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Machu Picchu is the most famous of all the Inca ruins
in Peru. It's a four hour train journey through spectacular
scenery from the town of Cuzco to Aguas Calientes
in the Urubamba Valley, or to 50 miles - the usual
starting point for trekking along the Inca Trail to
the ruins.
What's the history here?
One of the most miraculous things about Machu Picchu is its
location. It appears to be suspended between two mountains
and is often enshrouded in mist. It can't be seen from the
Urubamba Valley below and is an enchanting place, especially
considering that the Incas didn't even have the use of the
wheel when they built it.
Machu Picchu was built in the mid 15th century, but because
it's existence was not recorded by the Spanish Conquistadors
who ramsacked the region in the 1530s, we don't really known
what it's purpose was. Many of the ruins incorporate ceremonial
features, so it could possibly have been a religious sanctuary.
It's likely that the place was already deserted by the time
of the Spanish invasion, as otherwise it would have been mentioned
in their reports of the Inca civilisation.
Whatever purpose it served, until it was 'discovered' by
American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911, Machu Picchu
had been forgotten by all but a handful of local peasants
for 400 years. Bingham at first thought he had found the lost
city of Vilcabamba, the last stronghold of the Incas
which is now known to be deeper in the jungle, at Espiritu
Pampa. It was an enormous task to clear away the thick
forest which covered the ruins and excavate the site properly.
Despite recent archaeological investigations which have uncovered
some interesting new evidence including burial sites, our
understanding of the origins and history of Machu Picchu remains
sketchy.
Machu Picchu was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1983, however ever increasing tourism is damaging the site.
A thousand visitors tour the ruins every day and the authorities
are endangering the site's unique environment by constructing
more and more tourist facilities. The latest, highly controversial
plan is to build a cable car to ferry unmanageable numbers
of tourists across the Urubamba Gorge - a scheme which will
scar the magical setting of this incredible Inca site.
What's there to see & do?
For budget backpackers the most common way to get to Machu
Picchu is to hike for 4 days along the Inca Trail.
The trek starts at 50 miles, a stop-off point on the train
journey from Cuzco is Aguas Calientes. It's a
stunning route through the cloud forest, passing a number
of small ruins en route. You can hire a guide and porters
in Cuzco if need be, or if you don't fancy a 4 day
hike there's a shorter, often quieter route which begins at
70 miles. Whichever you opt for, few experiences beat the
first view of Machu Picchu from Intipunku at sunrise.
If you want to experience the magic of Machu Picchu without
being surrounded by hoards of coach parties picking their
way through the ruins, it's essential to arrive at dawn. By
10am the place will be packed, but provided you're there early
you should have ample time to explore.
The one-horse town of Aguas Calientes is the closest habitation
to Machu Picchu. It's rapidly becoming more touristy but for
the meantime at least it's a peaceful place to recover from
the exertion of the Inca Trail. It gets its name from the
natural hot springs where you can soak your blisters and soothe
away the toils of the route. However although it is still
possible to visit, the springs complex is currently in a state
of disrepair since it was damaged by a landslide in April
1995.
Cuzco is the major tourist city in Peru, and all visitors
to Machu Picchu begin and end their trip here. It's worth
staying for a few days and visiting the museums, churches
and other small ruins in the vicinity, as well as hang out
in the bars and meet other travellers. |
