cusco, visits to the city's Churches and Convents, and the nearby archeological sites as Machu Picchu , Saqsayhuaman and Ollantaytambo are a must
CUSCO - PERU TRAVEL AND TOUR INFORMATION
CUSCO (also spelt Cuzco with a "z"), mythical capital of the Inca Empire, preserves its stone walls and battlements with pride, evoking the greatness of the "Children of the Sun". It's a city packed full of historical monuments and relics, of myths and legends, which seem to come to life every time you walk through its century old streets.
At 3,360 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.), in the Huatanay valley of the southeastern Andes of Peru, visiting Cusco is an unforgettable experience, as it allows you to uncover some of the mysteries of the Incas, because Cusco was the center, the "navel" of the Andean world.
The history of the Imperial City of Cusco, the legend goes, begins in the 11th or 12th century when the first Inca, Manco Capac, obeying the dictates of the Sun God, founded Cusco.
On March 23, 1534, Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador of Peru, refounded the Inca city as a Spanish colonial settlement.
Today, Cusco, the archeological capital of Peru and America, is a city open to the world, warmly welcoming its many visitors. Visitors marvel at the city's unusual physical appearance, which uniquely and harmoniously integrates, in the same urban environmentr, pre-Colombian monuments such as the Korikancha, ("Temple of the Sun"), the Ajlla Wasi, the Amaru Cancha ("Fence of the Serpent"), and the Kiswar Kancha, amongst others, with "mestizo" (mixed Spanish and native) architectural gems such as Cusco Cathedral, the Church and Convent of La Merced and the Temple of San Blas.
The city of Cusco is surrounded by impressive archeological remains such as the citadel of Machu Picchu, the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Ollantaytambo compound and picturesque towns such as Pisaq, Calca and Yucay, which still preserve the traditions of their ancestors.
At 3,360 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.), in the Huatanay valley of the southeastern Andes of Peru, visiting Cusco is an unforgettable experience, as it allows you to uncover some of the mysteries of the Incas, because Cusco was the center, the "navel" of the Andean world.
The history of the Imperial City of Cusco, the legend goes, begins in the 11th or 12th century when the first Inca, Manco Capac, obeying the dictates of the Sun God, founded Cusco.
On March 23, 1534, Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador of Peru, refounded the Inca city as a Spanish colonial settlement.
Today, Cusco, the archeological capital of Peru and America, is a city open to the world, warmly welcoming its many visitors. Visitors marvel at the city's unusual physical appearance, which uniquely and harmoniously integrates, in the same urban environmentr, pre-Colombian monuments such as the Korikancha, ("Temple of the Sun"), the Ajlla Wasi, the Amaru Cancha ("Fence of the Serpent"), and the Kiswar Kancha, amongst others, with "mestizo" (mixed Spanish and native) architectural gems such as Cusco Cathedral, the Church and Convent of La Merced and the Temple of San Blas.
The city of Cusco is surrounded by impressive archeological remains such as the citadel of Machu Picchu, the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Ollantaytambo compound and picturesque towns such as Pisaq, Calca and Yucay, which still preserve the traditions of their ancestors.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
INKA TRAIL: Experts list top adventures for 2010
A group of experts have compiled a list of the top ten adventures for travellers to experience over the coming year.
The jury, which included writers, explorers, tour leaders and other authorities, came up with the ranking on behalf of Adventure Travel Live, an event set to be held in London this month.
At the top of the list is visiting Kanha National Park in India to go tiger tracking on the back of an elephant.
Skiing on the Asahidake mountain in Hokkaido, Japan was ranked second, followed by diving with hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos.
Having an encounter with mountain gorillas in Rwanda was also recommended, along with following the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Other adventures that travellers can take this year include walking the Larapinta Trail in Australia's Northern Territory, hot-air ballooning in Tanzania and riding Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway.
Simon Calder, senior travel editor at the Independent and one of the jury members, said: "Whatever tribulations the economy may deliver, the British spirit of adventure is alive and well.
"Travellers are turning their backs on the beach and going to extremes to satisfy a craving for adrenalin-fuelled experiences."
The jury, which included writers, explorers, tour leaders and other authorities, came up with the ranking on behalf of Adventure Travel Live, an event set to be held in London this month.
At the top of the list is visiting Kanha National Park in India to go tiger tracking on the back of an elephant.
Skiing on the Asahidake mountain in Hokkaido, Japan was ranked second, followed by diving with hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos.
Having an encounter with mountain gorillas in Rwanda was also recommended, along with following the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Other adventures that travellers can take this year include walking the Larapinta Trail in Australia's Northern Territory, hot-air ballooning in Tanzania and riding Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway.
Simon Calder, senior travel editor at the Independent and one of the jury members, said: "Whatever tribulations the economy may deliver, the British spirit of adventure is alive and well.
"Travellers are turning their backs on the beach and going to extremes to satisfy a craving for adrenalin-fuelled experiences."
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Colca Canyon - Arequipa
Like a giant gash through the Andes, the Colca Canyon (200 km (125 miles) long and 3,400 m deep) winds majestically through the mountain landscape with the turbulent waters of the Colca River flowing through it.
Condors, lords of the skies, alongside a variety of flora and fauna, inhabit this magnificent land, giving life to one of the most spectacular regions in all Peru. Here you will find the legacy of an ancient culture that has been preserved to this day.
The 14 villages that spread over both sides of the canyon reflect a richly blended indigenous and colonial heritage. In these picturesque villages, clustered around their fine baroque churches, life goes on as in the past, delighting travellers who may almost feel they are visiting a living museum.
The walls of the Colca Canyon are adorned with large sections of Inca and pre-Inca terracing. During tours of the Colca Canyon ruins of Inca settlements can be seen.
An ideal destination for walking and trekking there are numerous tours of the Colca Canyon available. A visit to Colca Canyon is not complete without a stop at the Condor Cross or Cruz del Condor, a viewpoint overlooking the valley. Everyday, particularly between 9 and 10:30am, the fabulous Colca Condors fly by seemingly purposely showing off their grandeur to the few loads of tourists waiting.
The Colca Canyon landscape is covered with over 200 varieties of plants, 117 species of birds (including the colibri andino, the world’s largest hummingbird), and many alpacas, llamas and vincunas.
Condors, lords of the skies, alongside a variety of flora and fauna, inhabit this magnificent land, giving life to one of the most spectacular regions in all Peru. Here you will find the legacy of an ancient culture that has been preserved to this day.
The 14 villages that spread over both sides of the canyon reflect a richly blended indigenous and colonial heritage. In these picturesque villages, clustered around their fine baroque churches, life goes on as in the past, delighting travellers who may almost feel they are visiting a living museum.
The walls of the Colca Canyon are adorned with large sections of Inca and pre-Inca terracing. During tours of the Colca Canyon ruins of Inca settlements can be seen.
An ideal destination for walking and trekking there are numerous tours of the Colca Canyon available. A visit to Colca Canyon is not complete without a stop at the Condor Cross or Cruz del Condor, a viewpoint overlooking the valley. Everyday, particularly between 9 and 10:30am, the fabulous Colca Condors fly by seemingly purposely showing off their grandeur to the few loads of tourists waiting.
The Colca Canyon landscape is covered with over 200 varieties of plants, 117 species of birds (including the colibri andino, the world’s largest hummingbird), and many alpacas, llamas and vincunas.
Puno and Lake Titicaca
Puno is the gateway to Lake Titicaca and sits on the North shores of the Lake.
The train journey from Cusco to Puno route is impressive and the Andean Explorer Observation Car on adds to the enjoyment with plenty of photo opportunities. On arrival be prepared for an even higher altitude and a much cooler climate.
The first Spanish settlement in Puno sprang up around a silver mine discovered by the infamous Salcedo brothers in 1657. In 1668 Puno was created as the capital of the region and from then on developed as the main port of Lake Titicaca and an important town on the silver trail from Potosi. The town was further boosted late in the nineteenth century by the arrival of the railway.
Many areas of interest can be found in and around Puno. Take a drive to Copacabana and visit the remote towns of Juli and Pomata on the way before boarding the hydrofoil to the Sun Island where, according to legend, the first Inca appeared. After exploring the island's Inca remains and majestic views of Lake Titicaca and surrounding Andean mountains, continue on to Huatajata for a brief stop.
