You’ve booked your trip and your accommodations with TOUR IN PERU, you’ve made it to Machu Picchu, you’ve seen the citadel, and now you can say you’ve done what you came for. Right?
Machu Picchu is the sum of many parts, and people often miss the chance to look at those parts up close. Here’s a list of things to look for in Machu Picchu that will add value to your visit.
1. See the temple of the Sun
It was one of those places that only a select few got to see the inside of. Now you can enter the sacred space freely. You can imagine what it would have been like to be an early astronomer. The Temple of the Sun is thought to have been specially set up for astronomical observations.
2. Find The Intihuatana
The sun was believed to have been tethered to a special stone in Machu Picchu. This was the Intihuatana stone, a carved rock that was important religiously and scientifically. The Quechua word Intihuatana is often translated into English as “Hitching Post of the Sun.”
3. Climb Huayna Picchu
It seems that the popular photographs of Machu Picchu have a large protrusion of rock in the background. That rock is Huayna Picchu and some of the best views of the citadel can be had once you take the trouble of climbing to its top. You also get an impressive vista of the surrounding mountains.
Unfortunately, like the Inca trail, there’s a limit to the daily number of people that can be on Huayna Picchu. So as with everything else, get your place reserved early through TOUR IN PERU.
4. Visit the Temple of the Moon
The Temple of the Moon can be accessed by taking a longer hike around the back of Huayna Picchu. Admittedly, the Temple of the moon is not as impressive a sight as Machu Picchu, but not everyone that makes the trip to Machu Picchu can say that they’ve made the effort to see the temple. Besides, the climb allows you to take a break from the crowds that throng around the main attraction.
5. Find the Inca drawbridge
The Inca drawbridge was a key part of keeping unwanted visitors out of Machu Picchu. You’ll understand when you see it. There’s a gap that you’re not allowed to approach but that you can observe from the caretaker’s hut. The path down to the drawbridge is so treacherous, that one tourist had a fatal fall, which resulted in the path to the drawbridge being declared off-limits. The drawbridge was a set of logs that stretched across the gap, and once those logs were withdrawn, passage was impossible.
6. Visit the principal Temple
Have you heard much about the principal temple? Doesn’t have the same ring to it as the name Machu Picchu, but it’s a part of the citadel that demands to be visited — it’s one of the largest buildings on the site. It’s located off the sacred plaza and it’s another specimen of how advanced Inca masonry techniques really were.
7. Hike up to Machu Picchu
The luxury of sitting down for a ride to the citadel may take more energy than hiking. Get a good night’s sleep and then make the effort to hike to Machu Picchu. Hiking is a more direct route than taking the bus and will only take about 1 to 2 hours to make it to Machu Picchu. You’ll also be beating the crowds.
Making travel arrangements through TOUR IN PERU isn’t just about flying all the way out to take a quick look and then leave. The citadel rewards those that take their time to look around.
