#cityadel

[worldwidexplorer]

Peru’s Machu Picchu

When you think of traveling to unique destinations, does Peru come to mind? If not, it should. From the Andes Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest and everything in between, you will not run out of areas to explore and things to do. 

One of the most iconic places to visit in Peru is Machu Picchu, the historic Inca city that was constructed over 600 years ago, and abandoned seemingly overnight. The jungle had reclaimed the land until it was rediscovered about a hundred years ago. There are two options to get to these historic ruins: Take one of the multi-day hikes (you must be a hiker and conditioned to very high altitudes), or take one of the train and bus combos. I did the train and bus myself.

Picture yourself here!

If you haven't been to Machu Picchu yet, you may not realize that it is actually a very large area and is spread out. You can spend a lot of time exploring the various areas. A guided tour is the best way to really appreciate the citadel and learn about its use, history, and most important features.

Certain areas of the Machu Picchu complex are quite steep

At an altitude of nearly 8,000 feet (2,430 meters), it can take time to adjust if you're not used to higher altitudes. I always recommend staying in the Sacred Valley (9,000 feet elevation) for a few days first to help acclimate. It will make walking through the area easier and therefore more enjoyable since you'll have more energy. When you're at Machu Picchu, if you're lucky, you might even get to meet some of the locals who live there!

I met one of the cool locals who hangs out at the ruins

Until next week,

Marisa