"A childhood dream turned true" Machu Picchu by utttz

Machu Picchu Travel Guide: 647 reviews and 1,783 photos

nothing more than a bunch of stones... :-)

since I was young... since I was a child actualy, as soon as I was able to read I began to read jacque custeau and thor heyerdall's books... what does cousteau's books have to share with machu picchu? nothing, but what was not about sea was about peru, incas, chan chan ( and some maya too as I was not that good in geography and was not able to tell who was from yucatan and who from the "real" peru) and, of course, machu picchu... I still remember the cover of a huge book by von hagen.... a print I finally saw for real!
strangely enough of all the places I read about only a few always stayed in my "I NEED to go there" checklist... this bounch of stones was the first !!!

how to go there

late in the day

well, walking to MP is definitely a good idea, if you do not want to walk all the way from Km 88 to puerta del sol there's a shorter way, an half a way walk that spare you the joy to enter macchupicchu from the original gateway

Pros and Cons

Pros:lot of sweat to go there
Cons:as above
In a nutshell:worth seeing at unusual hours....

Last visit to Machu Picchu: Aug 1998
Intro Updated Feb 28, 2003
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Reviews (6)

lot of little stones Things to Do (1)

hmmm machupicchu is said to have been discovered in 1913 or something like that.... but some local was living here when... more travel advice

not far from the sunset Favorites (1)

puerta del sol.... near the sunset.... incredible view.... incredible light.... breathtaking.... and.... after all... more travel advice

no roofs!!!!! just walls Local Customs (1)

strangely enough there are no roofs in the area... just wall ! I wonder why no one invented the roof here.... looking at... more travel advice

you can jump directely to urubamba - Machu Picchu

steep steps to the urubamba Off The Beaten Path (1)

back to puerta del sol, after the "church" on the left.... go and have a look on where they were growing vegetables.... more travel advice

Transportation (2)
See All train back to cuzco

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Comments (25)

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deecat May 9, 2005 at 12:15 PM

Paolo, I really enjoyed reading your reactions about Machu Picchu. You have a engaging introduction. Your insights are wonderful, & I love the part where you write in "out of breath" fashion after reaching the top. Observant, incisive, clever.
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titti Jul 15, 2004 at 1:56 PM

trovato! :-)
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o00o Jul 9, 2004 at 9:27 AM

Seems like you miss the highest point...
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tini58de Feb 28, 2004 at 3:58 AM

What a beautiful way to have a childhood dream come true!!!
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MalenaN Oct 30, 2003 at 10:10 AM

Nice tips! For me it is still a dream but one day I will go there. I would absolutly chose the local train leaving Machu Picchu.
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Alain_Smeets Sep 25, 2003 at 3:03 AM

Indeed seeing Machu Picchu for the first time is an amazing view, great photos and good tips. This page brings back great memories.
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pepples46 Aug 25, 2003 at 5:17 PM

definitly a great expirience and even better at unusual hours :-) fantastic page Paolo..thanx for sharing
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IrishFem Jul 29, 2003 at 6:57 AM

South America is such a beautiful place and you have captured it so well with your photographs. :-)
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Bonobo2005 Jun 24, 2003 at 3:38 PM

Great that you made your dream come true! I (think I) can image what happened to you on that last step. That 10th class train ride sounds like good fun as well!
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jide08 May 7, 2003 at 3:25 AM

Going there is a dream. But you only stop being a child once you give up those dreams. I love your description of the local train.