Take an excursion on the Lake to the Uros Islands, floating islands where you can purchase splendid handicrafts, and to Taquile Island.
At Taquile Island be prepared for the 500 steps, which must be tackled to get to the village but is well worth the effort for the view alone. Many travellers opt to stay a night on the island with a local family. Don't expect toilets or running water during your overnight stay, but do expect a truly special visit.
Another wonderful trip from Puno is a half-day excursion to Sillustani and its chullpas (pre-Columbian funeral towers) scenically set high above pristine Lake Ayumara.
The train journey from Cusco to Puno route is impressive and the Andean Explorer Observation Car on adds to the enjoyment with plenty of photo opportunities. On arrival be prepared for an even higher altitude and a much cooler climate.
The first Spanish settlement in Puno sprang up around a silver mine discovered by the infamous Salcedo brothers in 1657. In 1668 Puno was created as the capital of the region and from then on developed as the main port of Lake Titicaca and an important town on the silver trail from Potosi. The town was further boosted late in the nineteenth century by the arrival of the railway.
Many areas of interest can be found in and around Puno. Take a drive to Copacabana and visit the remote towns of Juli and Pomata on the way before boarding the hydrofoil to the Sun Island where, according to legend, the first Inca appeared. After exploring the island's Inca remains and majestic views of Lake Titicaca and surrounding Andean mountains, continue on to Huatajata for a brief stop.
Take an excursion on the Lake to the Uros Islands, floating islands where you can purchase splendid handicrafts, and to Taquile Island.
At Taquile Island be prepared for the 500 steps, which must be tackled to get to the village but is well worth the effort for the view alone. Many travellers opt to stay a night on the island with a local family. Don't expect toilets or running water during your overnight stay, but do expect a truly special visit.
Another wonderful trip from Puno is a half-day excursion to Sillustani and its chullpas (pre-Columbian funeral towers) scenically set high above pristine Lake Ayumara.
Sacred Valley of the Incas
The beautiful valley, known as 'Vilcamayo' to the Incas, stretches out from the Inca citadels of Pisac to Ollantaytambo along the Urubamba River or "Sacred River".
Pisac is a small, pretty town just 30 km from Cusco. At the market of Pisac, indigenous vendors gather dressed in colourful, traditional clothing to sell their produce to one another and their crafts to you.
The picturesque village of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley and its ruins are said to contain the most impressive Inca stonework anywhere in Peru. The village is overwhelmed by the great temple-fortress clinging to the sheer cliffs beside it.
Ollantaytambo is located where the valley becomes narrow and the road can no longer climb. It was used as a fortress to defend Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas from the jungle tribes of the North .
The more romantic legend counts that Ollantay (the titan of the Andes), loved the princess Cusi Coyllor. The Inca King's daughter Pachacútec was in disagreement with this love and sent the princess to a house of virgins. Ollantay tried unsuccessfully to abduct her.
The ancient village of Urubamba, a former agricultural centre of the Incas, is a beautiful area with great fruit production.
The village, with its bustling market, still retains its traditional Andean charm and sits in the outskirts of the majestic snowy mountain Chicón.
Urubamba and the surrounding Sacred Valley area is famous for its incomparable landscape and breathtaking beauty that surrounds it.
Many travellers enjoy to participate in various adventure sports around Urubamba, including canoeing, hiking, mountain biking and horse riding.
The archaeological site, Moray, is both beautiful and impressive.
These circular agricultural terraces create micro-climates allowing various crops to be grown.
One of the nicest ways to reach Moray is by Peruvian Paso-style horseback riding. Riders travel across the hilltops above the awe-inspiring Sacred Valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes in the distance.
Also worthy of a visit are the Mares salt mines. A magnificent spectacle, this network of salt mines has been worked since pre-Inca times and is still in use today.
Pisac is a small, pretty town just 30 km from Cusco. At the market of Pisac, indigenous vendors gather dressed in colourful, traditional clothing to sell their produce to one another and their crafts to you.
The picturesque village of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley and its ruins are said to contain the most impressive Inca stonework anywhere in Peru. The village is overwhelmed by the great temple-fortress clinging to the sheer cliffs beside it.
Ollantaytambo is located where the valley becomes narrow and the road can no longer climb. It was used as a fortress to defend Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas from the jungle tribes of the North .
The more romantic legend counts that Ollantay (the titan of the Andes), loved the princess Cusi Coyllor. The Inca King's daughter Pachacútec was in disagreement with this love and sent the princess to a house of virgins. Ollantay tried unsuccessfully to abduct her.
The ancient village of Urubamba, a former agricultural centre of the Incas, is a beautiful area with great fruit production.
The village, with its bustling market, still retains its traditional Andean charm and sits in the outskirts of the majestic snowy mountain Chicón.
Urubamba and the surrounding Sacred Valley area is famous for its incomparable landscape and breathtaking beauty that surrounds it.
Many travellers enjoy to participate in various adventure sports around Urubamba, including canoeing, hiking, mountain biking and horse riding.
The archaeological site, Moray, is both beautiful and impressive.
These circular agricultural terraces create micro-climates allowing various crops to be grown.
One of the nicest ways to reach Moray is by Peruvian Paso-style horseback riding. Riders travel across the hilltops above the awe-inspiring Sacred Valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes in the distance.
Also worthy of a visit are the Mares salt mines. A magnificent spectacle, this network of salt mines has been worked since pre-Inca times and is still in use today.
Cusco
The gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Cusco is surrounded by the wonders of nature and impressive architectural ruins. Due to its position as the capital of the Inca dynasty, Cusco is a showcase of several different cultures - pre-Inca, Inca, Colonial and Republican.
Cusco was an administrative, military and holy city and is now the oldest inhabited city of the Americas. As a result, many splendid styles of architecture are found here, with the monasteries and cathedrals in Cusco reflecting the diversity of cultural influences on the city.
Cusco's Main Square is an ideal meeting place as it is the hub of the restaurants and bars in Cusco. Beautiful arcades with many shops and craft boutiques offer varied souvenirs, designed by local craftsmen. The vibrant street markets in Cusco should also not be missed.
The Cathedral and La Compañia, two of Cusco's colonial churches, frame the plaza. Another colonial church worthy of a visit is the church in San Blas, the artists' quarter, with its famous pulpit.
The 'Temple of the Sun', the Inca's most famous sacred building in Cusco, can today be found inside the Church of Santo Domingo as the Spaniards built the church around it.
Located just outside Cusco, Sacsayhuamán is a walled complex deserving a visit. Some believe this fascinating example of Inca stonework was a form of fortification, whilst others believe the stonework formed the head of the Puma (the shape that Cusco forms when seen from the air).
Hotel Monasterio, Cusco
The most luxurious hotel in Cusco, the Hotel Monasterio was originally built as a monastery in 1592. With 162 bedrooms and suites the hotel is located minutes from the Main Square of Cusco.
The hotel boasts oxygen enriched rooms, ideal to help travellers acclimatise to the high altitude. Gourmet food and luxury surroundings make this the perfect base for exploring Cusco.
The Hotel Monasterio was voted 'Best Hotel in South America' by readers of Condé Nast Traveller 2007.
Cusco was an administrative, military and holy city and is now the oldest inhabited city of the Americas. As a result, many splendid styles of architecture are found here, with the monasteries and cathedrals in Cusco reflecting the diversity of cultural influences on the city.
Cusco's Main Square is an ideal meeting place as it is the hub of the restaurants and bars in Cusco. Beautiful arcades with many shops and craft boutiques offer varied souvenirs, designed by local craftsmen. The vibrant street markets in Cusco should also not be missed.
The Cathedral and La Compañia, two of Cusco's colonial churches, frame the plaza. Another colonial church worthy of a visit is the church in San Blas, the artists' quarter, with its famous pulpit.
The 'Temple of the Sun', the Inca's most famous sacred building in Cusco, can today be found inside the Church of Santo Domingo as the Spaniards built the church around it.
Located just outside Cusco, Sacsayhuamán is a walled complex deserving a visit. Some believe this fascinating example of Inca stonework was a form of fortification, whilst others believe the stonework formed the head of the Puma (the shape that Cusco forms when seen from the air).
