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"The Inca Trail is not for me"

Visiting Peru

Annette
2005-08-29 23:19:47

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against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains. The final stop is at Puentes Ruinas below the ruins. Don't think that you need to purchase a "tour" to Machu Picchu. It is offered at every corner in Cusco, yet a simple combination ticket that covers round trip train, bus from Puentes Ruinas to the entrance of Machu Picchu, as well as the entrance fee is available upon request. Having visited twice, once with a guided tour and once by myself, I definitely recommend that you go alone. Take a good guidebook that explains the various sections of Machu Picchu. You will find that you have a definite advantage over the crowds that strain to hear their guide. You will see more, do it at your leisure and without having to peak over anyone's shoulders.

Arriving at Puentes Ruinas, get out and just follow the crowd. There is a new path from the station to the bus stop, through an area of souvenir stalls. The roughly 15 minute bus ride is one of the more 'breathtaking' rides you can imagine. A steep, narrow road winds along treacherous cliffs and drop-offs toward the entrance of Machu Picchu. It is unpaved and dusty. With the constant bus traffic up and down the mountainside, it is nearly impossible to do any road repair, so be forewarned about the road condition.

"The Inca believed that every star in the sky was a deity

that protected and overlooked the animals roaming the earth"

Hiram Bingham discovered Machu Picchu in the year 1911. The local descendants of the Inca knew about the ruins, but for centuries, especially under the Spanish, the location was kept a secret. Bingham, a historian, had been searching for the lost city of Vilcabamba but found Machu Picchu instead. The entire site was completely overgrown then, and much work had to be done over many years to allow the ruins to be seen in their current condition. The purpose for the settlement is unknown to this day. There ...