Machu Picchu travel diary

Machu Picchu

The excursion to Machu Picchu required a very early wake-up around 05:30 to catch the train that would take us to Aguas Calientes, the last inhabited town before climbing up to the ruins of the ancient Inca city. I don't know if you've ever heard of the Inca Trail, the mythical and ancient Inca path that allows you to reach Machu Picchu with a long four-day hike, camping in tents and eating in the middle of the jungle... we too had initially thought of reaching the ruins of the ancient city in this evocative way, but several factors prevented us from doing so.

First of all there are very long waiting lists and it is necessary to book the excursion months in advance; secondly there is a problem related to costs, truly very, very high (around 270 US dollars!); thirdly, having reached this point in our journey around the world, we weren't all that sure of our physical-athletic abilities and we "preferred" an easier and more comfortable route.

Having arrived in Aguas Calientes after a four-hour journey, we were inevitably welcomed and escorted to our hotel where we unpacked our bags. It certainly couldn't be defined as up to the standard of the other hotels, but to meet the needs of a single night, our new accommodation would do just fine. One thing you can notice immediately when you approach Aguas Calientes is the sudden change in vegetation: the sparse presence of occasional firs and eucalyptus trees gives way to a lush forest that seems almost to have appeared out of nowhere. The temperature changes noticeably too, and the biting cold gives way to a milder climate... a sort of oasis in the desert!

First of all we headed to take a glimpse of the town, which seemed to be made exclusively of restaurants; in reality Aguas Calientes is a really very small village and our walk was over very quickly. The most interesting thing about Aguas Calientes, however, is found at the edges of the town, right near the hotel where we were staying: as the name itself says, "Aguas Calientes" is known for its hot thermal springs where, for a modest price, it is possible to spend a few pleasant hours. And that is exactly what we did! Armed with swimsuits and towels we went to bathe in these pleasant and relaxing waters, to prepare ourselves for the imminent visit to Machu Picchu.

Given the early wake-up the day before, for the visit to Machu Picchu we had decided not to wake up too early. The alarm went off at 07:30 and after a brief breakfast we headed toward the city center; two possibilities presented themselves before us: take a minibus that would take us all the way to the top or make it on foot. We weighed the advantages of a climb on foot and honestly we didn't find any, also because the ascent would wind along the same road traveled by the minibus. The disadvantages in compensation were those of making an enormous effort and eating the dust of the numerous minibuses passing on the dirt road. Having taken the minibus, within twenty minutes we were at the entrance of one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

We didn't enter right away because the day before we had taken care to book a guide whom we were supposed to wait for at the entrance of the park. After a thirty-minute wait we heard our names pronounced: it was the guide calling us to begin our tour of Machu Picchu together with another ten or so people.

First of all the guide took us up onto a hill that overlooked the ruins of the ancient city so as to have a complete view of them: the sight was one of those that leave you speechless, that empties your mind and fills your heart. Clinging to the top of the mountain, thanks to a series of ingenious terraces, one could make out the "upper" part and the one called "lower," divided by a long central avenue. All around the city a panorama made of steep and very green hills that seemed to embrace it. Our visit then went into detail, taking us through the ancient ruins, pausing at the temples (Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Condor) and at the most important buildings. The visit lasted about three hours, after which the guide took his leave in the middle of the main square and left us free to visit the city on our own.

We, since we didn't have very much time available, preferred to return up to that hill where our visit had begun and from where it was possible to have an overall view of the whole city. We stayed there sitting and watching so much beauty in silence, enchanted by the magic of this place... but nothing lasts forever and after about half an hour we had to leave and catch the minibus to return to Aguas Calientes.

From there, having retrieved our backpacks from the hotel, we headed to the station to board the train that would take us back to Cuzco. We arrived at our destination around 20:00, tired but happy; just enough time to wash, eat and rush to bed because the next day another train awaited us... not just any train, but the mythical little train of the Andes that was supposed to take us all the way to Puno.