Hotel Monasterio, Cusco
The most luxurious hotel in Cusco, the Hotel Monasterio was originally built as a monastery in 1592. With 162 bedrooms and suites the hotel is located minutes from the Main Square of Cusco.
The hotel boasts oxygen enriched rooms, ideal to help travellers acclimatise to the high altitude. Gourmet food and luxury surroundings make this the perfect base for exploring Cusco.
The Hotel Monasterio was voted 'Best Hotel in South America' by readers of Condé Nast Traveller 2007.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is one of the most famous examples of Inca architecture and is located 112 km from the city of Cusco, 2,350 meters above sea level.
The ruins are surrounded by lush jungle and are believed to have been built in the mid-15th century by Inca Pachacutec. Lost in history, the ruins were not discovered until 1911 by the American explorer, Hiram Bingham.
This famous citadel combines the visual and spiritual force of magnificent natural scenery with a historic sanctuary, and was recently recognised as one of the 'New 7 Wonders of the World'.
The ruins themselves are situated on the eastern slope of Machu Picchu in two separate areas - agricultural and urban. The latter includes the civil sector (dwellings and canalisations) and the sacred sector (temples, mausoleums, squares and royal houses).
The history of Machu Picchu says that only the Inca and his noblemen, priests, priestesses and chosen women (Acllas) had free access to the premises of the Machu Picchu sanctuary.
The construction was generally in stone and the roofs were built of tree trunks and thatched with straw. The walls lean slightly inward to protect against earthquakes.
Situated opposite Machu Picchu, is Huayna Picchu, the peak of which offers panoramic views of the imposing spread of the Machu Picchu ruins and the Urubamba Valley.
The subtropical climate means generally mild weather, the average year-round temperature during the day is 13ºC. There are two distinct seasons - the rainy season is from November to March and brings heavy rains. The dry season from April to October brings higher temperatures.
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
If you are looking to maximise the time you can spend at Machu Picchu, the best hotel to stay at is the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.
The only hotel located alongside Machu Picchu, the hotel offers the magic of unforgettable sunrises and shimmering, moonlit nights over the ruins.
Set in its own gardens this hotel was voted 'Best Leisure Hotel in the Americas and Caribbean 2007' by readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
The ruins are surrounded by lush jungle and are believed to have been built in the mid-15th century by Inca Pachacutec. Lost in history, the ruins were not discovered until 1911 by the American explorer, Hiram Bingham.
This famous citadel combines the visual and spiritual force of magnificent natural scenery with a historic sanctuary, and was recently recognised as one of the 'New 7 Wonders of the World'.
The ruins themselves are situated on the eastern slope of Machu Picchu in two separate areas - agricultural and urban. The latter includes the civil sector (dwellings and canalisations) and the sacred sector (temples, mausoleums, squares and royal houses).
The history of Machu Picchu says that only the Inca and his noblemen, priests, priestesses and chosen women (Acllas) had free access to the premises of the Machu Picchu sanctuary.
The construction was generally in stone and the roofs were built of tree trunks and thatched with straw. The walls lean slightly inward to protect against earthquakes.
Situated opposite Machu Picchu, is Huayna Picchu, the peak of which offers panoramic views of the imposing spread of the Machu Picchu ruins and the Urubamba Valley.
The subtropical climate means generally mild weather, the average year-round temperature during the day is 13ºC. There are two distinct seasons - the rainy season is from November to March and brings heavy rains. The dry season from April to October brings higher temperatures.
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
If you are looking to maximise the time you can spend at Machu Picchu, the best hotel to stay at is the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.
The only hotel located alongside Machu Picchu, the hotel offers the magic of unforgettable sunrises and shimmering, moonlit nights over the ruins.
Set in its own gardens this hotel was voted 'Best Leisure Hotel in the Americas and Caribbean 2007' by readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
The Trains To Machu Picchu
PeruRail operates four distinct train services, which connect some of the most beautiful parts of Peru.
The trains suit a range of travelling budgets from the comfortable yet functional Backpacker train, the Vistaodome trains with spectacular panoramic windows, our Andean Explorer styled on the Pullman trains of the 1920’s and the Hiram Bingham a luxurious Orient Express train dedicated to providing a impeccable service.
To discover more about the train services we run please select below,
Backpacker
The Backpacker trains are the most economical way to travel on the route between Machu Picchu, The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) and Cusco (Poroy).
This service is ideal for our adventure passengers or for those seeking comfort and security, without all the frills.
These carriages offer travellers a true Peruvian experience. Seats are upholstered with indigenous fabrics, giving a touch of local flavour.
In this service drinks and snacks are served at an additional cost. We have room available to store your backpacks.
There are two Backpacker services, one which runs between Cusco (Poroy) and Machu Picchu, and the second one Backpacker Cerrojo service which runs between The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) - Machu Picchu.
The service from Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) is the fastest way to reach Machu Picchu.
Vistadome
The Vistadome trains have beautiful panoramic windows offering unsurpassed scenic views and photographic opportunities as you enter the Inca's territory in search for Machu Picchu Citadel.
With glass surrounding them on all sides, passengers feel as if they are part of Peru's remarkable landscape.
Entertainment on board, snacks and hot and cold refreshments are included on the journey .
There are two Vistadome trains:
One Vistadome service runs between Poroy and Machu Picchu.
The train then descends from the highest point of the journey into the Sacred Valley and the foothills of the Andes. Before reaching Machu Picchu, the train travels along the Urubamba River, with awe-inspiring views of the dramatic canyon.
The other service is called Vistadome Valley and runs between The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) - Machu Picchu. This service has several departure schedules and it's a faster trip to Machu Picchu
Hiram Bingham
The Hiram Bingham train is the most luxurious way to journey between Cusco and Machu Picchu.
For many visitors a trip to Machu Picchu is a once in a lifetime experience. The Hiram Bingham assures a magical journey never to be forgotten.
The Hiram Bingham is named after the explorer who discovered the fascinating remains of the Inca citadel, Machu Picchu on July 23rd 1911.
The carriages are painted a distinctive blue and gold while interiors are luxurious, warm and inviting with elegant decoration in the style of the 1920's Pullman trains.
As passengers step on board they are encompassed in a world of polished wood, gleaming cutlery and glittering glass.
The train consists of two Dining Cars, an Observation Bar Car and a Kitchen Car, and can carry up to 84 passengers.
The round trip between Machu Picchu and Cusco aboard the Hiram Bingham is a luxurious experience where every detail has been taken care of.
In the morning en route to Machu Picchu a brunch will be served as you watch the stunning landscape unfold.
Upon reaching your destination a guide will show you the highlights of the Machu Picchu citadel.
After the day exploring the marvel of Machu Picchu, cocktails and a gourmet dinner are served on the return to Cusco.
The trains suit a range of travelling budgets from the comfortable yet functional Backpacker train, the Vistaodome trains with spectacular panoramic windows, our Andean Explorer styled on the Pullman trains of the 1920’s and the Hiram Bingham a luxurious Orient Express train dedicated to providing a impeccable service.
To discover more about the train services we run please select below,
Backpacker
The Backpacker trains are the most economical way to travel on the route between Machu Picchu, The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) and Cusco (Poroy).
This service is ideal for our adventure passengers or for those seeking comfort and security, without all the frills.
These carriages offer travellers a true Peruvian experience. Seats are upholstered with indigenous fabrics, giving a touch of local flavour.
In this service drinks and snacks are served at an additional cost. We have room available to store your backpacks.
There are two Backpacker services, one which runs between Cusco (Poroy) and Machu Picchu, and the second one Backpacker Cerrojo service which runs between The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) - Machu Picchu.
The service from Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) is the fastest way to reach Machu Picchu.
Vistadome
The Vistadome trains have beautiful panoramic windows offering unsurpassed scenic views and photographic opportunities as you enter the Inca's territory in search for Machu Picchu Citadel.
With glass surrounding them on all sides, passengers feel as if they are part of Peru's remarkable landscape.
Entertainment on board, snacks and hot and cold refreshments are included on the journey .
There are two Vistadome trains:
One Vistadome service runs between Poroy and Machu Picchu.
