Exploring Machu & Wayna Picchu
Trip Start
Jan 06, 2012
1
10
12
Trip End
Apr 01, 2012
Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Peru
Monday, January 30, 2012
During our tour we learned that most of the Incan cities were destroyed by the Spanish. Machu Picchu was so well hidden and so difficult to reach that it remained hidden until 1911 when Peruvian locals led Hiram Bingham from Yale University to it. He returned to the United States and obtained a grant to return and begin excavation and restoration.
After our tour Bryan and I quickly headed over to the entrance of Wayna Picchu. We weren't done hiking yet! To get to the top of Wayna Picchu you head to the North end of Machu Picchu and then back down a little bit before beginning a difficult climb almost straight up. Thanks to the rain, fog and clouds, the climb was very slick and a little difficult to see where you were headed. There were plenty of places were a fall would have been quite a disaster so we moved very slowly. Once we finally reached the top, the clouds and fog began to clear up leaving us with a bird’s eye view of Machu Picchu! It was incredible and well worth the climb.
After taking in the view and snapping a bunch of pictures we began the even slower climb back down. My legs were completely turned into jello at this point so it took us quite a while. We finally got back to Machu Picchu and did some exploring on our own before heading to the exit to purchase our bus ticket back down. I’m surprised they don’t charge more for this ticket because after all the walking, hiking, climbing, and lack of sleep I would have paid anything to not have to walk all the way back down to Aguas Calientes!
