Known as the most top tourist destination in Peru, Machu
Picchu is considered as the “Lost City of Incas”. If you are planning to pack
your bag and book a flight to go to this bewildering place, here are some tips
that you need to take note:
Be careful with your pronunciation! If pronounced correctly, Machu Picchu means
‘old mountain’; if not, you might inadvertently provide the locals with much
entertainment... The correct pronunciation is ‘mah-choo peeK-choo’. However, if
you say ‘mah-choo pee-choo’, you’re calling it ‘old genital of a man’!
Catch the best bus
for the first view. The easiest way to get from Aguas Calientes (or Machu
Picchu Pueblo) to the site of Machu
Picchu is by bus. Some people get up at 3am to join the queue for the first bus
in the morning. However, 99% of the time the site is covered in cloud; it’s not
until about 9am that the sun burns through the mists. This changes throughout
the year but as a rule, a 7.30am bus will get you there in plenty of time. The
bus from Aguas Calientes costs US$10 each way; entrance to Machu Picchu costs
US$45.
Find a good guide.
Yes, you can visit Machu Picchu independently. However, there are no
information boards to explain what you’re looking at so it’s worth investing in
a good guide. One disadvantage of a guided tour is that you’re required to
follow the one-way system through the site – enforced by polite and friendly
yet firm guardians. However, you can go round once with your guide and then
return a second time on your own, to explore at your own pace. New regulations being
drafted will make a guide compulsory anyway.
Watch what you wear.
Apparently, you are not allowed to visit Machu Picchu wearing the traditional dress
of another country, nor are you allowed to visit naked or to change your
clothes within the site. Walking poles are banned (unless you are disabled) so
are large backpacks. New rules will crack down on inappropriate footwear (to
stop damage to the paths) and large umbrellas.
Stay longer in Aguas
Calientes. Most visitors spend only one night at Aguas Calientes – but the town at the foot
of Machu Picchu has a few of its own attractions, including its titular hot
springs and nearby activities such as whitewater rafting and cloud forest
hikes. However, the main advantage to staying more than one night is that you
can visit Machu Picchu at different times of the day. Some people prefer to
explore the site in the afternoon when the larger morning crowds have gone and
you see the ruins bathed in golden afternoon sunlight. Alternatively, on day
one, visit the main site before climbing the very steep steps up Wayna Picchu
(additional ticket required); on day two, hike the longer but steadier climb to
Machu Picchu Mountain (additional ticket required) for views to Wayna Picchu.
Christian
Stewart is an adventurer, blogger and a contributor of vacation-now.com, a
website which offers vacation rentals and holiday homes from all across the
globe.
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