Living in Culture

In Peru, about 50 miles outside of Cusco, there is an ancient city high up in the mountains, over 7,000 feet above sea level. This Wonder of the World was an old Incan city that remained untouched because it was undiscovered by the Spanish. Machu Picchu is a main tourist attraction in Peru, causing many tourists to visit the city in the sky.

When my family visited Peru last summer, one of the main reasons for our trip was to visit this unique site. To reach Machu Picchu, many stay in the city below, Aguas Calientes, and take the bus up the mountain in the morning. Driving up the mountain, there are many switchbacks on the bumpy drive, so beware of altitude sickness. When you reach the archeological site, you can walk around different pathways to see the city.

Some take the Incan Trail to reach Machu Picchu. The Incan Trail was one of the original pathways to Machu Picchu, but now is an exciting adventure for hikers willing to walk up to 16 kilometers each day. The trail takes four days and three nights, but there are simpler hikes that take two days. Before hiking, you have to obtain a permit and find a porter who will help to carry your belongings along the way. I am not sure if I will ever hike the Incan Trail, but it sounds like a great experience for more advanced hikers.

This official UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 has a unique history. The Incan city was built sometime in the 15th century and was abandoned because of disease and epidemics, and possibly for the lack of water in the town. Machu Picchu has four temples, including a Temple of the Sun, terraces for farming and agriculture, houses, and a guardhouse above the city. Without mortar, the stones fit perfectly together, showing the Incan’s impressive building abilities. Additionally, it is a great feat that they were able to transport the building materials up the steep mountain.

In 1911, American explorer Hiram Bingham “rediscovered” Machu Picchu. However, in the city, Bingham found an inscription on a temple window reading “A. Lizárraga 1902,” indicating that Lizárraga had visited the sight before him. Lizárraga was a Peruvian farmer who was searching for new areas to grow crops. He never alerted the authorities but continued to return to the city in 1903, but he is rarely credited with the rediscovery of Machu Picchu. Instead, Bingham receives most of the credit for his adventure in 1911.
Bingham was in the Urubamba Valley and asked locals if there were any ruins.

He found the site with the help of a young eleven-year-old boy. On the expedition, they had to trek through the jungle as there was no path to follow. Once they reached the city, they took four months to clear the vegetation before beginning excavation in 1912. Bingham was not the first to discover Machu Picchu but was the first to bring the city in the sky to the attention of the world.

I loved visiting this site. It was incredible to see a city that has been preserved so well. I am so lucky that I was able to see this Wonder of the World, and I would love to go back and visit Peru again. It is a country filled with unique cultures and traditions, one of my favorite places I have visited.