- by Michael!
Machu Picchu is absolutely breathtaking.
In all honesty, so is the process of getting there.
From the United States, you have to first fly to Lima –
roughly a seven hour direct flight. From there, you have to get to Cuzco, the
ancient capital of the Inca Empire seated up in the central highlands of the
country. (Way, way, way up in the central highlands.) This trip can be done in
one of two ways: by plane, which takes roughly 45 minutes; or by bus, which
takes about twelve hours.
It’s not that the roads are bad. (They are – spectacularly so
– but that’s beside the point.) It’s that you have to climb from the Pacific
coast straight up the Andes. There’s not really much in the US that compares to
Cuzco’s elevation, but for context Denver is about 5,690 feet above sea level –
and Cuzco is about 11,150. Hence, the bus trip is very long, very arduous, and actually a bit dangerous, as rock slides are not uncommon on those winding Andean roads.
(Spoiler alert: we did not take the bus.)
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| “Mile high city? Oh, that’s so CUTE!” |
Thus far on our imaginary trip to Machu Picchu, we’ve flown
for just under eight hours. The next leg of the trip takes us from Cuzco to the
small town of Ollantaytambo. This involves finding a bus or car to make the two
hour drive up the mountain north of Cuzco, past Saqsayhuaman (which is
pronounced “Sexy-Woman,” but you are not allowed to laugh at this, gringo),
across the highland mesas, and down into the beautiful “Sacred Valley,” a
fertile region between Cuzco and Machu Picchu. You’ll see some ruggedly
beautiful terrain on your trip, crowned by mountains in the distance – and no,
they’re not dancing with joy at your approach, that’s just the shocks on your
bus giving out.
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| Not the actual road to Ollantaytambo, but close
enough. |
Once in Ollantaytambo, you get in line for a train. This
train will take you along the course of the river, winding downward through the
Andes – the transition from mesa forest to semi-jungle sneaks up on you,
especially if you’re busy gawking at the tops of the mountains through the
glass ceiling of the train car. This ceiling not only allows you to take in
some spectacular views, but also serves as a means to bake you and your fellow
tourists into an amicable “smell bundle” wherein, thanks to the warm clothes
you needed to wear up in Cuzco, you all sweat like pigs – but at least you’re
pigs with a deep appreciation for the beauty of the mountains above!
The train deposits you in the town of Aguas Calientes
(Joanie: “Michael, you are now in Hot Water.”), from whence you can either hike
up Machu Picchu mountain or, if you like breathing, you can take a half-hour
bus ride.
All told, it’s twelve hours of actual transport to get to
Machu Picchu – not counting time waiting for your various means of conveyance
to get where you are. It’s not an easy trip, but it’s beautiful in its own
right, and the difficulties of the trek simply add to the awe you feel when you
finally climb the last stairs and look down into Machu Picchu itself.
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| Do we look exhausted? We were exhausted. Exhausted and in awe. |