{"id":17,"date":"2019-11-08T23:00:29","date_gmt":"2019-11-08T17:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/voyageverdict.com\/?p=17"},"modified":"2021-01-29T11:01:18","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T05:31:18","slug":"machu-pichhu-visit-to-site-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyageverdict.com\/?p=17","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd2fMachu Picchu, Peru, Lost city of Incas-New Wonders of The World\ud83d\udd2f"},"content":{"rendered":"

Machu Picchu,<\/a> Peru<\/a>-Visit to site…..<\/p>\n

Also Read Article on<\/strong><\/span> Voyage Verdict’s Bucket List<\/a><\/p>\n

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MACHU PICCHU<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Read Part-1<\/a>, Journey Begins <\/p>\n

Altitude sickness is no joke, and anyone can fall prey to it. I would strongly advise spending a few days in Cusco, getting attuned to the weather, before braving the high altitudes of Machu Picchu<\/a>. I stayed at a nice boutique hotel, the Casa La Sambele\u00f1a, just a few steps away from the centre of Cusco and from the local railway station. It made for a humble, peaceful stay.<\/p>\n

Cusco has adequate public transportation, though finding a bus can be a challenge. If you prefer taking a taxi, make sure to carry ample change in your pockets! To visit Machu Picchu, the trains originating from Cusco are a great, comfortable option. However, PeruRail does not run from January to mid-April on account of the heavy rains. Instead, it provides luxury buses from the city centre to Ollantaytambo<\/a> – a 70-minute trip.<\/p>\n

I woke up before dawn, as early as 4 am, to begin prepping for my much-awaited journey. A quick shower later, I headed downstairs to the in-house restaurant. As it was still quite early, the breakfast spread wasn\u2019t ready yet. I settled for a cup of coffee and refreshing watermelon juice. I packed some fruits and light snacks for later and was all set to kick start the day. Since it was still pouring heavily outside, it made sense to take a cab to the bus station. The receptionist and bellboy were kind enough to arrange one for me. Mere minutes later I had arrived at the station, which was small but neat with two platforms and a waiting room. The check-in and boarding process was timely and smooth, courtesy of the genial staff. Keep in mind to have at least two copies of your ticket confirmation for both legs of the journey, as one will be collected from you at each check-in.<\/p>\n

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I occupied a window seat, and luckily I didn\u2019t have to share the space with a fellow passenger. As the bus commenced sharp at 5:10 am, I made myself comfortable and quickly dozed off. Although marked by slopes initially, the overall bus ride was quite pleasant. A quick nap and some 40 minutes later, we had reached Ollantaytambo.<\/a><\/p>\n

 Ollantaytambo<\/a> is notable and worth a visit before Machu Picchu<\/a>. A thick fog hung over the 500-meter walkway leading up to the station from the parking bay for buses. Encircled by several hills, this station was just a little larger than the one at Cusco, with three tracks, a waiting room, and clean restrooms. A couple of food outlets provided affordable refreshments. I had some much-appreciated masala chai <\/i>(tea) and snacks that I had packed earlier.<\/p>\n

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Thereafter, my journey to Machu Picchu<\/a> station was truly mesmerizing, as the route overlooked scenic mountains and serene rivers rippling by. We reached there around 9:45 am, where a young guide was waiting for us. She led us to the next bus, which would carry us through the last leg of this journey to the actual site of Machu Picchu<\/a>. It was a short 40-minute ride, and we disembarked around 11:20 pm. Next, tourists were split into two groups for the guided tour, based on our preferred language – Portuguese or English. What can I say! I was the sole person who chose English and now I had a private guide for the site visit  \ud83d\ude00 <\/p>\n

The Machu Picchu<\/a> ruins are all that remain of a 15th-century Incan citadel. This pre-Columbian site is nearly intact, with the ancient fortress nestled between the Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu<\/a> peaks. Remarkably, the site was never discovered by the Spanish conquistadors, while the royal estate was inhabited for just about 80 years before being abandoned.<\/p>\n

Approximately covering five square miles, the site is built with dry stone walls in Incan style. The builder used dry Ashlar masonry techniques, in which no mortar is used and oddly-shaped stones are positioned together like pieces from a jigsaw. These are fitted so precisely that there is barely any margin in between; even a small hairpin could not fit. <\/p>\n

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A massive square separates the site\u2019s urban location into two – the ceremonial portion of the old citadel, and the residential portion. The upper town housed the temples, whereas the lower town resided in the working class. The site has over 200 remarkable structures, each serving a unique purpose. The most significant, however, are the ones atop the mountains, which were dedicated to the sun.<\/p>\n

Some of the most notable of these structures are:<\/p>\n