23-Day South America and Antarctica Trip (Day 5)

Day 5: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco We had breakfast at the hotel at 5:20 am. At 5:50 am, our tour leader took us to queue for the bus to the scenic area. The bus ride took about 25 minutes, and the whole journey was on a mountain road. The round-trip bus ticket cost USD 24. Fortunately, we went early and were at the front of the line. The later you go, the longer the line. At about 6:30 am, we finally got on the official shuttle bus. We bought tickets for 7:00 am and entered Machu Picchu on time. The Machu Picchu route was revised in June this year. Before the revision, there were 5 routes. After the revision, there are 10 routes. The ticket price is the same, USD 78. If you can't buy a ticket for Route 2 and don't want to climb the mountain, you can consider Route 1's Ruta terraza superior, which will take you to the upper terrace to take panoramic photos, but you can't get close to the ruins. Our tour leader was super helpful. Although we bought tickets for Route 1, he found us a local guide. After paying the guide some fees, the guide took us to Route 2. So, we not only went to the upper terrace of Route 1 to take panoramic photos, but also entered Route 2 and visited the ruins. We were really happy. Machu Picchu means "old mountain" in Inca. This town built on the mountain was once the "Rehe Palace" of the Inca emperor of Cusco. Its layout is clever and reasonable, divided into three parts: the agricultural area, the residential area for ordinary people, and the top of the mountain, which is the temple and the residence of the royal family. The most amazing thing is that all the buildings in Machu Picchu are made of stone, and no mortar is used. The foundation of the wall is directly embedded in the rock layer, which is stable and solid. These huge granite blocks were transported over long distances and cleverly spliced together to form this magnificent ancient city. Machu Picchu is the most important symbol of Inca civilization and the most famous historical site in South America. Although the journey was extremely difficult, it was all worth it when we saw it. Lunch: Ponchos Peruvian Kitchen near the hotel. We came here for dinner last night. The food was good, so we came again today. We took the train back to Cusco at 3:00 pm.