The Long Road to Machu Picchu

This was the day I finally reached the centerpiece of the journey: Machu Picchu.

It is among the most difficult famous places I have ever visited—Antarctica may be the only destination that demanded more. Of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it must be one of the least straightforward to reach. First comes the long journey to South America, then a flight to Cusco. At more than 3,400 m above sea level, Cusco demands time to acclimatize. From there, I spent about two hours on the road to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley, boarded a train to Aguas Calientes, and rode for another hour and a half. The final choice was either a roughly two-and-a-half-hour climb or a twenty-minute bus ride up a genuinely unnerving series of switchbacks. Only then did the entrance appear. Few major attractions require this many stages.

Once I arrived, however, every stage felt worthwhile. My guide shared a great deal of history, but photographs convey the first impression better than another summary of facts.

Here is the wider view.

As the light moved, the color and texture of the entire city seemed to change with it.

My ticket was for Circuit 3, which descends into the urban sector but does not include the highest panoramic overlooks. Circuit 2 is generally considered the best balance: elevated exterior views as well as a closer look inside the site. It is also the first to sell out. If Circuit 2 matters to you, booking six months ahead is sensible; three months was not enough for me. Machu Picchu has firmly joined the small club of places that require half a year of advance planning.

There is also an in-person option. The ticket office in Aguas Calientes releases 1,000 tickets each day for the following days, but in high season even the next day’s allocation may already be gone. That morning my guide opened an app: tomorrow was sold out, while the day after still had about half its spaces. He explained that many buyers were Peruvians and visitors from neighboring countries traveling during school holidays. A family might decide on Machu Picchu, arrive to buy whatever date remained, spend the intervening days around Cusco, and return when their entry time came.

The city is inseparable from the mountain beneath it. In places, uncut bedrock supports the structures; elsewhere, the natural rock itself becomes part of a wall or platform.

A few more views show how completely the two are joined.

Sun protection is essential, and insect repellent is nearly as important. My guide wore gloves through the heat, which seemed odd until mosquitoes left several bites across my hands. Then the gloves made perfect sense.

There is one hotel at the top, in an extraordinary position beside the site. A room was roughly US$2,200 per night. From its location, it seemed entirely possible that opening the curtains would reveal Machu Picchu itself—a reminder of just how wide the range of travel can be when cost is no object.

My guide also told me that a large monolith once stood in Machu Picchu’s main plaza. According to his story, it was removed to make room for a helicopter carrying the king of Spain, then reinstalled after the visit. It was removed again for another visiting Latin American leader, damaged in the process, and could not be put back. The story ended on a distinctly awkward note.