Following The Inca Trail; My Journey To Machu Picchu

"Machu Picchu"
Deriving from the Quechua name Machu Pikchu meaning old (machu) pyramid or mountain (pikchu).

There haven't been many times when I've experienced something quite like Machu Picchu and I'm still pinching myself.  At almost 8,000 feet above sea level, this Inca empire is truly one of the New Wonders of The World.  I'll be honest, it's not the most glamours trip an you'll find yourself needing wet wipes and hand gel many times throughout the day but the experience is all worth it.

The start of our journey began by travelling from Cusco to Aguas Calientes.  Aguas Calientes is the nearest town to Machu Picchu, located at the bottom of the mountain.  There are two options you can chose from to get here.  You can take the train from Cusco, a round trip will cost around $150 (£110) which you can book with PeruRail.  This is the most convenient option and only takes around an hour and a half.  However, we wanted to do the less glamorous option and hike to Aguas Calientes.  We started nice and early in Cusco, at 7am, taking a bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu which is located in the Urubamba Valley.  This drive took about six or seven hours including toilet breaks, so it was around 2pm once we made it to the entrance and it was such a relieve to finally get out the bus and stretch our legs properly and have lunch.  Then, it was time for us to dust off our walking boots and start the journey to Aguas Calientes.

We chose the shortest hiking route which took us between 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get there.  We suddenly became immersed in the wilderness that encompassed us and I felt I million miles from home.  Surrounded by nature, we passed by rivers & streams with the mountains looming over us.  It was an incredibly stunning view.

Finally arriving at Aguas Calientes around 6:30pm I was in awe of this quaint little town.  It has been well developed to host the abundance of tourists who flock there on a daily basis.  As we walked to our hostel I couldn't help notice the amount of restaurants, shops, markets & boutique hotels all aimed at the tourists heading to Machu Picchu.  There isn't an awful lot to do in Aguas Calientes.  It's main purpose is to cater for the these tourists but there are some things to do if you are staying in the town for more than one night. 

Ten minutes walk up the mountain from the town the is a hot springs which is were the town gets it's name.  The name Aguas Calientes comes from the Spanish, meaning 'hot waters' or 'hot springs' but is also referred to as Machu Picchu Pueblo (Machu Picchu Town).  We had planned to visit the town's hot springs, however, they close at 7:30pm and we had arrived too late.  If you have time, it's a great way to unwind and sooth any muscles that are aching from the hike.

About a mile away from the town you can also visit the Museo de Sitio Manuel Chavez Ballon (Machu Picchu Site Museum).  To get to this museum it will take about 25-30 minutes, bear in mind that there are no buses or taxis to take you places so expect to walk everywhere.  Along the way there is also a butterfly sanctuary and botanical gardens so if you have time it's definitely worth checking these places out.

The day of Machu Picchu came and I was eager to get up there.  It was an early start, getting up at 3am.  I'd planned to hike up the mountain to Machu Picchu but I woke up suffering from altitude sickness so I took the bus instead.  To take a bus up to the entrance of Machu Picchu it costs $12 (£9) one way, so $24 (£18) return.  The queue for the buses gets very long and you can be waiting for a while.  If you only buy a single bus ticket, don't worry!  You can buy you return ticket at the top if you change your mind an decide you want to take the bus back down.  Although they don't start leaving until 5am it's a good idea to start queuing around 4am.  The bus trip seemed endless as we headed up the spiral path, finally making it to the top in about 30 minutes.

Walking through the entrance into the ruins of Machu Picchu I was overwhelmed by view.  One of the best things about visiting Machu Picchu in the morning was being able to experiencing the sun rising.  It was a breathtaking moment.  Suddenly, all the exhaustion from hiking and the altitude sickness was forgotten and I couldn't wait to start exploring.  The llamas play a big part of the experience.  They are quite friendly and you can tell they are used to having their picture taken by strangers.  They'll happily pose for a picture or two and we got some great pictures with them.

