The time had come for the "big event" - Machu Picchu! Definitely the site we had heard the most about before starting our travels, the experience did not disappoint. A word to the wise - if you are looking to hike the "famous" Inca trail but don't have a year of lead time to make your booking (which is required these days), there are several "alternate" options that are still supposed to be amazing. We took the more traditional train route, which boasted its own incredible views (and snacks!).
Sacred Valley Train Ride
Aguas Calientes and Putucusi
A touristic town nestled in the valley of Machu Picchu and surrounding mountains, Aguas Calientes also has nearby hikes which provide stunning views. We chose to climb Putucusi for a promised stunning view of the monument, and were given a mild warning that there were some ladders en route. Well folks, these ladders rank very high on the "dumb things Andrew and Pratima did on their trip" list! They were all completely vertical and barely bolted to the cliff side. The highest was 100 rungs at about a foot and a half apart, and slick with rain water and mud. Did I mention that we started the hike a bit late, and had to come back down these scary ladders as the sun went down?? But we made it, and the views truly were inspiring. And we survived without incident, so totally worth it!
And to bless our partially insane decision to climb slippery vertical ladders, we were greeted by a sideways rainbow on the way down. See? We were meant to go on this hike!
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