Lost City of the Incas: Exploring Machu Picchu’s Rich History

I’ve been a trifle off the blogging/social media grid for the past couple of months. Mainly because I spent most of January preparing for the solo trip of a lifetime – to Peru. February was spent completing most of my office work, and panicking wondering if the Corona virus was going to play spoilsport and force me to cancel my trip!

Thankfully all went well, and now that it’s almost a month since I got back, and I am feeling good and healthy, I can now focus on blogging a bit about my trip.

To me, Machu Picchu was the reason to board a plane to Peru in the first place. It’s one of the seven new wonders of the world (and the third that I have visited – The Great wall of China and the Taj Mahal are the others). This is also my first trip to South America.

Buying tickets to Machu Picchu

Visiting Machu Picchu is incredibly popular – With over 6500 people entering the archaeological site each day it is necessary to purchase a ticket in advance.

Depending on how you want to visit, there are multiple options.

1. You could choose to do a one-day tour of the ruins, and visit Machu Picchu alone (what I opted for).
2. You can choose to do the Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu Mountain tour. This is pretty strenuous but also offers great views of the ruins.
3. Another option is to do the Machu Picchu ruins + Machu Picchu mountain tour.

Most people tend to do option #1 or #2.

Apart from the tour itself, you can choose how you want to approach the site. Do you want to do a 5 day trek? Or climb up the Machu Picchu mountain (approx. an hour), Or take a bus to the site?

Based on your fitness levels, and time available, you can choose which option to go for. Some popular tour agents who can help:

• One day tour – Try this one
• Multiple day trek – Try this one

NOTE: It is prohibited to take food, tripods, selfie sticks, and 
drones. So don't do it 😊 .

Getting there

I landed at Lima airport, which is the only international airport in Peru. After spending a day sightseeing there, I took a flight to Cusco. It is the closest airport to Machu Picchu, but it’s not close by any means.

Most travel forums advise people to spend a little time acclimatizing to the altitude in Cusco, before venturing to Machu Picchu. So, that’s what I did. I spent a day in Cusco, then took a cab to go to the Sacred Valley (one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever been on). Then spent a night in Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley.

NOTE: I didn't trek the 4-day Inca trail. Since 
mine was a short trip (9 days), I wanted to 
use the time I have to visit other places in 
Peru as well. 

The next morning bright and early, I took a train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo.

It’s a three-hour train ride, and there are many train services. I went with Perurail’s Vistadome option. They were a very professional and efficient company – it felt like I was taking a train in Europe! I loved their panoramic windows that offered beautiful views of the scenery.

Once I reached Machu Picchu Pueblo, it was time to take a bus to the top. The bus is pretty expensive (a round trip costs USD 24). But, I think it’s worth it, as I wanted to ensure I have enough time at the top rather than spending a couple of hours climbing up and down.

So, yeah! I took the easy (and expensive) way to Machu Picchu. Do I regret it? Not one bit! For one, cutting the extra time hiking meant that I could also visit other places in Peru (Lima, Lake Titicaca). I am likely to visit Peru only this one time, so I wanted to squeeze in as much as I could during this trip.

What to wear to Machu Picchu

Whatever season you visit, layering is key. There’s also a good amount of walking. So wear decent walking shoes (I wore my Adidas Superstars, which worked well since I wasn’t doing extensive trekking). I was lucky it didn’t rain, though.

The best options are leggings, a light tee, a raincoat (weather is really changeable), and waterproof sneakers.

Don’t get fooled by all the glam outfits by Instagram travel bloggers 😁. It’s really not a venue to dress up to the nines.

When to visit Machu Picchu

All travel websites say the best season to visit is between May and September (winter in Peru). I however visited in February, which is the wet season. It was a risk, I met many travelers whose Machu Picchu dream was a washout. Thankfully, the day I was scheduled to go, the weather was delightful.

The plus point of going during the off-season? Cheaper flights (think CheapTickets) and lesser crowds.

Machu Picchu in Pictures

There are two routes that you can take once you reach the site. One approach is to climb up and approach Machu Picchu from the top. That way, you get scenic shots of the view from up.

If you’re a little unfit, you can visit the site directly, but that means no scenic photos and views.

I of course, opted to climb up and then down into Machu Picchu, and it was the best experience. I highly encourage everyone to make the effort to do the climb. Totally worth it! It’s also only about 15-20 mins of uphill climb; the rest is flat or downhill.

Don’t forget to get the passport stamp

When you exit Machu Picchu, be sure to stop at the exit and get the official Machu Picchu stamp in your passport. It felt really cool to get that stamp, and it’s a great memory of the trip!

So that’s what I have to say about my trip to Machu Picchu. I am not sure if I have covered everything. If you have questions or just want to say hi 😊 , feel free to email me, or leave a note in the comments.

More posts about Peru to come soon!