We began with a tour guide who took us around the site.  Afterwards there was an opportunity to hike up Wayna Picchu (the huge point mountain in the background), which takes about an hour to get to the top.  We chose to explore Machu Picchu more before heading back down the mountain.  We took the bus back down around 1pm and started our hike back to the main entrance where the bus back to Cusco was waiting for us.

Making our way back to Cusco I couldn't believe what an incredible two days I'd had.  It was unlike anything I'd experienced before and I'm still reveling in my time there.  It's not many times you get to see these kind of places but once you do it gives the urge to travel more.  That's one place off my bucket list, now it's time to get planning my next trip.....

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How I spent 6 days in Peru

Indigenous woman with llama at Rainbow Mountain

It’s hard to believe what an incredible trip to Peru I’ve just had. I was amazed by its unique culture, from the traditions of the indigenous natives in remote areas to the modern, lively hub of its capital, Lima and Miraflores. I wasn’t expecting to find such diversity.  Here's my journey;

We took a direct flight from Bogota to Lima then from Lima straight to Cusco.  Cusco is the capital of the Cusco Region located in the South East of Peru and is the heart of the indigenous people.  The main language in Peru is Spanish but you will be able to hear the indigenous tribes speaking their own language, Quechua, as well.

Arriving in Cusco about 2pm local time we decided to take a taxi to our hotel then check out the city.  Like many places in South America it is full of colonial architecture, rich in history & sightseeing hot spots.  Some main sights to see are Plaza de Armas, the main square in the city with an arcade of shops & restaurants around it as well as Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, a church built in 1576.

You can also find many museums in Cusco, ranging from their Inka history to the history of Peruvian textiles.  The ChocoMuseo is a unique experience to learn about the cocoa tree and has its own chocolate factory where chocolate is made from organic cocoa beans. They also offer workshops where you can make your own chocolates.

Floral displace outside florist

After exploring the city for a few hours we stopped off to have a drink before heading back to the hotel.  We stumbled upon Hanz, a cafe that also serves handmade craft beer.  From the outside it looked like a normal cafe but once we stepped inside I couldn’t believe it’s uniqueness.   It’s quite a small cafe  with only four tables.  It has a cosy, relaxed atmosphere & the owner offers amazing service.  I settled on a mulled wine which was delicious.  They also offer a fantastic food menu with vegetarian & vegan options too. Or if your in the mood for something meaty you can try their alpaca burger. I heard they’re amazing!  Here’s the link to their page on TripAdvisor.

Trying a delicious mulled wine at Hanz after an afternoon of sightseeing

The main part of our trip to Peru, of course, was to see Machu Picchu and it didn't disappoint.  After driving for approximately two hours from Cusco we arrived at the entrance of Machu Picchu in the Urubamba River Valley.  From here we hiked to Aguas Calientes, a small town situated at the bottom of the mountain where Machu Picchu lies.  In total, this hike took about three hours and was a great opportunity to take in the our surroundings.

Hiking to Machu Picchu

Once we reached Aguas Calientes it was almost 7pm.  We had planned to visit some hot springs which were in the town but the closing time was 7:30pm so unfortunately we didn't have enough time go there.  This was a shame as it would have been a nice way to relax after 3 hours of trekking.  I'd recommend anyone who does this trek to get to Aguas Calientes as early as possible so that they can visit the hot springs.

After spending a night in Aguas Calientes we were ready to head up to Machu Picchu.  That morning, I suffered from some altitude sickness so decided on taking the bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu.  The whole experience of visiting Machu Picchu was incredibly amazing that I'm going to write a separate blog post on this so I won't give away too many of the details here.

The whole visit to Machu Picchu lasted for about five hours, from 7am-12pm and by this point we were ready to take the bus back down the mountain.  After reaching the bottom it was time to take back to the entrance of Urubamba River Valley where the bus was waiting for us and our group.  Again, this took about 3 hours and I was happy to get back on this bus a rest.  As amazing as the trip is it is quite a tiring day as well.    

That evening we arrived back in Cusco around 7pm & I was ready for bed (& a shower!).