The train then descends from the highest point of the journey into the Sacred Valley and the foothills of the Andes. Before reaching Machu Picchu, the train travels along the Urubamba River, with awe-inspiring views of the dramatic canyon.
The other service is called Vistadome Valley and runs between The Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) - Machu Picchu. This service has several departure schedules and it's a faster trip to Machu Picchu
Hiram Bingham
The Hiram Bingham train is the most luxurious way to journey between Cusco and Machu Picchu.
For many visitors a trip to Machu Picchu is a once in a lifetime experience. The Hiram Bingham assures a magical journey never to be forgotten.
The Hiram Bingham is named after the explorer who discovered the fascinating remains of the Inca citadel, Machu Picchu on July 23rd 1911.
The carriages are painted a distinctive blue and gold while interiors are luxurious, warm and inviting with elegant decoration in the style of the 1920's Pullman trains.
As passengers step on board they are encompassed in a world of polished wood, gleaming cutlery and glittering glass.
The train consists of two Dining Cars, an Observation Bar Car and a Kitchen Car, and can carry up to 84 passengers.
The round trip between Machu Picchu and Cusco aboard the Hiram Bingham is a luxurious experience where every detail has been taken care of.
In the morning en route to Machu Picchu a brunch will be served as you watch the stunning landscape unfold.
Upon reaching your destination a guide will show you the highlights of the Machu Picchu citadel.
After the day exploring the marvel of Machu Picchu, cocktails and a gourmet dinner are served on the return to Cusco.
TRAIN TO MACHUPICCHU
PeruRail is a specialist train travel provider, running trains to Machu Picchu and beyond through some of the most beautiful parts of Peru. A choice of routes are available - between either historic Cusco or the Sacred Valley and the legendary Machu Picchu, or between Cusco and the marvelous Lake Titicaca.
Our trains suit a range of travelling budgets including the comfortable Backpacker trains, the Vistadome trains with spectacular panoramic windows and the luxurious Hiram Bingham train dedicated to providing an impeccable service in our route Cusco to Machu Picchu. And for Cusco to Puno we have the Andean Explorer, styled on the Pullman trains of the 1920’s and elegant train for one of the most stunning train rides in the world.
Our trains suit a range of travelling budgets including the comfortable Backpacker trains, the Vistadome trains with spectacular panoramic windows and the luxurious Hiram Bingham train dedicated to providing an impeccable service in our route Cusco to Machu Picchu. And for Cusco to Puno we have the Andean Explorer, styled on the Pullman trains of the 1920’s and elegant train for one of the most stunning train rides in the world.
Exploring the lost city
Named one of the “new” Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, its distinctive silhouette is easily recognizable. And because way too many of us choose to visit Machu Picchu, the legendary Incan “lost” city in the Andes Mountains, the Peruvian government is soon planning to limit the number of daily visitors to protect their most famous site from damage caused by its huge popularity.
I first read about Machu Picchu as a Spanish student at A.C. Jones High School in the 1960s, and the mysterious city has fascinated me ever since. I had always wanted to visit the spectacular ruins, but hadn’t gotten around to it…
…until last spring, when my cousin Patsy Chesnutt Tucker of Buena Vista, Colo., called to tell me that she was planning to visit Machu Picchu, and did I want to go with her?
It took me about 30 seconds to make up my mind to accompany her.
As I began reading about Peru, the Incas and Machu Picchu, I wondered how my body would react to the highest altitudes I have ever visited. Cuzco is 11,000 feet above sea level, and Machu Picchu is at almost 8,000 feet.
It was July 30 when we flew out of Houston and began our journey.
Arriving at Cuzco, a city in southeastern Peru, and at the Hotel Arqueológico we were greeted with cups of coca leaf tea, one of the most common recommendations for countering altitude sickness.
Either the coca tea was very effective or my body adapted very well, for I had no problems other than having to stop and catch my breath frequently when climbing Cuzco’s many stairs and steep streets.
In most of the cities they conquered, the Spaniards destroyed the original buildings and constructed churches and government buildings on top of them. However, the Incan walls throughout the empire were so well built that it was evidently easier to build on top of them, rather than to tear them down. As a result, one gets the feeling of being in a 15th-century Incan city.
We wanted to try traditional Peruvian food and that meant a taste of cuy al horno – roasted guinea pig.
The small animals have been raised and eaten for special occasions by the Andean people for centuries.
One has to hunt for the meat on these small animals. The taste was somewhere between chicken and pork, not bad, but not tasty enough to repeat the experience.
While touring the area, we ran into former Coastal Bend College Spanish student Reneé DeLisse, an A.C. Jones High School graduate, and her college friend who were getting ready to board the train back to Cuzco, from where they were traveling to Lake Titicaca, after having completed their visit to Machu Picchu. Our paths crossed at exactly the right time.
After several days of touring the area, including the Cathedral of the Plaza de Armas, we headed for our long-awaited destination. After a bus ride of hairpins turns and a hike up a short trail, we were at Machu Picchu.
There it was: that internationally famous view, mostly in the clouds. We had goosebumps for we could see enough of the beautiful ruins to appreciate the incredible Incan architecture.
From our guide we learned that Machu Picchu was constructed between 1438 and 1650 and probably served as a hidden refuge after the Spanish conquest in 1532.
The city of 1,200 was abandoned in 1650, possibly because an Incan woman had brought her Spanish lover or husband to the city, he said. Their slain bodies were found at the sun gate, the entrance to the city.
We saw the sun tower, with one window through which the sun shines directly on June 21 and another perfectly located for the sun’s rays on Dec. 22.
Nearby was a cave where mummies in fetal positions were entombed. Our guide said his grandfather’s theory was that the condors take the spirits of the dead back to the valleys, where they are reincarnated as babies, hence the fetal position.
That afternoon we hiked the trail to the Inca Bridge, an ancient draw bridge on an amazing trail across the sheer face of a tall vertical rock wall.
I’m not afraid of heights, but I definitely don’t like unprotected edges, so I endured the hike by hugging the rock wall. The scenery was worth it.
Our second day in Machu Picchu we poked around in the residential areas and climbed to the Intihuatana, the “hitching post of the sun,” as it is called, at the highest point of the royal sector. Incan astronomers studied the Southern Cross from that location.
Washington Gibaja Tapia writes, la Pachamama has projects for millions of years, not just for “right now.” She taught the Incas to respect one another and the beautiful earth, to think of the generations who would come after them, and to build structures that would last 1,000 years.
Perhaps we need to take some lessons from the Incas.
I first read about Machu Picchu as a Spanish student at A.C. Jones High School in the 1960s, and the mysterious city has fascinated me ever since. I had always wanted to visit the spectacular ruins, but hadn’t gotten around to it…
…until last spring, when my cousin Patsy Chesnutt Tucker of Buena Vista, Colo., called to tell me that she was planning to visit Machu Picchu, and did I want to go with her?
It took me about 30 seconds to make up my mind to accompany her.
As I began reading about Peru, the Incas and Machu Picchu, I wondered how my body would react to the highest altitudes I have ever visited. Cuzco is 11,000 feet above sea level, and Machu Picchu is at almost 8,000 feet.
It was July 30 when we flew out of Houston and began our journey.
Arriving at Cuzco, a city in southeastern Peru, and at the Hotel Arqueológico we were greeted with cups of coca leaf tea, one of the most common recommendations for countering altitude sickness.
Either the coca tea was very effective or my body adapted very well, for I had no problems other than having to stop and catch my breath frequently when climbing Cuzco’s many stairs and steep streets.
In most of the cities they conquered, the Spaniards destroyed the original buildings and constructed churches and government buildings on top of them. However, the Incan walls throughout the empire were so well built that it was evidently easier to build on top of them, rather than to tear them down. As a result, one gets the feeling of being in a 15th-century Incan city.
We wanted to try traditional Peruvian food and that meant a taste of cuy al horno – roasted guinea pig.
The small animals have been raised and eaten for special occasions by the Andean people for centuries.
One has to hunt for the meat on these small animals. The taste was somewhere between chicken and pork, not bad, but not tasty enough to repeat the experience.
