Machu Picchu

On Saturday morning at 7:00 am, we should be at Plaza de Armas to take the bus to Hidroelectrica. Around 8:00 am, we were finally picked up to drive for another 1.5 hours through Cusco. I actually underestimated the way to Hidroelectrica 😄. Our bus was pretty dingy and we made a stop every two hours because the driver was looking at the hood, I have no idea what the problem was. While we were driving to Hidroelectrica, we actually went downhill for 200 meters sometimes. After finally arriving in Hidroelectrica at 3:30 pm, we had to walk 11 km along the train tracks to Aquas Calientes. It started pouring rain right at the beginning, so we were completely soaked. Towards the end, we also had to walk through the jungle in the dark, as the sun sets at 6:00 pm here.

We didn't find the hostel right away because I had booked it on Airbnb but didn't receive an address. After asking in a kiosk, the seller called the hostel and the owner picked us up, and we finally arrived at the hostel. However, we were a little shocked because the hostel was dark and alternative. One bathroom for 12 bunk beds. After hanging up our stuff to dry (which never dried because it was humid in the hostel) and taking a shower, we could make friends with the hostel.

On the next day, breakfast was served at 4:00 am. Then we walked to the Machu Picchu Gate, which opens at 5:00 am. From there, we had to climb 500 meters of stairs (!). It was quite exhausting, but the view and the nature were gigantic. We finally arrived just after 6:00 am. After waiting briefly at the entrance, we could finally get a look at Machu Picchu. It was definitely worth the climb. The view was incredible. Unfortunately, we noticed that many people visited Machu Picchu just for selfies. Of course, we also took photos, but we also just sat down for two hours and enjoyed the view. At around 9:00 am, we climbed another 300 meters of stairs (!) because we had a ticket for Montaña. The view from there was also amazing despite the effort. On the way back, we walked through the ruins and took a closer look at the walls. We actually wanted to take the bus to Aquas Calientes for 40 Soles. When we asked how long we would have to wait, they said one hour, so we decided to have a drink in a restaurant with a view. But when we came back, the line was three times as long, so we decided to go back down the many steps instead.

Finally arrived in Aquas Caliente, we ate something first because we hadn't eaten anything decent for about 2 days 😄. In the evening, we went to the hot springs with 39 degrees right by the mountains.

Yesterday we slept a little longer and had a cozy breakfast. By now, we really liked the hostel because the people were super nice, breakfast was good, and it was just something we had to get used to. Afterwards, we walked back to Hidroelectrica and took the bus back to Cusco from there. Tonight, we will take an overnight bus to Puno.