Legendary Machu Picchu

Tanja's and my first stop in Peru was Cusco. Cusco is one of Peru's tourist hotspots. Not because of the friendly people, good restaurants, the beautiful old town, or the many beautiful small and large churches, but because of Machu Picchu. Cusco is the starting point for many different tours, the destination of which is Machu Picchu.

You can hike on the original Inca Trail for several days, but you can also take the train directly to Aguas Calientes, stay in a luxury hotel there, and comfortably take the bus the next day to the ruins.

However, since Tanja and I 1. had too little money and 2. had no desire for the 'retiree version' of the Machu Picchu tours, we decided to go on the 4-day Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu.

Early in the morning, we were picked up from our hostel by an already filled minibus. During the approximately 3-hour bus ride up the mountains, our tour guide Leo introduced himself to us and told us a lot about the history and culture of the Incas.

When we arrived at approximately 4800 meters above sea level, it was time for us to get off and get on the mountain bikes. Because on the other side of the mountain, we went down by bike. The descent into the jungle took about 2 hours. When we arrived at the bottom, we had a short break and something to eat. But the day was far from over. Our group then continued on the water. Whitewater rafting was on the program. Joyfully, after a short introduction, we bravely plunged into the rapids. Thank goodness no one fell out of the boat, and after our planned swimming session in the river, no toes were taken off by piranhas. In the evening, everyone fell into bed tired and exhausted.

On the second day, a 7-hour hike awaited us, including on the Inca Trail. The first 2 hours were a steep climb. We walked through the jungle, admired poisonous caterpillars and swift hummingbirds, watched local women harvest coca, and marveled at coffee plantations. We saw Peruvian potatoes growing on trees and now also know how pineapples grow (strangely enough, I always thought they grew on trees, like bananas...). One highlight of the day was crossing the river in small wagons attached to a steel cable.

In the evening, we could relax our strained muscles in hot springs and gather new strength for the following day.

The third day had many adrenaline rushes in store for us again. In the early morning, we went ziplining. We flew over the Peruvian jungle at over 500 meters high on steel cables. Sometimes upright, sometimes in pairs, or even upside down. There were a total of 6 zip lines and a suspension bridge to conquer. In the end, everyone agreed: What a great experience! After everyone was fully awake, we had to hike for another 3 hours until we reached Aguas Calientes for our last overnight stay.

On the fourth and last day, the original reason for our tour was on the program. MACHU PICCHU!!! We had to get up at four o'clock in the morning, put on our hiking shoes, and off we went. But before we could admire the mystical ruins, we still had to conquer an hour of strenuous ascent. 1000 stairs were climbed by felt hundreds of crazy tourists like us at 5 o'clock in the morning. When we reached the top, we were bathed in sweat, and suddenly it also made sense why Leo had told us to bring a T-shirt to change into beforehand.

After a short break and a few sips of water, we let our gaze sweep over the ruins of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains, and suddenly all the effort was forgotten. It was incredible what kind of panorama was offered to us up there! Everything was still slightly veiled in clouds, and the rising sun bathed the whole picture in a mystical glow. Everything seemed simply surreal. As the clouds slowly cleared during the morning, we had the opportunity to admire the architecture of the ancient Incas in all its glory. Our tour guide Leo informed us about the construction and the religion and rituals of the ancient people. He told us about the discovery of the ancient Inca cities at that time and the battles between the Spaniards and the Inca peoples.

At noon, we went back to Aguas Calientes and took a 7-hour bus ride back to Cusco.

So, Tanja and I have now also been to the landmark of South America and one of the 7 wonders of the world. Crazy... really, I can hardly believe it myself as I write this text. But thank goodness, Tanja took some very beautiful photos again, which I don't want to withhold from you.

Best regards

Anna