Everyone has seen the amazing photos of Machu Picchu taken from the famous Sun Gate or from the mountain of Huayna Picchu but where is the site?
Located south of the Equator at 13º 09’47’’S and 72 º 32’ 44’’W is the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. In Quechua, the language of the Inca’s and widely spoken in highland Peru today, the name “Machu Picchu” means “Old Mountain”. The site is situated on a high mountain saddle in the Peruvian Andes, approximately 2,450 meters above sea level at the extreme end of the Sacred Valley.
The city of Cusco, which was the old Inca capital and “navel” of the empire, is 80 kilometers southeast of Machu Picchu and has an altitude of around 3,300 meters. The site was accessed by the Incas by means of what is now known as the classic Inca trail which they would have traversed much quicker than tourists do today!
Having a lower elevation than Cusco, Machu Picchu has a much milder climate and is surrounded by dense forests. It is the main tourist attraction in Peru, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most significant archeological sites in South America.
Like most tropical locations, the seasons at Machu Picchu include a rainy season than runs from November to March or April of the following year, and a dry season that lasts from May until October. This is not to say that it does not rain during the dry season as rain can occur any time during the year. By the same token there can be quite long dry periods in the wet season.
About 450 meters below the site of Machu Picchu is the Urubamba River which goes around the site on three sides and has created vertical cliffs throughout the centuries. The river helps to create mists rising from it in the morning. The intimidating cliffs and extreme elevation served to keep its location secret, providing excellent natural defenses, unable to be found by the Spanish conquistadors in search of gold. An Inca bridge made of rope which crosses the Urubamba River at the Pongo de Mainique afforded an entrance to Machu Picchu that was a secret and became the exclusive use of the Inca army. Another bridge controlling access west of Machu Picchu was formed by a fallen tree trunk and was located in a six meter gap in the cliffs. This old Inca drawbridge has been removed as it was very dangerous for tourists. The bridge was 570 meters above the river, flanked by the steep cliffs.
Climbing Huayna Picchu
Two mountains, Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, flank the site on each side with a mountain pass that was nearly impassable at the rear of the site. These served to protect the site and make it a self-contained city with a commanding view down between the two valleys. The climbing of Huayna Picchu is now strictly controlled with two lotes of 200 people allowed to climb at 7am and 11am. Special tickets are required for this hike and you should make sure these are purchased well in advance.
The water supply is reliable at the site, coming from springs that cannot be easily blocked and ice fed rivers from nearby glaciers. There is enough arable land to grow food for about four times as many people as ever lived there, with terraced hillsides that provided even more land on which to grow crops and also prevented invaders entering due to the steep slopes. Reducing the erosion of the soil and protecting against landslides were another two other reasons for creating the terraces that the Incas are famous for.
Geographically speaking, Machu Picchu was a veritable fortress with entrances that could be easily defended. One entrance that went back to Cusco was through the Sun Gate which crosses the mountains and the other was the Inca bridge. If invaders were to come across these entrances, they could be easily blocked.
Visitors today have a much easier time getting to Machu Picchu and the views and experience are amazing!
