Machu Picchu Tourism

Machu Picchu tourism is an amazing experience, one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of South American civilization.



Situated between the crest of two mountains along the Peruvian Andes at more than 2,400 meters above sea level, the almost intact remains of an ancient culture consisting of alcoves, terraces, plazas, and temples make this ancient city the premiere archaeological site of South America.

Once you get there, it is not difficult to imagine the inhabitants of the place and the priests and Inca royalty that made the existence of the city possible in the 1400s.

Machu Picchu Tourism - Access to the Citadel

Machu Picchu was said to be a citadel whose impregnable position is made possible by the steep canyon walls that lies beyond the edge of the city.

The only access to the city is by way of narrow ridges that have to pass over the mountains before getting into the ancient site.

Another access point is by way of bridges made from felled logs. The logs cross a narrow chasm and could be withdrawn anytime if security of the citadel warrants it.

While the normal tourist route is just within the confines of the city, it is possible to revisit these choke points in order to appreciate how invulnerable Machu Picchu was to the standards of warfare that existed then.

Tourists who posses the requisite Type T personality can take a 20 minute long trail that is officially off-limits to most visitors. In fact a sign that says prohibido el paso marks the end of the normal tourist trail.

Past this sign, the trail snakes all the way down and become insanely narrow. Midway along this trail, those who have made it this far will come across the narrow chasm that was once bridged by tree trunks and could be withdrawn anytime by the Inca guards who were assigned there.

Machu Picchu Tourism - The Architecture

Like the ancient pyramids of Egypt, the stone blocks that are used to construct the buildings of Machu Picchu are surely to create statements of incredulity.

The Inca at the 1400s did not possess iron tools although they had knowledge of making bronze implements.

Large teams of laborers dragged these blocks from adjacent quarries. They used the ridges and ramps to position them on their present locations.

Archaeological finds give us a clue on how the Inca must have reduced the rocks to manageable sizes. Quarrymen inserted bronze chisels into cracks and fissures that occur naturally in the stone. Heat was applied to the metal and this helped split the boulders into workable sizes.

Each rock was painstakingly chosen so that when these are finally put in place, the gap between rocks is so narrow that even a razor blade wouldn’t fit between them.

Machu Picchu Tourism - The Location

The location of Machu Picchu gives us hints into its creation. The mountains where the ancient city is located were considered sacred by the Inca.

The position of the sun during equinox could be estimated using the natural landmarks present in the vicinity.

At the center of the city is a pyramidal mount called the Intihuatna and on top of it stands an obelisk. Inca priest believed that the sun has to be lassoed and hitched to the obelisk after each winter solstice so that it wouldn’t continue on its present course and leave the city in darkness.

Intihuatana in the dialect of the Inca means “hitching post of the sun”. The sun is sacred to the Inca and is one of their deities. The view east and west of the city presents a vista that gives Inca priests wide opportunities to observe the sun.

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Machu Picchu Cusco Travel

Guided Trips to Machu Picchu
Choosing one of the tours of Machu Picchu will make you marvel with the Lost city of the Incas, the Sacsaywaman fortress, the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of Wiracocha, Cusco Cathedral, Lares and its lost comunities, etc.

Inca Trail Holiday Tours
An inca trail holiday will impress you with great lakes, snow-capped mountains, vast valleys and Inca ruins.

Temple of the Sun Machu Picchu
The Temple of the Sun Machu Picchu is among the many intact remnants of Inca culture that can be seen in Peru.

Machu Picchu Tourism
Machu Picchu tourism is an amazing experience, one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of South American civilization.

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Visiting Machu Picchu

If you are planing to travel to Machu Picchu, "The Lost City of the Incas", prepare your soul for an idyllic dream.
Explore the sacred valleys, mountains, temples, ruins and trails. Try to find answers to the enigma around The lost city of the Incas, a misterious city. Roads, steps, fountains, temples and spectacular views are just a sample of what you will find when travelling to Machu Picchu.

Travel to Machu Picchu

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Facts Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, is nestled 7,500 feet above sea level in the Andean mountain range above the Urubamba valley.
Many questions remain unanswered but here are a few generally accepted ideas about this ancient city on a mountain peak. Like the pyramids of Egypt, it was created using massive stones hauled over great distances. Inca structures were highly resistant to earthquakes and it’s one of the reasons Machu Picchu is still standing today.

Facts Machu Picchu

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The Inca Trail

The Inca Trail is a mountainous jungle hike that take you to the Lost City of the Incas. It is usually covered in 4 days (about 45 Kilometers) arriving at Machu Picchu on the final day before returning to Cusco.
You will reach altitudes of 4200m and enjoy spectacular views along the way. It is rated moderate so any person reasonably fit will be able to cover the route. Probably one of the most significant features of Machu Picchu history is the architecture.

Machu Picchu Trail

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Ancient Machu Picchu

The site of Machu Picchu has been described as an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization. It is without a doubt one of the most worthy and possibly life changing sites there is in the world.

Ancient Machu Picchu

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Machu Picchu Architecture

The sprawling complex of Machu Picchu architecture, at an elevation of nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, often appears to merge with the surrounding hillside.

Machu Picchu Architecture

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Machu Picchu Inca

Based on evidence, it has been suggested that the Machu Picchu Inca Citadel was built for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, however there are other various theories on the purpose of the site including one that suggests it was a settlement built to control the economy of the Inca regions.

Machu Picchu Inca

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Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu founder

Hiram Bingham was born on the 19th of November, 1875. He went on to become an academic, working in Universities such as Princeton and later Yale, where he was appointed lecturer in South American history.

Bingham Machu Picchu

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Huayna Picchu

Huayna Picchu or Wayna Picchu is one of the famous mountain images in the world. With a height of 2667 meters above sea level, it beautifully raises over Machu Picchu.
The most interesting thing here is the view of the Lost City of the Incas and the Urubamba river to the bottom of the Canyon, you can even hear its turbulent waters from such a high altitude.


Huayna Picchu

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Machu Picchu Weather

Machu Picchu weather is divided between dry and wet seasons. Most of the annual rainfall occurs from October to April, although it is not unusual for the summertime Machu Picchu weather to include rainstorms.

Machu Picchu Weather

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Cusco to Machu Picchu Train

Many people choose to hike the Inca Trail to get to Machu Picchu, but many more are limited by time so they choose to take the train (It's a 70 mile-112 km ride). The train sets out for Machu Picchu and arrives in Aguas Calientes. There is a shorter route that also leads to the lost city of the Incas, it is the Ollanta route, and begins in the main intermediate station, Ollanta.

Machu Picchu Train

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