Would you believe I was the first one to enter the Machu Picchu site? I beat over 2,000 visitors to the gate! Mainly, I wanted to be first so I could get pictures of the sunrise without anyone in it. Unfortunately, the fog equalized the playing field. By the time the fog lifted, there were many people among the ruins.
I really can’t complain though, I’ve had amazing weather on this trip. It was supposed to rain today and it didn’t. It was sunny the whole day.
The highlight of the day was hiking up Machu Mountain. It was not at all what I expected. I thought it would be the big mountain that you see in most Machu Picchu pictures — it’s actually a bigger one that you don’t see! It took me quite a while to get up there, but the views were well worth it. The entire valley and ruins could be seen from the top.
Getting to the top was quite draining, especially with the sun. A couple from New York gave me their bottle of water, proving that not all people from New York are bad. 🙂
A tip for those going to Machu Picchu via Aguas Calientes: don’t walk up, pay for the bus! I saw many people walking up, but there is really no benefit to it. The gates open once the buses arrive, so walking up means just sitting at the top waiting for the buses to arrive. Furthermore, walking up can be quite draining and it’s likely that more water will be needed. Water at the top is three times the price as it is below. It’s also the price of a bus ticket! Take the bus!
Tomorrow I’ve got one more day in Machu Picchu. This time I’ll be going up Huayna Picchu.
Great perspectives on Machu Picchu Marko! A lot of those are angles/perspectives I haven’t seen before.
Particularly 8, 11 and 13.