The next day we took a trip to Vinicunca Mountain, which is also known as Rainbow Mountain or The Mountain of Seven Colours which is 5,200 meters above sea level on the Andes.  There are two options for this trip.  One, you can hike up to the top which will take approximately three hours.  Or two, you can go up on horseback by a local guide for 60 soles (£13.50/$18.55).  We chose to go up on horseback which I feel was a good choice because a lot of people seemed to be finding the climb hard.  The trip up was very enjoyable and there are lots of cute alpacas along the way.

Riding on horseback to Rainbow Mountain

We had to hike a short distance to the very top of the mountain as this is too steep for the horses.  I found it a little difficult at times but once we reached the top the view was breathtaking and it made it all worth it.  Being so high up meant that it was sunny but also very cold.  I'd recommend wearing warm clothing & a hat ..... you'll need it!

A view from the top; at the top of Rainbow Mountain

We hiked back down the mountain which was easier than coming up.  The trick is to take it slowly & carefully otherwise once you reach the bottom you'll get a headache from the change in altitude.  Travelling back to Cusco afterwards, we arrived back around 7:30pm & stopped of to have some pizza from one of the local pizzerias 'El Tabuco'.

The following day it was time to fly back to Lima.  We were staying in Miraflores, a district just outside of Lima city centre.  It's a very cultural part of the city with shops, theatres, restaurants & five-star hotels.  The weather was beautiful on the day we arrived & we saw this as a great opportunity to take a walk along the boardwalk.  The boardwalk overlooks the Pacific Ocean & stretches for six miles.  It offers a variety of things to do.  We took a stroll around El Parque del Amor (Park of Love).  The park includes walls covered in mosaic tiles that display romantic quotes & also a statue by Victor Delfín called "El Beso" (The Kiss).  This is the perfect place to go to catch the sunrise or sunset, we were there during sunset & caught some breathtaking views.

La Marina lighthouse in Parque Antonio Raimondi

Mosaic wall in Parque del Amor

"El Beso" statue in Parque del Amor

Continuing down the boardwalk we took a walk along the beach & caught the last of the surfers catching some waves before dark.  We came to a quaint pier full of small shops where you can buy hand crafted gifts.  It also has a beautiful restaurant called La Rosa Náutica which serves yummy seafood & delicious Pisco sours.

Pier on the boardwalk in Miraflores

Parque Antonio Raimondi is another park on the boardwalk were you can go parasailing over the ocean.  I wanted to do this but didn't have enough time so this is definitely something I'd check out if I go again.  A ten minute glide costs around 162 soles (£36/$50) & is a great way to get some amazing, Instagramable photos from above.

Parasailing over Parque Antonio Raimondi

Our final day in Peru we treated ourselves to a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, coffee & orange juice then headed to the Indian Market for some souvenir shopping.  This is a great place to pick up souvenirs for friends & family.  They have a wide variety of things, mostly handmade or hand embroidered.

The Indian Market

After checking out the Indian market we headed to Plaza Mayor in the city centre.  This is the heart of Lima city centre & is home to many important buildings including the Government Palace & Cathedral of Lima.  By this point the weather was amazing which made the square look extra beautiful.

Just off Plaza Mayor we found an area full of ornate restaurants were the streets were filled with trees & radiant plants.  It made me feel like I we were in a European city, not Latin America.  After deciding on a restaurant to have lunch we tried Peruvian ceviche.  This dish is available in many Latin countries but each country takes on the dish a little differently.  In Peru, ceviche is made from raw fish marinated in lime juice, slices of onion, chili peppers, salt & pepper.  It is then served with sweet potato & both fresh & roasted sweet corn.  I loved their take on the dish because it had a fresh taste.  I also had a typical Peruvian drink called chicha morada, made from purple corn boiled with pineapple, cinnamon, cloves & sugar.  This was my drink throughout our holiday.  I tried it on our first night & became obsessed with its sweet flavour.

When it was finally time to fly back home I was so sad to leave.  We'd had an amazing time in Peru & would have love to have stayed longer.  We managed to fit a lot into our six day trip but I think it's worth spending two weeks there to appreciate everything Peru has to offer.  Maybe one day we'll go back & do some of the things we didn't have time to do......

You can also watch my travel vlog on my YouTube channel here:

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