During our time in Cusco, we took a short trip to Aguas Calientes for 2 nights to visit the famous World Heritage Site Machu Picchu. In our opinion, Machu Picchu deserves its own blog post. So here it is:
Machu Picchu is an Inca site that was not discovered by the Spaniards during their invasion. As a result, the entire city is very well preserved. It is also located at an altitude of about 2400m and is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The city was only accessible through small hiking trails, known as the Inca Trail. The inhabitants destroyed these trails before permanently leaving the city. This was probably the reason why the city remained undiscovered. We were excited to visit the second of the new seven wonders of the world during our trip. The question was just how? There are various options. Either you hike the famous Inca Trail with a group of guides over several days, or you get a regular ticket. Originally, we had planned to do the 4-day/3-night hike. The views and the hike itself are said to be unforgettable. But due to Roman's well-known handicap, we ultimately decided on the second option. Our wallets thanked us, as this hike would have cost about 700€ per person. As backpackers, we typically want to save money, so we didn't hire any of the 1004747 agencies and instead booked the transportation and tickets on our own. Normally, you have to book the tickets months in advance because they sell out quickly. Only a certain number of people are allowed to enter the site per day and time slot. However, traveling during Corona had its advantages, as we were able to get tickets two days before for the first time slot at 6 am. However, it was a combined ticket that also included entry to one of the surrounding mountains. After booking the tickets, we took care of transportation. We had to get from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, spend a night there, and then go to Machu Picchu early in the morning by bus (25min) or by foot (2 hours uphill). From Cusco, there are two options: a 2-hour bus ride followed by a 1.5-hour train ride, or a 7-hour bus ride and a 2.5-hour hike. The train tickets (including the bus ride) cost about 50€ per person one way, while the long bus ride there and back cost only about 37.5€. Since we had time, we opted for the long and cheaper bus ride. Together with Marleen and Stephan, whose names you already know from other posts, we embarked on the bus journey. Since we were picked up early again, we dozed off for the first few hours before Leonie couldn't sleep anymore. The driver raced over the gravel roads in a minivan for about 15 people as if there was no tomorrow. Besides the winding roads, which made one passenger sick, there was also no barrier at the roadside, and the drop was several hundred, almost a thousand meters deep on the left side. Even Roman was starting to feel uneasy. Suddenly, the driver stopped and got out. We had a flat tire. Great, we thought. But here in Peru, they fix the car themselves. Therefore, the driver showed full commitment and changed the tire in about half an hour. After a short drive, we made the next stop. Due to the 30-minute delay, we didn't make it in time to pass a construction site. The road was closed from both sides for 1.5 hours so that the workers could work in peace. This meant an unplanned break for us. Interestingly, it didn't take long for a street vendor to show up and provide the waiting passengers with drinks and snacks. That's what we call business-savvy! After what felt like an eternity, we could finally continue driving. In total, it took us about 9 hours instead of 7. When we arrived at Hydroelectrica, we quickly set off. It was already 4 pm, and we still had to walk for 2.5 hours along the train tracks to get to Aguas Calientes. The path felt longer than expected, but the view was beautiful. We crossed rivers on bridges and passed through forests. Unfortunately, it was also getting darker, so we had to walk the last hour in the dark. Fortunately, Marleen and Stephan had headlamps with them; otherwise, our phone lights would have had to do the job. We arrived in Aguas Calientes at around 7 pm, completely exhausted. After all, we had been on the road for 13 hours. That evening, we just had a quick meal and bought bus tickets for the next morning. Completely tired, we fell into bed, knowing that we had to get up again at 4:30 am. Our tickets were valid between 6:00-7:00 am. To make sure we could catch the first bus at 5:30 am, we were advised to be at the bus station at 5:00 am. For once, we were on time and actually at the bus station at 5:00 am. There, we immediately hired a guide because we wanted to learn everything about Machu Picchu. We were second in line for the bus and also the second ones to enter Machu Picchu. As a result, it was incredibly empty, and we were able to take wonderful photos without tourists. Here, too, we were lucky for two reasons: the weather was great and there was no fog (unusual for this time of year), and due to Corona, fewer tourists were allowed in general. The scenery that greeted us up there was almost magical. So early in the morning, still tired, we were able to enjoy Machu Picchu in the sunshine. Our guide, Ruth, explained all the details about the Inca site to us during the tour. After the tour, we headed to the Huchuy Picchu Mountain. The climb was described as easy for young and old. We cannot confirm this. Although the ascent only took about 30 minutes, it was sometimes very steep and without railings or barriers. Leonie reached her limit just before reaching the summit, so Roman and Ruth finished the ascent alone. The view from there was perfect too! Surrounded by green mountains, you could see the mystical Machu Picchu in the middle. In the background, you could even see the glacier, which rounded off the picture. Completely satisfied, we left Machu Picchu after about 3 hours, and it was clear to us that the effort and early wake-up call were worth it! However, Leonie didn't want to put herself in danger again, so on the way back to Cusco, we took the train instead. The train ride was again characterized by impressive nature. Furthermore, there was also entertainment on the train. In addition to a fashion show by the train attendants and a singing performance, we were entertained by a clown. This made the train ride pass in no time, and we were back in Cusco. What an unforgettable experience!