While touring the area, we ran into former Coastal Bend College Spanish student Reneé DeLisse, an A.C. Jones High School graduate, and her college friend who were getting ready to board the train back to Cuzco, from where they were traveling to Lake Titicaca, after having completed their visit to Machu Picchu. Our paths crossed at exactly the right time.
After several days of touring the area, including the Cathedral of the Plaza de Armas, we headed for our long-awaited destination. After a bus ride of hairpins turns and a hike up a short trail, we were at Machu Picchu.
There it was: that internationally famous view, mostly in the clouds. We had goosebumps for we could see enough of the beautiful ruins to appreciate the incredible Incan architecture.
From our guide we learned that Machu Picchu was constructed between 1438 and 1650 and probably served as a hidden refuge after the Spanish conquest in 1532.
The city of 1,200 was abandoned in 1650, possibly because an Incan woman had brought her Spanish lover or husband to the city, he said. Their slain bodies were found at the sun gate, the entrance to the city.
We saw the sun tower, with one window through which the sun shines directly on June 21 and another perfectly located for the sun’s rays on Dec. 22.
Nearby was a cave where mummies in fetal positions were entombed. Our guide said his grandfather’s theory was that the condors take the spirits of the dead back to the valleys, where they are reincarnated as babies, hence the fetal position.
That afternoon we hiked the trail to the Inca Bridge, an ancient draw bridge on an amazing trail across the sheer face of a tall vertical rock wall.
I’m not afraid of heights, but I definitely don’t like unprotected edges, so I endured the hike by hugging the rock wall. The scenery was worth it.
Our second day in Machu Picchu we poked around in the residential areas and climbed to the Intihuatana, the “hitching post of the sun,” as it is called, at the highest point of the royal sector. Incan astronomers studied the Southern Cross from that location.
Washington Gibaja Tapia writes, la Pachamama has projects for millions of years, not just for “right now.” She taught the Incas to respect one another and the beautiful earth, to think of the generations who would come after them, and to build structures that would last 1,000 years.
Perhaps we need to take some lessons from the Incas.
Stone basins may be Miwok salt 'factory'
Somewhere in the Sierra Nevada, a granite terrace the size of a football field holds hundreds of mysterious stone basins representing what geologists believe is one of the earliest known "factories" created and used by ancient Miwok Indians to make tons of salt to trade with tribes up and down California.
James G. Moore, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, learned of the strangely pitted terrace from detailed maps made more than a century ago and hiked the region in May to study what he determined were clearly hand-hewn objects.
He examined 369 of the circular artifacts only a few yards from two streams of saltwater fed by a nearby spring and a lake that was equally salty.
Moore and his colleague at the USGS, Michael F. Diggles, believe the circular basins were handmade by the Miwok people in an impressive display of early technology. They have published a detailed account of their findings in an official Geological Survey report, but because the area is now an "archaeologically sensitive" site and its location protected by law, Moore is permitted only to say that the basins are in a canyon somewhere within the Stanislaus National Forest.
"This is quite likely to give us new insights into the lives of the Miwok people in the Sierra," said Kent G. Lightfoot, a UC professor of anthropology and a specialist in the history and culture of California's Native Americans.
Creating the basins
Records show that early American Indians, including the Miwok people, lived for thousands of years as hunter-gatherers in that area of the Sierra, Moore said, and it is filled with evidence of old settlements, with abundant middens, arrowheads and small stone tools. But learning how long ago the basins were carved awaits high-tech dating.
The basins average more than a yard in diameter and are more than 2 feet deep.
To create them, Moor and Diggles said, Miwok tribe members built fires on the granite surface that heated the stone until it fractured. They then crumbled and pounded the fractures with stone tools and removed the debris, inch by inch, until the basins were formed.
Diggles estimated it took Miwok workers nearly a year to complete a single one. He calculated that each fire used to dig a single layer of rock deepened the granite by no more than a centimeter. The process, he said, must have been repeated 100 times to make a single basin.
Similar granite basins were discovered in 1891 by Henry W. Turner, a geologist exploring California's mountains in what is now Sequoia National Park, Moore said in the Geological Survey report. Moore has examined those, too.
"I think of them as the Machu Picchu of North America," Moore said. Machu Picchu is the ancient city of stone in the Peruvian Andes, abandoned by the Incas nearly 500 years ago.
3 tons of salt a year
Salt springs are extremely rare in the Sierra Nevada, but Moore said the salt in the nearby streams probably comes from a layer of ancient marine sediment formed many millions of years ago when the area was covered by an ocean.
He said he believes the Miwok people carried water from the streams in watertight woven baskets, poured it into the basins and let it evaporate in the summer heat until the dry salt could be scooped out. The salt content of the water and the rate of water flow indicate that the two streams probably yielded about 3 tons of salt each year, Moore said.
The people of the area, he said, "had a large and valuable surplus to trade with other tribes - an early example of commerce by hunter-gatherer people."
Chemical analysis of the water also shows high levels of arsenic - 170 times higher than the maximum allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency, he said. It is unknown whether arsenic made its way into the salt.
"Salt was an important commodity for Native Americans," UC Berkeley's Lightfoot said. "It is certainly possible that salt harvested from these basins could have been traded to other native groups in California and the Great Basin (east of the Sierra).
James G. Moore, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, learned of the strangely pitted terrace from detailed maps made more than a century ago and hiked the region in May to study what he determined were clearly hand-hewn objects.
He examined 369 of the circular artifacts only a few yards from two streams of saltwater fed by a nearby spring and a lake that was equally salty.
Moore and his colleague at the USGS, Michael F. Diggles, believe the circular basins were handmade by the Miwok people in an impressive display of early technology. They have published a detailed account of their findings in an official Geological Survey report, but because the area is now an "archaeologically sensitive" site and its location protected by law, Moore is permitted only to say that the basins are in a canyon somewhere within the Stanislaus National Forest.
"This is quite likely to give us new insights into the lives of the Miwok people in the Sierra," said Kent G. Lightfoot, a UC professor of anthropology and a specialist in the history and culture of California's Native Americans.
Creating the basins
Records show that early American Indians, including the Miwok people, lived for thousands of years as hunter-gatherers in that area of the Sierra, Moore said, and it is filled with evidence of old settlements, with abundant middens, arrowheads and small stone tools. But learning how long ago the basins were carved awaits high-tech dating.
The basins average more than a yard in diameter and are more than 2 feet deep.
To create them, Moor and Diggles said, Miwok tribe members built fires on the granite surface that heated the stone until it fractured. They then crumbled and pounded the fractures with stone tools and removed the debris, inch by inch, until the basins were formed.
Diggles estimated it took Miwok workers nearly a year to complete a single one. He calculated that each fire used to dig a single layer of rock deepened the granite by no more than a centimeter. The process, he said, must have been repeated 100 times to make a single basin.
Similar granite basins were discovered in 1891 by Henry W. Turner, a geologist exploring California's mountains in what is now Sequoia National Park, Moore said in the Geological Survey report. Moore has examined those, too.
"I think of them as the Machu Picchu of North America," Moore said. Machu Picchu is the ancient city of stone in the Peruvian Andes, abandoned by the Incas nearly 500 years ago.
3 tons of salt a year
Salt springs are extremely rare in the Sierra Nevada, but Moore said the salt in the nearby streams probably comes from a layer of ancient marine sediment formed many millions of years ago when the area was covered by an ocean.
He said he believes the Miwok people carried water from the streams in watertight woven baskets, poured it into the basins and let it evaporate in the summer heat until the dry salt could be scooped out. The salt content of the water and the rate of water flow indicate that the two streams probably yielded about 3 tons of salt each year, Moore said.
The people of the area, he said, "had a large and valuable surplus to trade with other tribes - an early example of commerce by hunter-gatherer people."
Chemical analysis of the water also shows high levels of arsenic - 170 times higher than the maximum allowed in drinking water by the Environmental Protection Agency, he said. It is unknown whether arsenic made its way into the salt.
"Salt was an important commodity for Native Americans," UC Berkeley's Lightfoot said. "It is certainly possible that salt harvested from these basins could have been traded to other native groups in California and the Great Basin (east of the Sierra).
