Breath taking.. those are pretty much the only words I can use to describe the experience.  We climbed to the most popular view point before the sun rose and unfortunately the ruins were covered in clouds and we couldn't see anything. However as the sun rose the clouds burnt off and Machu Picchu uncovered itself in same manner a beautiful flower were to bloom in under an hour. We sat in awe and watched as different parts of the site were uncovered.  It's easy to spend an entire day exploring. I would recommend hiking the higher Waynu Picchu, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get up to get a all encapsulating view of the the lower Machu Picchu. (Pics below). 

As well, make friends with the Llamas, they are awesome!  Additionally check out the hot springs in Agua Caliente.

 

It was really exciting look at the lost Incan city. The city was amazing and I learned on how the Incas lived life back then. The height is descent if you get used to the altitude sickness back at Cusco, Peru. It was a fun experience for me and my family.

 

"You have to see it."

Mesmerized by the immense size, beauty and vibe of Machu Picchu. Thank you God for allowing me to witness this masterpiece.

 

 

What an amazing adventure. This was my first trip to South America. I traveled with a tour group from New York for 6 days and 3 nights. We flew to Lima then Cuzco. We stayed 1 night Urubamba Sacred Valley and 2 nights Cuzco. I even tried the local delicacy Cuy, which is roasted guinea pig!! Not a fan, but at least I gave it a try. The alpaca burger was much more my style! 

 

 I remember seeing images of Machu Picchu in National Geographic when l was a lil kid. Once l took one step in that magical place, l began to cry as l thought to myself: "I am here. I am really here"

Done on october 24th, great expérience

Nice company

 

The day we came into Aguas Calientes, it was emptying out. There was a declared train strike for the next two days, and everybody was hustling to get back to Cuzco. We basically just erased our return cushion day in Lima and settled in. The circumstances were pure luck, and it was AMAZING.

Not just Machu Picchu, because that's amazing anytime. But the day we arrived, we went up for the afternoon and sunset, and by the time we made it to the main plateau, it was just us and the llamas. The people the looming train strike hadn't driven out, the rain and cold did. Persevering led to some muddy, chilly, swear-heavy going, but it was worth it when the rain cleared up in the late afternoon and we got some spectacular views.

The next morning, there were about ten people on the bus for the sunrise trip. There were maybe a couple of hundred in the park itself, and a good portion of them did the big hike. The rest of us spread ourselves out through unspoken agreement of first person there gets it, and when the sun came up, we couldn't even see another person (though we could hear the hikers cheering).

But the best part was having Aguas Calientes almost all to ourselves. We were literally the only guests in our hotel. The one time we had to ask the staff for something, we had to knock on the door where they were all gathered, watching a soccer game. Just need an extra towel, no hurry. They brought it up at halftime.

The next evening, we struck out for dinner, only to find ourselves blocked off from crossing the street by a very serious competition of who could get down the big hill on anything with wheels on it without wiping out or ending up in the river. This being WAY better than any dinner you're likely to get in Aguas Calientes (I love you very, very much, dear, but it's true), we bought some snacks off a vendor and joined the crowd. And so I got to see many spirit sisters and brothers fly down that hill (my first comment upon seeing Aguas Calientes being, "My brother and I would have found a skateboard and immediately killed ourselves on those things"), as well as the occasional spirit father (hey, we all got it somewhere).

I'm mostly including this story because it's the last international trip The Husband and I went on together, but I think I'm also including it to remind myself that good luck also exists in the world. Pure chance, sure, but when it goes your way this spectacularly, it does make for an unforgettable experience.

 

 Phenomenal trip.  Peru is a beautiful country, only slightly less beautiful than it's people.  Get there early and get tickets to hike Huaina Picchu too.  Limited tickets. 

2009