October 31, 2018 – Machu Picchu
Another somewhat early morning, as we needed to squeeze in showers, packing and breakfast into our schedule, before heading to the Poroy Train Station to catch our Peru Rail ride to Aquas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. The train ride is about 3 ½ hours and more or less follows the path of the Urubamba River. One of the stops along the way is actually the start of the tourist-version of the Inca Trail, spending four days hiking through the high rain forest to get to Machu Picchu, much like the Incas did hundreds of years ago. We opted for a more leisurely approach and took the train to Aquas Calientes and then bought bus tickets to take us to the Machu Picchu site.
We are splurging tonight and spending the night at the Belmond Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. It’s the only hotel that is actually adjacent to the archeological site. The fact that we can leave the site and be “home” as well as be there first thing in the morning, and the fact that it’s an all-inclusive makes it worth the extra money, especially since it’s only for one night. After getting off the bus, we checked into the hotel. Our bags had been picked up by the staff at the train station (another perk), so once we finished our lunch (very good) we were able to go to our room, unpack, change and head to the lobby to meet our guide. The hotel had arranged for us to have private tour and our guide was super knowledgeable, very friendly and spoke excellent English. Machu Picchu is pretty awe inspiring. Built in the 1500s, brick-by-brick and terrace-by-terrace, it’s a marvel of ancient engineering and an impressive testament to Inca ingenuity. Weather had been spotty the previous two weeks, so we were a little nervous that we’d end up getting rained on, but we got super lucky and the sun came out just as we started our tour. We spent about 3 hours walking around the historical site, learning about the different structures, the history and some of the engineering (including underground pipes from a far-off natural spring, that still serve as the water supply to the site and hotel). Machu Picchu is only at about 7,000 feet of elevation, so acclimating in Cusco was definitely worth it. You spend a lot more time hiking and exploring in Machu Picchu than in other parts of the country, and without a day to acclimate, the altitude might be too much for some.
After our tour, we came back to the hotel to shower and have some before-dinner cocktails. Dinner (also included) was excellent and included foie gras, local fish Carpaccio, mushroom risotto and beef medallions. Everything was excellent, including the complimentary wine (Chilean and Argentinian). After dinner it was off to bed. Tomorrow we climb Machu Picchu Mountain – a new challenge and adventure!