Andean Explorations – 21: Machu Picchu
Previous post: The road to Machu Picchu | Next post: Lima
The conqueror, looking at his conquest 
Machu Picchu as viewed from Huyana Picchu looks like the Andean Condor.
Q: Why did I go to Peru?
A: To see Machu Picchu.
History: Machu Picchu (माचू पीचू meaning “Old mountain”) was constructed around 1460 AD, at the height of the Inca Empire glory. It was abandoned less than 100 years later as the Inca empire fell to the Spanish. Although the site is only 80km from Cusco the Inca capital, it was hidden from the Spanish and the outside world until 1911. Consequently this site, unlike others, was not destroyed and plundered by the colonizers. It’s an entire self-sustaining city and how the Incas built such mammoth structures on top of an inaccessible mountain is a mystery.
Machu Picchu (Fog-u Picchu) very early in the morning.
I went on the very first bus (5:30 am) from the base town Aguas Calientes, and you need to jostle with hordes of other people who also want to get on that same bus – but no point doing it other than for symbolic reasons. Why? After racing there before sunrise we found that the whole place was covered by a thick fog that did not clear until 10 am or so, haha. But that’s okay, there is so much to see.
Actually I was overwhelmed. And confused – too many things to do – Charlie in the chocolate factory!
Apart from the main Machu Pichu site, there are several interesting things that an enthusiast can do. Walk to the Sun Gate far away on one side of the site, hike to the top of Mount Machu Picchu, hike to Huyana Picchu (which is the only thing I did from this list), explore Huyana Picchu mountain and the Moon temple. The main MP site itself is extremely extremely intriguing.
Fog starting to move away
Llamas graze on the mountains and keep the grass trimmed. Natural grass cutters I walked through the sacred temples and the priests’ quarters trying to imagine how the site would be at its prime glory. I circled around their astronomical clock and wandered on the paths in the city of commons. I think its essential to read as much as you can about the place so that when you go there, everything will start making sense. OR, hire a guide 
Something at this site is strikingly noticeable even at a cursory glance: eveything is well organized. The streets, housing districts for different classes of people, storage areas, water supply, drainage etc. Making such a planned city on the top of a mountain is indeed commendable. But then, the Incas were wise planners.
A walk in the clouds
Location: The location of the city was a military secret and its deep precipices and mountains provide excellent natural defenses. From atop the cliff of Machu Picchu, there is a vertical rock face of 600 meters rising from the Urubamba River at the foot of the cliff. The city sits in a saddle between two mountains, with a commanding view down two valleys and a nearly impassable mountain at its back. It has a water supply from springs that cannot be blocked easily, and enough land to grow food for about four times as many people as ever lived there. The hillsides leading to it have been terraced, not only to provide more farmland to grow crops, but to steepen the slopes which invaders would have to ascend. There are two high-altitude routes from Machu Picchu across the mountains back to Cuzco, one through the sun gate, and the other across the Inca bridge. Both easily could be blocked if invaders should approach along them. Regardless of its original purpose, it is strategically located and readily defended.
Machu Picchu, viewed from Huayna Picchu. It is supposed to look like a brid (the Condor)
Huayna Picchu or Wayna Picchu (वायना पीचू meaning “Young Peak” in Quechuan) rises over Machu Picchu (it is 360m higher, an hour long steep hike.) According to local guides, the top of the mountain was the residence for the high priest and the local virgins (?). Every morning before sunrise, the high priest with a small group would walk to Machu Picchu to signal the coming of the new day. The Temple of the Moon, one of the three major temples in the Machu Picchu area is located on this mountain – I didn’t go there because its too far away. Only 400 visitors are allowed to hike this mountain every day, so hurry, go there first. By the time you return, Machu Picchu will be free of fog and waiting for your exploration. However by that time the morning train arrives and with it loads and loads of tourist groups Huyana Picchu offers some breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Pondering over the ruins
Machu Picchu is not a huge site (one end to opposite is just a 30 minute walk) but honestly, for someone who likes to dive down to every detail, even 9 hours are grossly insufficient to explore that place. Every stone has a story, every room has a feel.
Architecture: I’m a fan of planning and architecture but I will try to make this sound less geeky. ^_^
Most of the construction in Machu Picchu uses the classical Inca architectural style of polished dry-stone walls of regular shape. The Incas were among the best stone masons the world has seen, and many junctions in the central city are so perfect that not even a knife blade fits between the stones. Peru is a highly seismic land, and mortar-free construction was more earthquake-resistant than using mortar. The stones of the dry-stone walls built by the Incas can move slightly and resettle without the walls collapsing. Inca walls show numerous subtle design details that also help protect them from collapsing in an earthquake. The lack of strong draft animals as well as terrain and dense vegetation issues may have rendered wheels impractical. How they moved and placed enormous blocks of stones remains a mystery, although the general belief is that they used hundreds of men to push the stones up inclined planes.
The space is composed of 140 structures or features including temples, sanctuaries, parks, and residences that include houses with thatched roofs. There are more than one hundred flights of stone steps–often completely carved from a single block of granite–and a great number of water fountains that are interconnected by channels and water-drains perforated in the rock that were designed for the original irrigation system. According to archaeologists, the urban sector of Machu Picchu was divided into three great districts: (1) the Sacred District, (2) the Popular District to the south, and (3) the District of the Priests and the Nobility.