A day at Machu Picchu
When Hiram Bingham stumbled upon Machu Picchu on a 1911 expedition, it took him days of travel by foot and on mule to get there from Cuzco. Now, you can hop on a luxurious Hiram Bingham train from Cuzco, and be there in three-and-a-half hours, sipping pisco sours while you dine. It almost feels like cheating.
Our train journeyed through Peruvian high plains that produce potatoes and quinoa, passed agricultural terraces from Inca times and small villages where people stopped working to offer a friendly wave. It went along the tumbling Urubamba river, and finally pulled into the small town of Aguas Calientes. We spent the afternoon shopping in the extensive maze of handicraft stalls near the station, and slept for about four hours in our very uncomfortable hotel room.
Bleary-eyed, we left our hotel at the unearthly hour of 4 a.m. We walked across the bridge adjacent to our hotel to waiting buses for the ride up the serpentine road to Machu Picchu. The hair-raising bus ride was one hairpin turn after another. It was part of the adventure, with precipitous views — for those who dared to look — of the green valley below.
My husband and I hiked to a high vantage point before the sun could climb above the sharp, jungle-green peaks of the Vilcanota Range. Below, I saw the walls and foundations of a long-abandoned community, laid out with precision and care. Grey rocks formed the skeleton of the village, its masonry beautifully offset by verdant plazas where llamas grazed.
At the north end, the mountain Huayna Picchu rises lush and symmetrical, girdled by terraces similar to those carved out by farmers all across the Andes. Huayna Picchu, ‘young peak', is the most familiar backdrop for this magnificent setting. Machu Picchu, ‘old peak', looms above the entrance gate. For most visitors, the old peak serves as a handy perch for gazing at the place no one really knows about.
Royal retreat
Some 600 years ago, people built this city in the jungle at the behest of Pachacutec, the ninth Inca emperor. It seems that, as with other royal estates at Pisac and Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu was originally a commemorative site of Pachacutec's military victories that was transformed into a royal retreat and country palace as the frontier moved on. Used for high-status relaxation and entertainment, Machu Picchu was unable to survive once the Spanish had destroyed Inca economic and administrative organisation.
The arrangement of structures, plazas, terraced fields, symbolic carvings and impeccable Incan stonework at the site looks as if it had been intended for some kind of message. Over the valley and mountains is a sea of Amazon jungle. I doubt if Machu Picchu would be anywhere as striking if it stood beside the highway in the valley of the Rio Urubamba.
A walk around Machu Picchu is an adventure in itself. For those of us who live at sea level, the rarefied air took some getting used to. I tried to pace myself with a calming mantra, but the pulse in my ears beat an altogether more frantic rhythm. Thankfully, we finished our trip without further hitches.
A day at Machu Picchu feels like an audience with an A-list film star. As I reminisced about the tranquil ruins during dinner, it became crystal clear why the ‘lost city' fully deserves its title as a ‘wonder' of the modern world
Our train journeyed through Peruvian high plains that produce potatoes and quinoa, passed agricultural terraces from Inca times and small villages where people stopped working to offer a friendly wave. It went along the tumbling Urubamba river, and finally pulled into the small town of Aguas Calientes. We spent the afternoon shopping in the extensive maze of handicraft stalls near the station, and slept for about four hours in our very uncomfortable hotel room.
Bleary-eyed, we left our hotel at the unearthly hour of 4 a.m. We walked across the bridge adjacent to our hotel to waiting buses for the ride up the serpentine road to Machu Picchu. The hair-raising bus ride was one hairpin turn after another. It was part of the adventure, with precipitous views — for those who dared to look — of the green valley below.
My husband and I hiked to a high vantage point before the sun could climb above the sharp, jungle-green peaks of the Vilcanota Range. Below, I saw the walls and foundations of a long-abandoned community, laid out with precision and care. Grey rocks formed the skeleton of the village, its masonry beautifully offset by verdant plazas where llamas grazed.
At the north end, the mountain Huayna Picchu rises lush and symmetrical, girdled by terraces similar to those carved out by farmers all across the Andes. Huayna Picchu, ‘young peak', is the most familiar backdrop for this magnificent setting. Machu Picchu, ‘old peak', looms above the entrance gate. For most visitors, the old peak serves as a handy perch for gazing at the place no one really knows about.
Royal retreat
Some 600 years ago, people built this city in the jungle at the behest of Pachacutec, the ninth Inca emperor. It seems that, as with other royal estates at Pisac and Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu was originally a commemorative site of Pachacutec's military victories that was transformed into a royal retreat and country palace as the frontier moved on. Used for high-status relaxation and entertainment, Machu Picchu was unable to survive once the Spanish had destroyed Inca economic and administrative organisation.
The arrangement of structures, plazas, terraced fields, symbolic carvings and impeccable Incan stonework at the site looks as if it had been intended for some kind of message. Over the valley and mountains is a sea of Amazon jungle. I doubt if Machu Picchu would be anywhere as striking if it stood beside the highway in the valley of the Rio Urubamba.
A walk around Machu Picchu is an adventure in itself. For those of us who live at sea level, the rarefied air took some getting used to. I tried to pace myself with a calming mantra, but the pulse in my ears beat an altogether more frantic rhythm. Thankfully, we finished our trip without further hitches.
A day at Machu Picchu feels like an audience with an A-list film star. As I reminisced about the tranquil ruins during dinner, it became crystal clear why the ‘lost city' fully deserves its title as a ‘wonder' of the modern world
Orient-Express acquires another hotel in Cusco, Peru
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. have announced the acquisition of a existing hotel located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas (Urubamba, Cusco).
Hotel Rio Sagrado, a property set in beautiful gardens overlooking the Urubamba river with an imposing mountain backdrop.
The 21 suite property has been acquired from Industrias Turistica Vagamundos for US $7 million.
The hotel is only three kilometres away from the town of Urubamba and close to Ollantaytambo ruins, which is a regular stop for Peru Rail trains.
Rio Sagrado has 11 deluxe and 10 junior suites, plus two 250-square-meter villas, constructed from natural stone and woods; its 230 sq meters spa has a large treatment room with an amazing view of the Urubamba Sacred Valley.
The Sacred Valley, located between Cuzco and Machu Picchu, is a popular part of holiday itineraries in Peru.
This brings to five the number of Orient-Express properties in Peru. The others are the Miraflores Park in Lima; Hotel Monasterio, in Cusco; Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (adjacent to the Inca Sanctuary); and Las Casitas del Colca ,in the Colca Canyon.
Hotel Rio Sagrado, a property set in beautiful gardens overlooking the Urubamba river with an imposing mountain backdrop.
The 21 suite property has been acquired from Industrias Turistica Vagamundos for US $7 million.
The hotel is only three kilometres away from the town of Urubamba and close to Ollantaytambo ruins, which is a regular stop for Peru Rail trains.
Rio Sagrado has 11 deluxe and 10 junior suites, plus two 250-square-meter villas, constructed from natural stone and woods; its 230 sq meters spa has a large treatment room with an amazing view of the Urubamba Sacred Valley.
The Sacred Valley, located between Cuzco and Machu Picchu, is a popular part of holiday itineraries in Peru.
This brings to five the number of Orient-Express properties in Peru. The others are the Miraflores Park in Lima; Hotel Monasterio, in Cusco; Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (adjacent to the Inca Sanctuary); and Las Casitas del Colca ,in the Colca Canyon.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Peru: Machu Picchu has five new tourist attractions
Colorful water fountains, caves that were used as tombs, carved walls, terraces and winding roads built by the Incas have been integrated into the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu's touristic area.
This will enlarge the offer for tourists and also will allow the decentralization of the visitors and allow them to flow from the heart of the citadel towards any of these new spots, since the daily visits can reach 2,500.
These new spots have been under research and cleaning during the past three years; they are five archaeological groups in the lower and eastern part of the mountain.
Among these new attractions there are four water fountains built with carved stones were used for rituals during the Inca empire.
According to Fernando Astete, Machu Picchu will add more tourist areas as archaeological works progress, stressing that “currently the project is at 60%, and in the future new sectors will allow us to have another access through the lower part and eastern part of the mountain."
These jobs require an annual investment of S/. 1,500,000 (some US $500,000).
