"Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail " a Machu Picchu Travel Page by chris_i79

Machu Picchu is a magical place hidden deep within the Andes in Peru. This ancient wonder was only discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. The original name of this city is unknown. The modern name of Machu Picchu means "Old Peak" which is the name of the mountain range which it sits on. The mountain just behind is called "Huayna Picchu" or new peak. You can experience this ancient city in two ways. You can take the tourist train from Cusco and go directly to Machu Picchu by bus. Once there you can either spend the day there and return to Cusco or stay in nearby Aguas Calientes (or the expensive resort nearby) and spend more time in the area.....Thats the easy way. The alternative (and the better way) is to hike the Inca trail on either a 2 or 4 day hike.

To hike the Inca trail you now have to go with a licensed tour company. This rule came into place a couple years ago by the Peruvian government and is half a money grab and half a policy to ensure the trail stays in good condition, depends on how you wanna look at it. Package prices vary between $100 and $300 but generally you will get what you pay for.

I hiked the Inca trail at the end of May in 2003 with BigFoot tours and had an amazing time.

However you arive......by bus up the winding road to the ruins......or through the sungate at 530am after conquering 50km of the Inca trail. Witnessing Machu Picchu your own eyes and wandering the Inca site is an experience you will never forget.

Mountain scenery