This past weekend, I experienced the highlight of my time in Peru thus far–a trip to Machu Picchu. This wonder of the world was built in the 15th century to house the ruler of the Incan empire. Nestled above the Sacred Valley of Peru, Machu Picchu is 50 miles from Cusco and wasn’t discovered by the Spanish when they invaded, which allowed the structures to be preserved. Only locals were aware of the ruins until 1911, when a Yale historian discovered the site through the guidance of a young boy from the region.
My friend David, also a ND student studying Spanish in Cusco, and I traveled by bus and then train to the small town of Aguas Calientes. While more touristy than Cusco, we both agreed that the community was beautiful and a great place to stay for the night. We ate at one of the many restaurants attempting to lure us in, tempted by the offer of free drinks and guacamole. We also visited the hot springs in Aguas Calientes before turning into our hostel in preparation for an early-morning bus ride up to Machu Picchu.
The train ride to Aguas Calientes was beautiful!
A river runs through the center of the town, with many restaurants and hostels on either side.
On Sunday, our group departed for the site at 5:30am, and we made it up the mountain and to a viewpoint of Machu Picchu as the sun was appearing. I had seen dozens of photos previously, but nothing could compare to actually experiencing Machu Picchu in person. The abandoned city was much larger than I expected, and it was incredible to walk through the ruins with our guide and learn about the significance of specific structures.
After countless pictures and walking through the site, my group bid farewell to Machu Picchu and hiked for about an hour back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and to catch our train back to Cusco. This is definitely a trip I will never forget, and I have dreams of returning in the future and sharing the experience with others.