Walking in the Cloud Forest at Machu Picchu

Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship

Machu Picchu was built by the Incas in the cloud forest around 1450 and was abandoned during the Spanish Conquest around a century later. It sits on a peak in the Peruvian Andes, some 7,970 feet above sea level and 50 miles northwest of Cusco. One of the most exciting draws to Machu Picchu is that it stood unknown to the outside world until 1911, when it was brought to its attention by the American historian Hiram Bingham. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was recently voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll.

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You can freely hike up to the Sun Gate and all around Machu Picchu with your ticket into the park. If you want to explore Huayna Picchu and the Moon Temple, you must take an extra step. The number of people allowed to go through the gate to Huayna Picchu is even more strictly controlled than Machu Picchu, with only 400 entries per day. It would be best to arrive early at the park and then head straight to the gate, where they hand out an additional ticket that allows you to go through.

The first 200 people are allowed to go through instantly, but they must return by 10 am, and the remaining people must wait until after 10 am. Both hikes are rated as difficult, especially the one to Huayna Picchu, which can become dangerous after rainstorms. If you are up for them, I recommend them, particularly up to the top of Huayna Picchu.

Machu Picchu and Altitude

Machu Picchu is at a pretty high elevation for the everyday person, and a lack of oxygen can be an issue. Now, this wouldn’t be an issue if your vacation required you to lounge at the pool, but this is Machu Picchu the whole point is to hike around and explore. The recommended course of action is to spend a good 24 hrs. taking it easy in either Aguas Calientes or my favorite Cusco and let your body start to adjust. If you plan on hiking the trail, you might want to bump that up to 48 hrs.

If your body is not adjusting or you feel dizzy and disoriented, you might consider seeing a doctor and getting some oxygen. Another popular option and one that the natives use is to drink a cup of coca tea or mate de coca as it is locally known. Yes, this is tea made from the same leaves that some people use to create cocaine. *Do Not Attempt to Bring Any Coca Tea to the U.S.

Photography Tips for Machu Picchu

Taking pictures at Machu Picchu can be challenging. You are in a city in the clouds, and those bright white clouds will play haywire with your exposure control. If you have a standard point-and-shoot camera, you will want to try and get 70% city and only 30% sky or less. To assist, some of the more fancy point-and-shoot cameras can activate a Neutral Density (N.D.) filter, which should buy you some extra leeway. Whatever you do, do not take a picture straight into the sun; you won’t see much of anything. If you can add filters to your lenses, like with DSLRs, you will want to pick up a graduated neutral density filter. This filter will allow you to tone down the sky while leaving the ground at good exposure.

Getting There: Machu Picchu

Transportation

Transportation: Machu Picchu is out of the way, and there is no road in or out of Aguas Calientes, only train tracks. Most people fly to Lima and then catch a regional flight to Cusco. From there, you can take the train from the Poroy station just outside the city, or take a bus/taxi to Ollantaytambo and then catch a train for the remaining distance. Trains from Poroy are more expensive and less frequent, so most people venture to Ollantaytambo and take the more reasonably priced train. To book your train ticket, check here.

Park Entrance

There are two main options for visiting Machu Picchu.

Option 1: Hiking the Inca Trail

You can hike along the Incan Trail in treks that can be as long as seven days and enter the city through the Sun Gate. This is not a task to be taken without thought or prep, but it can be gratifying. You will need to book this through an agent, and they will make the arrangements for you to enter the park, but you would still need to obtain your entry into Huayna Picchu.

Option 2: The Bus

You can visit Machu Picchu on your own. The best option is to stay in Aguas Calientes, the closest town about a mile away, with daily buses up to the ruins. You must also purchase tickets from the Machu Picchu Cultural Centre in Aguas Calientes. (Tickets Can Not Be Purchased from the Entrance to Machu Picchu)

Travelationship Rating

RECOMMENDABLE: A Resounding Yes!!! Up close and personal exploration of one of the new Seven Wonders of the World is a can’t miss, and the people of Peru are so warm and inviting.

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