This will enlarge the offer for tourists and also will allow the decentralization of the visitors and allow them to flow from the heart of the citadel towards any of these new spots, since the daily visits can reach 2,500.
These new spots have been under research and cleaning during the past three years; they are five archaeological groups in the lower and eastern part of the mountain.
Among these new attractions there are four water fountains built with carved stones were used for rituals during the Inca empire.
According to Fernando Astete, Machu Picchu will add more tourist areas as archaeological works progress, stressing that “currently the project is at 60%, and in the future new sectors will allow us to have another access through the lower part and eastern part of the mountain."
These jobs require an annual investment of S/. 1,500,000 (some US $500,000).
Tambopata Eco Lodge - Libertador
Founded back in 1991, the Libertador Tambopata Lodge is one of the most established eco-tourism lodges on the banks of the Tambopata River. There are now a total of nine rainforest lodges in the Puerto Maldonado area, reinforcing the status of the region as one of the major rainforest eco-tourism destinations in South America.
With a capacity of 59 it is also one of the smallest lodges, which is how we intend to keep it. Smaller groups, we believe, contribute to a more fulfilling visit and reduce the impact on the many species of fauna that abound in the surrounding forest.
The lodge employs around twenty Peruvian staff, the majority of whom are resident in Puerto Maldonado. In addition, there are a number of naturalist guides, both from Peru and abroad, who are at your service throughout your stay. As well as guiding and introducing visitors to the many marvels of the forest, a number are undertaking research projects, thereby contributing to a greater ecological understanding of the area.
LODGE:
Situated on the banks of the Tambopata River in the heart of the Tambopata National Reserve (TNR), the remoteness and tranquility of our lodge will make your stay an agreeable one.
The TNR is an immense area (680,000 acres) protected by the Peruvian government and located in the southeastern region of Madre de Dios. Many studies have been made of the fauna and flora along the Tambopata River, revealing an incredible abundance of life forms. It is believed that the ecosystems in this part of southeastern Peru are the most diverse on the planet. Here it is possible to observe rare species such as the giant otter, anacondas, jaguars and ocelots.
Within the entire territory of the Libertador Tambopata Lodge, and the rest of the TNR, there are limitless opportunities to observe the tropical rainforest and its wildlife. Our lodge has something to offer everybody, from those who just want to escape from the noise of the city, to naturalists and professional photographers. Our experienced nature guides are always willing to help our guests understand and better appreciate this unique area.
PROGRAM LTP03 CAPIBARA (3 DAYS 2 NIGHT)
Day l: Flight to Puerto Maldonado, and journey to the lodge. Following your early morning flight to Puerto Maldonado from Lima or Cusco, you will be met at the airport by your naturalist guide and transferred to a dugout canoe for the trip up the Tambopata River to the lodge. On the journey the vegetation changes from colonized deforested areas to virgin rainforest. A box-lunch is provided on board. On arrival you'll have a welcome drink and meet the rest of the staff. In the late afternoon you set off for an introductory walk into the "terra firma" forest behind the lodge (Trail 2), dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx trees. Frequently seen mammals on this trail are Saddle-back Tamarinds, Brown Capuchins, Agoutis, Pacas, Blue-Morpho butterflies, Trogons, Toucans and many other species of birds. After dinner a night walk to find nocturnal animals or insects by their eye-shine, a specialization for increasing light and seeing better. About 50% of the animals are nocturnal in the rainforest. (L,D)
Day 2: Hike to Lake Condenado. After an early breakfast you and your nature guide will board the motorized canoe once again for the short journey to the trail head to begin a morning's exploration by foot and paddle canoe of the lake system of Condenado, rich in bird and aquatic life. A family of giant otters lives in the vicinity of the lake and are often observed. Birds abound especially Rufescent Tiger-herons, Great Egrets, Wattled Jacanas, Hoatzin, the noisy Donacobius and many others. Remember to bring your hat and sun cream for there is no shade out on the water. You will return to the lodge in time for lunch. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide), relaxing and bathing in the Gallucunca, a cool clear stream beside the lodge, or visiting our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground (extra cost). After dark you will go searching for caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Departure. A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto Maldonado, giving memorable views of the sunrise over the river. Look out for the early morning wildlife, which is particularly active at this time. Howler monkeys are frequently heard, as they stakeout their territories. Your guide will take care of you on arrival in Puerto Maldonado and will deal with all the necessities at the airport prior to your departure. (B)
Additional days at Libertador Tambopata Lodge
Any number of extra days at the lodge, in addition to the above mentioned program, are possible. These can be guided or unguided according to your preference and interests. During these days you can either explore the trail system in more depth, going further afield along trails not visited before; repeat the lake visits accompanying other groups, giving you more time to wander/paddle in your favorite areas; visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground or at dawn when the main activity of the forest begins with the rising sun.
Services included in your trip: All meals and accommodation from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on your final day. All transport from your arrival at Puerto Maldonado to your return to the airport. All guided excursions described in the itinerary (including on additional days, if you wish), and a one-night excursion on the river looking for caiman.
Services not included in your trip: Flights to and from Puerto Maldonado, The entrance fee to the TNR (aprox US$10), airport taxes, tree climbing (with harnesses and ropes). Any drinks you may purchase from the bar. Tips.
PROGRAM LTP04 TAPIR (4 DAYS 3 NIGHT)
Day l: Flight to Puerto Maldonado, and journey to the lodge. Following your early morning flight to Puerto Maldonado from Lima or Cusco, you will be met at the airport by your naturalist guide and transferred to a dugout canoe for the trip up the Tambopata River to the lodge. On the journey the vegetation changes from colonized deforested areas to virgin rain forest. A box-lunch is provided on board. On arrival you'll have a welcome drink and meet the rest of the staff. In the late afternoon you set off for an introductory walk into the "terra firme" forest behind the lodge (Trail 2), dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx trees. Frequently seen mammals on this trail are Saddle-back Tamarinds, Brown Capuchins, Agoutis, Pacas, Blue-Morpho butterflies, Trogons, Toucans and many other species of birds.After dinner a night walk to find nocturnal animals or insects by the eye-shine a specialization for increasing the light and see better, about 50% of the animals are nocturnal in the rainforest. (L,D)
Day 2: Hike to Lake Condenado. After an early breakfast you and your nature guide will board the motorized canoe once again for the short journey to the trail head to begin a morning's exploration by foot and paddle canoe of the lake system of Condenado, rich in bird and aquatic life. A family of Giant Otters live in the vicinity of the lake and are often observed. Birds abound especially Rufescent Tiger-herons, Great Egrets, Wattled Jacanas, Hoatzin, the noisy Donacobius and many others. Remember to bring your hat and sun cream for there is no shade out on the water. You will return to the lodge in time for lunch. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide), relaxing and bathing in the Gallucunca, a cool clear stream beside the lodge or visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground (extra cost). After dark you will go searching for caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Hike to Lake Sachavacayoc (Tapir Lake). After an early breakfast you will take a short boat ride down river to the trail head. Here you embark on a longer trail which leads to a spectacular hidden lake, requiring the crossing of streams and swampy ground, past the giant Lupuna trees (kings of the jungle) which abound in this part of the forest. On the walk you are introduced to more aspects of the forest and its animals. At the lake itself it is possible to spot the elusive Black Caiman and Giant Otters. We return for lunch. The afternoon is free for relaxation and bathing (B,L,D)
Day 4: Departure. A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto Maldonado giving memorable views of the sun rise over the river. Lookout for the early morning wildlife which is particularly active at this time. Howler monkeys are frequently heard, as they stakeout their territories. Your guide will take care of you on arrival in Puerto Maldonado and will deal with all the necessities at the airport prior to you departure. (B)
Additional days at Libertador Tambopata Lodge
Any number of extra days at the lodge, in addition to the above mentioned program, are possible. These can be guided or unguided according to your preference and interests. During these days you can either, explore the trail system in more depth, going further a field along trails not visited before; repeat the lake visits accompanying other groups, giving you more time to wonder/paddle in your favorite areas; visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground or at dawn when the main activity of the forest begin with a sun rise.
