Machu Picchu Peru

Machu Picchu, one of the world's foremost tourist sites lives up to all it's hype and then some. This spectacular mountain fortress/sacred site hidden from the world for centuries deep in the Peruvian jungle is truly stunningly beautiful.

Machu Picchu in all its glory

With a little help from a friend Muñeca made it up the over 1700 steps through the humid jungle starting at 5am in the morning.

Inquisitive locals

The Sun Temple

Main Temple and sacrificial altar

There is so much to be said about this amazing city but all I can say is that it is a place of supreme tranquility even with the thousands of tourists that mob it every day of the year. I was apprehensive that it would be a letdown after having seen hundreds of photos of it over the years but it was anything but. If you are able, just go and experience the wonder of this place.

I took the long route to Machu Picchu by doing the five day Salkantay Trek that wound its way through the mountains

Lake Humantay

Mount Salkantay towers above the valleys at over 6000 m. The cloud halfway down the mountain in this photo was caused by an avalanche we saw when a large section of ice broke off one of the hanging glaciers.

Mount Salkantay - 6271m , 20574 ft

The second day of the hike was the most strenuous at 22km which crested out at over 4000 m ( 15,000 ft) at Salkantay Pass before dropping down rapidly into the jungle below.

We passed through numerous little villages and the tour company would be waiting for us at one of them with a cooked lunch. 

At night we would stay in permanent camps in villages with once again plenty of hot, good food. The entire tour with all meals provided, entrance to Machu Picchu and transportation cost a total of $170 - what incredible value for money.

One morning I woke with painful blisters between my toes, not from hiking but from dancing ( or at least my version of that difficult art form ) for hours with the fun group of people from all over the world that were my fellow travelers for a few days. I was the oldest by at least 25 years but after a couple of beers and Inca Tequilas age and cultural differences were forgotten and I embarked on the difficult task of teaching them all Poephol Cricket.

Upside down Zip Lining - this is not me

One day we had the option to go zip lining with four lines stretching over a canyon, one of which was over 1 km long. The upside down traverse was the most disorienting but most exhilarating of the morning.

And then came the final 13 km along the railway track from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu where we spent a night before waking up at 3.30 am to begin the hike up the mountain.

Aguas Calientes main "street"