The primary objective of my journey to Peru and Chile was to visit Machu Picchu, the best preserved example of an Inka community.  This is a long post but is comparatively short on text and long on pictures.

Other posts about the trip to Peru and Chile:

Palacio del Inka, Cusco, Peru – A Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel

LATAM Airlines 767-300 Business Class, Miami, FL (MIA) to Lima, Peru (LIM)

LATAM Airlines 787-8 Business Class Lima, Peru (LIM) to Santiago, Chile (SCL)

American Airlines 777-200 First Class – Santiago, Chile (SCL) to Miami, FL (MIA)

First Look – American Airlines Renovated D-15 Admirals Club, Miami International (MIA)

Train from Cusco (Poroy) to Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes)

Machu Picchu lies approximately 50 miles or 80 km northwest of Cusco, Peru, the capitol of the Inka Empire.  The easiest way to go from Cusco to Machu Picchu is by train.

Trains depart from the station in Poroy, which is a 30-minute drive from central Cusco in good traffic.  The train arrives in Aguas Calientes, the closest city to Machu Picchu, 3.5 hours after departing Poroy.  A bus ride or hiking completes the final few miles to Machu Picchu.

Because the trip takes so long, those wanting to return to Cusco on the same day must depart early.

Three rail companies provide transportation from Poroy.  Heavy demand requires buying tickets through a tour company or online well in advance of your desired travel date.

The trip to Aguas Calientes is itself a great experience.

The train follows a route past farms and small settlements, the Urubamba (Sacred) River, and hills with steep canyons and occasional glimpses of high Andes peaks.

At one point you can see a portion of the trail the Inka used to access Machu Picchu.  It is a three-day hike on the Inka Trail from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu.

Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

In Aguas Calientes I met John, my guide.  We boarded a bus for a 20-minute, somewhat perilous ride up the mountain.  Hiking to Machu Picchu is also an option for the physically fit who have an extra two hours to kill.  You’re going from roughly 6,800 feet at Aguas Calientes to almost 8,000 feet at Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

Arriving at Machu Picchu after a four-hour journey, I got to stretch my legs on a short climb.

The climb is rewarded with more breathtaking views.

The precise nature and purpose of Machu Picchu remains unknown.  Many experts believe it was a royal estate for Inka Emperor Pachacuti Inka Yupanqui.  It seems to be generally accepted that the facilities at Machu Picchu could support around 300 Inka.  It looks bigger than that.

After enjoying the views from above, John and I worked our way into the settlement itself.

Terraces turn steep hillsides into acres of tillable land. 

One of the most important structures is the Temple of the Sun.  At sunrise on June 21, light enters one of the windows and strikes a stone on the floor indicating the summer solstice.

After a couple of hours we paused our “exploration” and headed to the restaurant near the bus loading zone for a great buffet lunch.

The delicious lunch gave me the energy for another two hours at Machu Picchu.

Now, the only residents of Machu Picchu are llamas and chinchillas.

Train to Poroy

At 4 p.m. we left Machu Picchu to catch a bus to Aguas Calientes.  John and I said farewell at the train station.  We would meet at the hotel early the next morning for a tour of the Sacred Valley.

On the trip to Poroy, PeruRail once again served light snacks.

The highlight of the trip was a surprise fashion show presented by the staff who seated and served us.

Then other staff members came through wearing versatile alpaca outfits.

It was a good show.  I wonder when airlines will start doing this to boost duty free sales. That idea might work well on some Asian carriers – American, United and Delta not so much.

Short Final

Machu Picchu and the journey there was more impressive than I had imagined.  The Inka had superb engineering skills to move, carve and place stone.  They used no mortar yet their work remains despite numerous devastating earthquakes that leveled structures produced by modern technology.

Next is a review of the trip to the Sacred Valley.