A wonder of the world, for the world and the eyes and soul. I thought that maybe it would be overrated by people, as many tourists flock, many not caring about its history, many just going to say they have been, but if you take the time to breathe its air and enjoy all of its beauty, it is not overrated! As soon as you enter its premises, you capture yourself in another world, even a different dimension. You lose yourself in your current life and view and live another for the time you are there.
Being stamped with the mark as a wonder of the world has tourists pushing and shoving, which is good for publicity. It has taken a rather large gathering, especially in the months of June, July and August, which are great seasons to visit for its glorious weather (not for Cusco’s weather, however). If you prefer quieter surroundings I would strongly advise not to visit during the ‘Holiday’ era, and preferably the months of March, April and May, where it is less likely to rain, and you will be able to enjoy it to its full capacity.
To capture a grand view of the city, there are many points one can walk and climb to see them. The ‘Sun Gate’ is considered to be the easiest, although a good level of fitness is recommended, with hardly any steepness to it, compared to Huayna Picchu and the Machu Picchu mountain. It takes an average of 3 to 4 hours, in total, at an altitude of 290 metres from Machu Picchu. To climb ‘Huayna Picchu’, which many tourists are keen to climb, you have to have an excellent level of fitness and ability to take on strenuous activity. You also have to book many weeks before your visit as only 400 people in total make it in a day. Compared to some tourists that visit daily, that is a tiny portion of individuals who climb it. It is acclaimed to be the most dangerous mountain to climb in Machu Picchu, with many deaths being recorded. Its height to climb from Machu Picchu is 353 metres and takes an average of 2 hours to climb to the top, with half as much time needed to come back down. The mountain I decided to climb was the ‘Machu Picchu mountain’, it is recommended to buy your ticket before your visit also, its price is a comfortable ten soles, and requires on average an hour and a half to reach the top and an hour and a half to descend. The gate shuts at around 10 am and the top of the mountain shuts at noon. Everyone should be down by 2 pm. It is highly strenuous but very broad. It is the tallest mountain to climb at 652 metres from Machu Picchu, double that of ‘Huayna Picchu’. A huge bottle of water and good hiking boots with plenty of sunscreens, cap and sunglasses are highly recommended as well as being very physically agile.
Its history goes like this. Machu Pichu was discovered by American explorer Hiram Bingham on July the 24th 1911. He was visiting Peru and has stayed with a family for a few days but became bored because they only spoke Quechua and nothing of Spanish. Bingham could speak Spanish but couldn’t even understand their native language. He later on befriended a young 11-year-old boy who helped him to continue on his adventure. He climbed mountains in drizzly weather, and that is when he discovered the lost city of Machu Picchu when translated from Quechua reads the ‘Old Mountain’, with Huayna Picchu meaning the ‘Young Mountain’.
It was only nine years ago, in 2007, when Machu Picchu was voted to be one of the Wonders of the World, as previously since 1983 it was marked as a World Heritage Site. Apart from its hefty cost, it is a place you should visit if you are a real travel fanatic. An experience you will never forget with one of the gorgeous views the world has to offer.
Maria Hanako van Straaten 