The bad part of visiting Machu Picchu in June is that this is the tourist “high season,” meaning there are more crowds to contend with. The good part of “high season” is the reason most tourists come now: it never rains and you are guaranteed uninterrupted views of the ruins.
While the traditional way to get from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu, 1300 feet above us, is by bus, some students started earlier so they could hike up the mountain. Once we were all at the ruins, our 3-hour tour began, exploring the ancient city from top to bottom. After lunch outside the ruins students were free to either return to the ruins or take a hike to the “Sun Gate,” a nearby mountain pass with ruins overlooking Machu Picchu, which will be in the next blog posting.
One of the early 5:30 breakfast tables for students hiking up to Machu Picchu.And the other table of early birds.The hikers on the right are beaming with joy that they are not in the looooong line on the left waiting on buses up to the ruins.The first part of the hike was level and following the river, …… but eventually the path became a series of 1772 steps climbing upward through the jungle.The view as we neared Machu Picchu and the sun rose above the mountains.An alpaca greets us at the top of the terraces before the tour starts.But the most beautiful view was looking down.Summer 2017 Peru SST at Machu PicchuBecause of large numbers of tourists in June and the large size of our group, we split into two tours. The building at the top is the guard house that controlled the entrance to Machu Picchu.Tour guide Graciela shows how the Quechua people today still dance like condors, a sacred bird of the Incas.The Quechua population has many insights into the purpose of Incan structures because the culture has been passed down for more than 5 centuries.Willy was the guide for our second group of students.At right is where an Incan trail arrives at the main entrance to Machu PicchuGraciela’s group sits on part of a rock pile where the stones to build Machu Picchu were quarried.Willy explains how Machu Picchu is divided into two halves, with ceremonial buldings on the left and residences on the right.The terraces around Machu Picchu were mostly needed to stabilize the slopes against landslides rather than to grow food.The Sun Temple. The eastern window is aligned with the sunrise on the winter solstice to cast a unique shadown on the carved rock inside the temple.The Sacred Plaza. It includes unfinished structures, indicating it was a work in progress when Machu Picchu was abandoned.In the immediate background is the on-site stone quarry. Two earthquake faults running through Machu Picchu left the Incas a wide assortment of broken granite for building their city.Climbing the stairs to the highest, most important part of Machu Picchu …… the Intiwatana stone. Originally thought to be a sundial, the more common understanding now is that it was for mountain worship.The “sacred rock” was carved in the shape of the peak, or “apu,” seen behind it.The other group rests their legs in the guard post for the northern entrance to Machu Picchu.Their turn for a group picture. For the Incas mountain peaks, or apus, had important spirits responsible for cloud formation and rain.The Condor Rock (note the “collar” as in the inserted drawing) celebrates a bird the Incans revered for its power and majesty (and 8-foot wingspan).After 3 hours in the ancient city, one more picture before exiting.