Services included in your trip: All meals and accommodation from lunch on Day 1 to Breakfast on your final day (inclusive). All transport from your arrival at Puerto Maldonado to your return to the airport (inclusive). All guided excursions describes in the itinerary (including on additional days, if you wish). One night excursion on the river looking for Caiman.
Services Excluded in your trip: Flights to and from Puerto Maldonado, The entrance Fee to the TNR (Aprox US$10), airport taxes, Tree climbing (with harnesses and ropes). Any drinks you may purchase from the bar. Tips.
With a capacity of 59 it is also one of the smallest lodges, which is how we intend to keep it. Smaller groups, we believe, contribute to a more fulfilling visit and reduce the impact on the many species of fauna that abound in the surrounding forest.
The lodge employs around twenty Peruvian staff, the majority of whom are resident in Puerto Maldonado. In addition, there are a number of naturalist guides, both from Peru and abroad, who are at your service throughout your stay. As well as guiding and introducing visitors to the many marvels of the forest, a number are undertaking research projects, thereby contributing to a greater ecological understanding of the area.
LODGE:
Situated on the banks of the Tambopata River in the heart of the Tambopata National Reserve (TNR), the remoteness and tranquility of our lodge will make your stay an agreeable one.
The TNR is an immense area (680,000 acres) protected by the Peruvian government and located in the southeastern region of Madre de Dios. Many studies have been made of the fauna and flora along the Tambopata River, revealing an incredible abundance of life forms. It is believed that the ecosystems in this part of southeastern Peru are the most diverse on the planet. Here it is possible to observe rare species such as the giant otter, anacondas, jaguars and ocelots.
Within the entire territory of the Libertador Tambopata Lodge, and the rest of the TNR, there are limitless opportunities to observe the tropical rainforest and its wildlife. Our lodge has something to offer everybody, from those who just want to escape from the noise of the city, to naturalists and professional photographers. Our experienced nature guides are always willing to help our guests understand and better appreciate this unique area.
PROGRAM LTP03 CAPIBARA (3 DAYS 2 NIGHT)
Day l: Flight to Puerto Maldonado, and journey to the lodge. Following your early morning flight to Puerto Maldonado from Lima or Cusco, you will be met at the airport by your naturalist guide and transferred to a dugout canoe for the trip up the Tambopata River to the lodge. On the journey the vegetation changes from colonized deforested areas to virgin rainforest. A box-lunch is provided on board. On arrival you'll have a welcome drink and meet the rest of the staff. In the late afternoon you set off for an introductory walk into the "terra firma" forest behind the lodge (Trail 2), dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx trees. Frequently seen mammals on this trail are Saddle-back Tamarinds, Brown Capuchins, Agoutis, Pacas, Blue-Morpho butterflies, Trogons, Toucans and many other species of birds. After dinner a night walk to find nocturnal animals or insects by their eye-shine, a specialization for increasing light and seeing better. About 50% of the animals are nocturnal in the rainforest. (L,D)
Day 2: Hike to Lake Condenado. After an early breakfast you and your nature guide will board the motorized canoe once again for the short journey to the trail head to begin a morning's exploration by foot and paddle canoe of the lake system of Condenado, rich in bird and aquatic life. A family of giant otters lives in the vicinity of the lake and are often observed. Birds abound especially Rufescent Tiger-herons, Great Egrets, Wattled Jacanas, Hoatzin, the noisy Donacobius and many others. Remember to bring your hat and sun cream for there is no shade out on the water. You will return to the lodge in time for lunch. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide), relaxing and bathing in the Gallucunca, a cool clear stream beside the lodge, or visiting our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground (extra cost). After dark you will go searching for caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Departure. A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto Maldonado, giving memorable views of the sunrise over the river. Look out for the early morning wildlife, which is particularly active at this time. Howler monkeys are frequently heard, as they stakeout their territories. Your guide will take care of you on arrival in Puerto Maldonado and will deal with all the necessities at the airport prior to your departure. (B)
Additional days at Libertador Tambopata Lodge
Any number of extra days at the lodge, in addition to the above mentioned program, are possible. These can be guided or unguided according to your preference and interests. During these days you can either explore the trail system in more depth, going further afield along trails not visited before; repeat the lake visits accompanying other groups, giving you more time to wander/paddle in your favorite areas; visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground or at dawn when the main activity of the forest begins with the rising sun.
Services included in your trip: All meals and accommodation from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on your final day. All transport from your arrival at Puerto Maldonado to your return to the airport. All guided excursions described in the itinerary (including on additional days, if you wish), and a one-night excursion on the river looking for caiman.
Services not included in your trip: Flights to and from Puerto Maldonado, The entrance fee to the TNR (aprox US$10), airport taxes, tree climbing (with harnesses and ropes). Any drinks you may purchase from the bar. Tips.
PROGRAM LTP04 TAPIR (4 DAYS 3 NIGHT)
Day l: Flight to Puerto Maldonado, and journey to the lodge. Following your early morning flight to Puerto Maldonado from Lima or Cusco, you will be met at the airport by your naturalist guide and transferred to a dugout canoe for the trip up the Tambopata River to the lodge. On the journey the vegetation changes from colonized deforested areas to virgin rain forest. A box-lunch is provided on board. On arrival you'll have a welcome drink and meet the rest of the staff. In the late afternoon you set off for an introductory walk into the "terra firme" forest behind the lodge (Trail 2), dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx trees. Frequently seen mammals on this trail are Saddle-back Tamarinds, Brown Capuchins, Agoutis, Pacas, Blue-Morpho butterflies, Trogons, Toucans and many other species of birds.After dinner a night walk to find nocturnal animals or insects by the eye-shine a specialization for increasing the light and see better, about 50% of the animals are nocturnal in the rainforest. (L,D)
Day 2: Hike to Lake Condenado. After an early breakfast you and your nature guide will board the motorized canoe once again for the short journey to the trail head to begin a morning's exploration by foot and paddle canoe of the lake system of Condenado, rich in bird and aquatic life. A family of Giant Otters live in the vicinity of the lake and are often observed. Birds abound especially Rufescent Tiger-herons, Great Egrets, Wattled Jacanas, Hoatzin, the noisy Donacobius and many others. Remember to bring your hat and sun cream for there is no shade out on the water. You will return to the lodge in time for lunch. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide), relaxing and bathing in the Gallucunca, a cool clear stream beside the lodge or visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground (extra cost). After dark you will go searching for caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Hike to Lake Sachavacayoc (Tapir Lake). After an early breakfast you will take a short boat ride down river to the trail head. Here you embark on a longer trail which leads to a spectacular hidden lake, requiring the crossing of streams and swampy ground, past the giant Lupuna trees (kings of the jungle) which abound in this part of the forest. On the walk you are introduced to more aspects of the forest and its animals. At the lake itself it is possible to spot the elusive Black Caiman and Giant Otters. We return for lunch. The afternoon is free for relaxation and bathing (B,L,D)
Day 4: Departure. A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto Maldonado giving memorable views of the sun rise over the river. Lookout for the early morning wildlife which is particularly active at this time. Howler monkeys are frequently heard, as they stakeout their territories. Your guide will take care of you on arrival in Puerto Maldonado and will deal with all the necessities at the airport prior to you departure. (B)
Additional days at Libertador Tambopata Lodge
Any number of extra days at the lodge, in addition to the above mentioned program, are possible. These can be guided or unguided according to your preference and interests. During these days you can either, explore the trail system in more depth, going further a field along trails not visited before; repeat the lake visits accompanying other groups, giving you more time to wonder/paddle in your favorite areas; visit our tree platforms, going up with ropes and harnesses for a bird's eye view of the forest and for close-ups of arboreal orchids and the many other species of plants and animals that are never seen near the ground or at dawn when the main activity of the forest begin with a sun rise.
Services included in your trip: All meals and accommodation from lunch on Day 1 to Breakfast on your final day (inclusive). All transport from your arrival at Puerto Maldonado to your return to the airport (inclusive). All guided excursions describes in the itinerary (including on additional days, if you wish). One night excursion on the river looking for Caiman.
Services Excluded in your trip: Flights to and from Puerto Maldonado, The entrance Fee to the TNR (Aprox US$10), airport taxes, Tree climbing (with harnesses and ropes). Any drinks you may purchase from the bar. Tips.
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