Department of Cusco,
Urubamba Province, Peru

George & Eve DeLange

The most common route to Machu Picchu is by train that leaves Cuzco daily from the San Pedro Station next to the San Pedro market. The train takes the tourist to Aguas Calientes is a very small town on the Urubamba River ( also called Vilcanota River) in Peru. Just about the only reason that tourists travel to Aguas Calientes is that it is a place where the tourist catches a bus to be transported to the ruins of Machu Picchu, which is 8 Km distant. As such, quite an industry has developed there which brings income to the local people in the area. Currently the government of Aguas Calientes prefers to call the town Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu Sanctuary is located 120 km northwest of Cuzco high above the Urubamba Valley (name given to the Vilcanota Valley in this area) in the Vilcabamba highlands, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the world's most important archaeological sites and Peru's premier tourist attraction. Machu Picchu archaeological complex sits strategically atop the saddle of Mount Machu Picchu (�Old Peak� in Quechua) pronounced ( MAH-choo-PEEK-choo ), from which the citadel and the marvelous natural geology derive their name. Towering above the citadel is the imposing Wayna Picchu, sometimes called Huayna Picchu ('Young Peak') and other archaeological ruins. Both peaks are flanked by the raging Urubamba River, which flows East through the canyon about 1300 feet below the citadel. United States anthropologist and Yale University professor Hiram Bingham, was the first non native to discover Machu Picchu, on July 24, 1911. Hiram Bingham was taken to the ruins by the local peasant farmer, Melchor Arteaga, who actually had discovered the ruins. First scientific thought was that Machu Picchu was mysteriously built during the time of the Spanish Conquest. However, recent studies purport that Machu Picchu, contrary to what was previously thought, was built decades before the Conquest at the height of the Inca Empire (between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries) as a ceremonial site related to the worship of the Inca's most important deities. Since its location, with an easterly and westerly view, allowed one to see both sunrise and sunset from the citadel, the site may have been used for rituals related to the worship of the sun and astrological observations. Access to the citadel is difficult, yet it went unknown during the Spanish Conquest, as the valley, known as the Tampu region, was controlled by Spanish plantation owners called encomenderos and corregidores. It is believed that Machu Picchu was gradually abandoned sometime between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and then later forgotten. Whether the citadel was a refuge for Inca rebels has not been proven. Studies show that the citadel was built without interruption. The carved stone blocks used in the walls fit together so perfectly that a pin cannot enter into the crevices between them. Some of the outstanding features of Machu Picchu are the Royal Tombs (near the gateway to the citadel), the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana (�The Hitching Post Of The Sun� in Quechua), the Torreon or Tower (the only circular structure), the High Priests' Mansion, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Central Temple, the Sunken Square and the waterfalls and canals that make up the Inca Baths, sometimes called The Royal Baths.. Machu Picchu also is outstanding because of the beauty of its surrounding landscape. The beautiful cloud forest that climbs up the steep hill-sides is a haven for countless species of native flora, including bromeliads, bright orchids, and tree-borne ferns. The jungle is also home to the elusive spectacled bear (Tremarctus ornatus), the quetzal (Pharomacrus auriceps), the cock-of-the-rocks (Rupicola peruviana), and the huemal deer (Pudu mephistopheles). In 1981, the Peruvian Government created the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, covering an area of 35 5920 Ha, to conserve both the archaeological site and its natural surroundings. Machu Picchu also is referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire. The Machu Picchu archaeological complex is located in the department of Cusco, in the Urubamba province, and district of Machu Picchu. It is located on the eastern slopes of the Vilcanota mountain range, surrounded by the Apurimac and Urubamba Rivers. Machu Picchu is located at a height of 2,350 meters above sea level; with GPS Coordinates of about: 13o 09 '47" S 72o 32' 44" W. We were at Machu Picchu the afternoon of April 16, 2006 and the morning of April 17, 2006.

This page is for information purposes only and while we have made every effort to be accurate, it is the travelers responsibility to make the appropriate choice as to which hotels to use in Peru. We found that when touring Peru, Magical Cusco Tours gave us the best service of all. They even arranged very personal tours based upon our ages and experience. They were there for us whenever we needed them. Click on any of their links on our pages and they will give you a 4% discount for taking their package tours. Mention delange.org. Merchant Code Inka2010 for your discount! We suggest letting Ana Maria handle your tour. Note: The 4% discount applies to package tours only! Discount does not apply to hotel bookings, domestic or international tickets, meals or any other service booked as a single activity. Magical Cusco Tours also has a culinary tour that you may enjoy.Click Here For: Taste Of Peru.com their culinary tour page. The good hotels in the area of Machu Picchu are all expensive; but the price for the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge in Machu Picchu, is very expensive! We suggest you use one of the various Aguas Calientes hotels that are nearby. We prefer the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel. Hint: If arranging a tour on your own; when searching for a package deal or just for a hotel, plan your flight into Cusco and then search for hotels in either Cusco and Aguas Calientes. An internet search for Machu Picchu will usually bring up the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge as it is the only hotel in the Machu Picchu Ruins. That is why it is so expensive. ($800 to $1000 a night). We also have links to Priceline.Com on our pages, in case you may prefer to use their services.

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Hiram Bingham, Credited With Discovery Of Machu Picchu On July 24, 1911. Melchor Arteaga, A Local Farmer Actually Discovered The Ruins And Took Hiram Bingham There

Machu Picchu. Wayna Picchu In The Background. April 16, 2006. About 9:22 AM.

Entering Aguas Calientes	Village Of Aguas Calientes
Getting Off At Train Station	Then Board Tour Busses That Take Visitors To Machu Picchu
Bus Leaving Aguas Calientes To Machu Picchu	The Road Is So Narrow That We Have To Stop & Pull over For Another Tourist Bus
We Reach The Turnoff To Machu Picchu The Road Is Very Bumpy	Bridge Over The Urubamba River Starting The Switchbacks
The Busses Go Up These Switchbacks To Machu Picchu Photo Courtesy Of NASA	Top Right Switchbacks From Machu Picchu Urubamba River Lower Left
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge Parking Area At 8,100 Feet The Only Hotel A The Inca Citadel Ruins	Its Location Gives Easy Access To Machu Picchu As Well As Breathtaking Scenery!
Monument Honoring Hiram Bingham	Monument Honoring Hiram Bingham
We Go Up These Steps	And Along This Trail From The Lodge
To Our First Views Of Machu Picchu	Our First Views Of Machu Picchu
Maribel Ortiz, Tour Guide Took Us To Machu Picchu	Maribel Ortiz, Tour Guide Made Sure We were OK!

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