Ok, I will stop here!
Picture perfect photograph of Machu Picchu. Huyana Picchu is the tall mountain right in the front.
I thought that my trip to Peru appropriately climaxed at this juncture and I liked my route – it built up the Inca and Peruvian story bit by bit. Had I landed in Machu Picchu first, it would have been confusing. Do let me know what you think about this post and there are many more pictures in the photo gallery
For the complete photo set, slideshow and comments, please see my Machu Picchu Photo Gallery
Previous post: The road to Machu Picchu | Next post: Lima
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Priyank,
Nice climax to a long series. MP seems to be the prima donna out there.
I remembered reading Erik von Danniken many years back and he rated the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs as a highly advanced race and the Spanish were clueless about what they were destroying.
A parallel in Indian history is the destruction of Nalanda University by the invading Moghul hordes.
If you had a chance to study Mohenjodaro, Harrapa, Lothal or even later day Hampi (in Karnataka), there is a sense of logic and order in building cities.
Our Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika has certainly lost this pristine knowledge.
Great post and better photographs…….
Cheers!!!
↵This reminded me of the glory of our Indus Valley Civilization but of course, its different in many ways, the main being the City of Incas was built on top of a mountain.
Priyank, this is indeed a fabulous climax to your Andean Exploration series. A wonderful set of posts, and thank you very much for taking us on this virtual tour.
Hope you get many more opportunities to travel.:)
↵machu pichu is one place i really wanna go!!!
↵really nice pics and info!!!
Lovely pictures. I need to amass some wealth quickly and get there before the historical structure is modified into a tourist colony!
↵Stunning images again, and very interesting, amazing what they could do back then, like your analogy of Charlie in the Chocolate Factory,lol
↵Amazing place.. No wonder why it was chosen to be among the seven wonders
Wondering how much you have saved to make all these trips
↵Hi Mavin:
Nice to see your comment. You are right, great civilizations were destroyed by the attackers, the latest in modern history being Tibet where the Chinese destroyed Tibetian (and lot of their own too) culture during their Cultural Renaissance.
I did read a lot but not enough about Mohenjo daro and even the erstwhile Vijaynagar empire
We had some finest architects and city planners, much needed in today’s urban sprawls.
Thanks and keep visiting
↵Celine:
↵Thanks for the comments Cellu. I will be posting 1 more post in this series before concluding it.
SS:
↵Thanks SS, yes you must grab the first opportunity to go!
Arun:
↵Hey, nice to see your comment! Your Laddakh trip must have been fabulous
Bob:
↵Yeah man, I was really overwhelmed at the sight of the site! And the greed to see everything wasn’t satisfied.. lol.
Manasa:
Yep, its one of the best man-made place I have seen!
Saved. Well. I worked my as* off for 8 months to save for this trip, but if you travel smartly, you can do it very cheap. haha!
↵This must have given you a sense of achievement..and what a place, I must get there before it becomes a cubbon park
↵Lakshmi:
↵It certainly did. They are going to restrict tourists to Machu Picchu in few years. So if you are going there, go soon
I’m sorry man, I didn’t read this…I was too mesmerized by those excellent pictures…wow…again I’m very jealous.
↵Matt:
You can find pictures of Machu Picchu anywhere, and mine aren’t the best ones!
↵haha, thanks. do come back and read when you get time
Amazing stuff! I guess a trip to Peru and Mexico are a must now, if only for the Inca and Mayan sites.
↵Shantanu:
↵Yep, it will definitely be worth!
Ever since I have seen a program on Discovery about this beautiful place, I have decided that I will go there once before dying. Your post just reconfirmed my resolution.
↵Thanks for the post and the breathtaking pics.
Hi Amit:
Thanks for the comment.
↵I have a similar story. In a short period of time, I was bombarded with Peru stories – Machu Picchu and then the discovery of an Inca Mummy. So I went as soon as I could
Priyank – I’m amazed ! It’s nearly 4am, and I just couldn’t stop reading your Peru blog all in one sitting. You have the gift, my friend, both your writing and your pictures excel.
↵Looking forward to whatever else you care to write about. In fact, I’ve just signed up to get your updates.
Debi:
Thanks a lot, I am happy to have provided you with stuff you like 
Nice to discover your blog too!
↵Thats so sweet of you and a huge compliment
Hi Priyank! Sorry for the delay in coming here, but these last weeks have been hectic; no, I’m not talking about the financial/economic crisis…
)
↵Tonight I’m going to see my s-i-l pics of Machu, a spot I’ve already planned thrice and never made it… I’m excited, after having seen your awesome photos!
Meanwhile Blogtrotter is now on its 200th post: «The Libyan Sea»! Hope you enjoy! Have a great weekend!
Gil
Trotter:
↵Thanks for your comments! Glad you enjoyed the pics too. If your s-i-l has a blog, show us more pics
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↵One of the great travel experiences of the world. Good photos.
↵Thanks Mark! It was certainly the best part of my Peru trip!
↵