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Another one of my favourite travel experiences so far has to be visiting one of the ancient wonders of the world- Machu Picchu in Peru.
I actually visited Peru a few years ago but I really wanted to share some pictures of Machu Picchu on my blog as I think it’s such an amazing place. This post isn’t going to be too wordy as I hope the pictures alone are enough to inspire you to go! (Also bare in mind these pictures are from my old camera which isn’t as good). I don’t have any photos of the Inca Trail that leads to the site because sadly I was really unwell on the day my group set off on the trek. It was definitely for the best as I ended up being the most unwell I have ever been in my life (bronchitis, stomach bug, altitude sickness- all at once!!) and there was no way I would’ve survived it! But I was happy to get a bit better in time for Machu Picchu and I took the train there instead of trekking ( a good option if you don’t think you can manage the trek).
A little about Machu Picchu:
-Machu Picchu is 2430m above sea level in the Andes Mountains
-American archaeologist Hiram Bingham stumbled upon it in 1911
-Historians believe Machu Picchu was built at the height of the Inca Empire (the Incas were a civilisation in western South America in the 15th and 16th centuries)
-It was abandoned an estimated 100 years after its construction possibly because the Spanish began to invade South America
– There is still a lot of mystery surrounding why Machu Picchu was built- some archaeologists believe it was a royal estate for Inca emperors and nobles. Others have theorized that it was a religious site
-The most popular way to get to the site is the Inca Trail trek. This 3 trek reaches a height of 4,214 metres at its highest. Due to fears of erosion the government limits the number of people embarking on the trek to 500 per day, which includes the compulsory, locally-hired porters
-Alternatively, the train journey takes 4 hours from Cusco (Poroy station) or 2 hours from the Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo station)
-Machu Picchu has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World since 2007
