It's a reality that many places and events defy description.
For a while, you fumble for words,
trying vainly to assemble a narrative, an explanation, a comfortable way to frame,
where you've been and what happened.
In the end, you're just happy you were there
- with your eyes open - and lived to see it.
- Anthony Bourdain
For a while, you fumble for words,
trying vainly to assemble a narrative, an explanation, a comfortable way to frame,
where you've been and what happened.
In the end, you're just happy you were there
- with your eyes open - and lived to see it.
- Anthony Bourdain
HOW TO GET TO MACHU PICCHU?
I want to summarize it into two:
1. The Hard Way - if you love the mountains, to trek, walk and climb the outdoors, this is the way for you - its called the Inca Trail. You can do different kinds of trekking that takes 4 days (Classic Inca Trail) or the "easier" trek for 1 or 2 days (Short Inca Trail) or if you want to take your time and do it longer, you can do it for 5 days. It usually starts from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes. For more information, visit this website. People say that you see more archaeological sites this way. When we visited Cuzco, there are a lot of tour operators that advertises Inca Trail, so you can pick and choose which type do you want - online or when you get there.
2. The Easy Way - if you don't have enough time, and wants to see Machu Picchu at a leisurely pace, you are welcome to do this. We chose this easy route. So how did we do it? First, we booked Vistadome train tickets thru Peru Rail online from our starting point which was Urubamba. Make sure to book in advance because trains gets full during high season. There are three types of trains: Vistadome, Expedition, or Belmond Hiram Bingham train if you are feeling luxurious. There are trains from Cuzco, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. The train takes 4 hours from Cuzco, almost 3 hours from Urubamba and almost 2 hours from Ollantaytambo to go to Aguas Calientes (the town that sits at the foot of Machu Picchu). The train's last stop is Aguas Calientes and from there, you can buy your shuttle bus ticket to go up and down Machu Picchu. There is only one road that they use to shuttle people up the top and the journey usually takes around 30 minutes. Shuttle bus ticketing booth are only available at Cuzco and Aguas Calientes, for more information where the ticketing booth are - click here. From the train station, it just a 5-10 minute walking distance to where you can buy the shuttle bus ticket. The bus will take you to the entrance where you can buy your entrance tickets. The bus departs when they are full and usually the interval is every 15 minutes during the peak hours of the morning. You can also walk/climb up and down and it takes 1 hour to walk up.
1. The Hard Way - if you love the mountains, to trek, walk and climb the outdoors, this is the way for you - its called the Inca Trail. You can do different kinds of trekking that takes 4 days (Classic Inca Trail) or the "easier" trek for 1 or 2 days (Short Inca Trail) or if you want to take your time and do it longer, you can do it for 5 days. It usually starts from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes. For more information, visit this website. People say that you see more archaeological sites this way. When we visited Cuzco, there are a lot of tour operators that advertises Inca Trail, so you can pick and choose which type do you want - online or when you get there.
2. The Easy Way - if you don't have enough time, and wants to see Machu Picchu at a leisurely pace, you are welcome to do this. We chose this easy route. So how did we do it? First, we booked Vistadome train tickets thru Peru Rail online from our starting point which was Urubamba. Make sure to book in advance because trains gets full during high season. There are three types of trains: Vistadome, Expedition, or Belmond Hiram Bingham train if you are feeling luxurious. There are trains from Cuzco, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. The train takes 4 hours from Cuzco, almost 3 hours from Urubamba and almost 2 hours from Ollantaytambo to go to Aguas Calientes (the town that sits at the foot of Machu Picchu). The train's last stop is Aguas Calientes and from there, you can buy your shuttle bus ticket to go up and down Machu Picchu. There is only one road that they use to shuttle people up the top and the journey usually takes around 30 minutes. Shuttle bus ticketing booth are only available at Cuzco and Aguas Calientes, for more information where the ticketing booth are - click here. From the train station, it just a 5-10 minute walking distance to where you can buy the shuttle bus ticket. The bus will take you to the entrance where you can buy your entrance tickets. The bus departs when they are full and usually the interval is every 15 minutes during the peak hours of the morning. You can also walk/climb up and down and it takes 1 hour to walk up.
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Aguas Calientes has a cool stream running through the center. The town in general feels like a base camp bustling with tourists getting ready for the “big trek.” It seemed like everyone was outfitted with the latest wick fabric, hiking poles, camelbacks, etc. The funny thing is, you see will most of these people waiting in line for the bus that drops you right off at the main entrance. We booked a hotel here for an overnight stay, so we can catch the sunrise over Machu Picchu.
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As you walk and climb your way up the park, your view of the complex is obstructed until you walk in a winding trail, and there you will see the first structures. Then it hits you literally in the face, and there it was, it's breathtaking. As we saw the whole of it, our smiles can't leave our faces, we still can't believe we were there and we finally did it, see this sublime sight. Even if we describe to you how the experience was n every single detail, it really doesn't paint the real picture of what we saw, you have to see to believe it. We suggest go early and stay late. There are plenty of quite areas to catch a nap. Mid day was a little over crowded with tourists.
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WOW, just WOW. Anthony Bourdain is right in the first place. "It's a reality that many places and events defy description. In the end, you're just happy you were there with your eyes open - and lived to see it."
This is one of those moments, the larger than life moment that you cannot seem to describe properly. One thins is for sure - this is a travel memory that will last forever. Yes, truly Machu Picchu is not just beautiful - it's sublime.
This is one of those moments, the larger than life moment that you cannot seem to describe properly. One thins is for sure - this is a travel memory that will last forever. Yes, truly Machu Picchu is not just beautiful - it's sublime.
