It surpassed expectations.
We woke up at 3:45 a.m. and were entering the park by 6:30 a.m. Us, the clouds and a couple thousand other tourists.
By 9:00 a.m. we were finishing up our first tour around this incredible feat and the drizzle then became a downpour, forcing us to seek shelter right outside of the park. I was devastated. So much anticipation and research, so much hard work and money…the thick fog enveloped us to the point where we couldn’t see anything.
But after a few hours, the rain died down to a drizzle once more, and we decided to be optimistic and head toward the famous Sun Gate–Inti Punku– where Inca messengers would get their first glimpse of this empire. And as we got there and looked into a white abyss, slowly but surely the fog started to part and there it was, Machu Picchu, the imperial Incan city.
As the day went on, the weather only improved. Walking around this amazing ancient city was tiring and left all in awe. Not one photo I took is able to depict the breadth of this world wonder. It’s huge, mystical and worth every effort, every peso.
I think my biggest piece of advice for those not hiking the Inca Trail (By the time we decided to go, all spots on the trail were already taken. You have to plan months in advance if you want to do the trail during peak season.) is that while yes, the morning is mystical and worth it, Machu Picchu is truly at its finest by the end of the day, from 4:00 p.m. on. Most people go on organized tours and are heading back to Cuzco by early afternoon, and the park empties; and I think it is then that you’re truly able to take it all in. There you are, in the middle of a jungle, amidst giant stones carefully crafted by man that have been there for centuries and while we know some things about this place, you are still surrounded by so much mystery.
4 thoughts on “Machu Picchu”