There are so many reasons to take one of our Machu Picchu tours but here are the top 5 to chew on!
Maybe you have seen the classic postcard view of Machu Picchu but confuse it with Chichen Itza ruins in Mexico, many do! After all they have both been named as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu is in fact the famous Inca Citadel located in the Andes mountains of Peru, near to the old Inca capital city of Cusco.
It is a destination that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists a year and many take Machu Picchu tours with companies like ours, combining this fantastic Inca site with other areas of Peru such as Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon and the Nazca Lines. Here are five reasons why you should follow in their footsteps and tour Machu Picchu for yourself:
One of the 7 Wonders of the World
In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the new ‘Seven Wonders Of The World’ in a worldwide internet poll involving millions of people. Other sites included the Taj Mahal in India, Chichen Itza in Mexico, the Colosseum in Italy and the Great Wall of China in…well, China! If there was ever a place to see before you die, Machu Picchu is globally recognized as one of your best options. The site was re-discovered in 1911 by the explorer Hiram Bingham and has become increasingly popular over the last 30 years as infrastructure improvements mean that it is not an odyssey any more, these days Machu Picchu tours do not involve hanging on the outside of a rickety train in the middle of the night as our Managing Director Gary did 20 years ago.
The Incredible Setting of Machu Picchu
2,430 meters above sea level on a mountain ridge in cloud forest, Machu Picchu was hard to find and was never discovered by the Spanish conquistadors. Despite improved access for the high numbers of tourists, visitors can still get a sense of the remoteness of the site and the views over and around the site are awe inspiring, the history interesting and the building feats impressive.
Visitors to the site can stare down over dizzying drops to the Urubamba river that churns through a deep valley surrounding the site. Peaks rise up on all sides, covered in thick vegetation. There is no substitute for a private tour of Machu Picchu with Escaped to Peru and getting a true sense from your guide of what it must have been like for the Inca inhabitants hundreds of years ago.
Trek the Inca Trail
Machu Picchu isn’t just a site, it is a destination. For travelers with a sense of adventure and a desire to test their legs, Machu Picchu can be accessed by a 3 or 4 day trek along a section of the ancient Inca highway known as the Inca Trail. There is more information about the Inca Trail on our websites but the route is highly regulated so get in touch with us early if you wish to trek to Machu Picchu as spaces go quickly.
The route passes through cloud forest and Andean tundra, climbing over 4200 meters at “dead womans pass” with views of snow-capped peaks. It is impressive, which is why it books out quickly – if you’re interested, get in touch with us at least 3 months in advance to reserve your spaces if you want to trek in the high season between June and August..
Its an Endangered Inca Site
On the World Monuments Fund 2008 list of the 100 Most Endangered Sites, Machu Picchu showed up. With the number of annual visitors in the order of hundreds of thousands, the site is degrading under the physical effects of so many tourists. Regulation and restriction on certain routes mean that damage is mitigated somewhat but the site is still considered at risk.
Geological surveys on the site have revealed that certain areas are in danger of collapsing – if you want to visit one of the most iconic sites on the planet, do it while you can.
Get that Classic Photo at Machu Picchu
Almost everyone has seen the famous photo of Machu Picchu – the Inca ruins perched on top of a mountain ridge with the impressive steep slopes of Huayna Picchu mountain in the background.
However, no photo can give you the full impression of the site. The only way you’ll ever appreciate the majesty of Machu Picchu is to visit it for yourself on a Peru tour package. Give yourself the chance to see the site twice, once on the day you arrive from Cusco on the train, or walking in from the Inca Trail, and then again on the second day where you can explore a bit more before traveling back to the old Inca capital in the evening.
