Machu Picchu Tours

Machu Picchu draws thousands of tourists today, after it was forgotten for centuries until Hiram Bingham brought it to the world’s attention in 1911. The Incas kept the secret of its existence closely guarded from the Spanish invaders and no written records exist. Theories abound; Machu Picchu is thought to have been constructed perhaps as a site of astronomical significance, an observatory, an important agricultural station, a military fortress, a place of learning, an important ceremonial centre, a royal Inca retreat or perhaps just to celebrate the unspeakable greatness of the natural beauty around it.

While it is possible to reach Machu Picchu by train, most adventure travellers strive to reach these dizzy heights by the power of their own two feet on the Inca Trail. Once you’ve scaled Dead Woman’s Pass, pushed yourself to your limits on the ancient Inca pathways, passed through the mystic cloud forest and countless Inca ruins en route, you’ll be rewarded at the Sun Gate – Intipunku – by the panorama of Machu Picchu laid out before you. Truly one of the world’s most thrilling viewpoints and the only way to see Machu Picchu in its full glory.

Those hiking to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail will get their first glimpse of the ruins at the Sun Gate however the ancient main entrance is closer to the citadel, where most of the buildings and other points of interest are located. It’s worth taking a closer look at the stones in order to appreciate the exquisite technique of Incan masonry. One of the best places where this can be seen is the Principal Temple, the largest building in the entire Machu Picchu citadel, facing the main plaza. Another is the torreon or Temple of the Sun, an elliptical-shaped tower once used for astronomical observations. It is believed to be a sacred place where only high priests and dignitaries were allowed to enter.

Can ancient monuments like Machu Picchu sustain the impact of 21st-century tourism? It’s a troubling question, especially as scientists have already discovered landslide threatening subsidence on its western side and UNESCO has called for restrictions on the number of visitors taking Machu Picchu tours in recent years. Currently, the international community is keeping a watchful eye on the situation and the Inca Trail already operates responsible tourism policies with restriction on numbers, licensed local guides, organised porter welfare and eco-camping regulations.