Machu Picchu

candid Peru tips

 

Why
Machu Picchu
is special

Most seasoned travelers agree that Machu Picchu in Peru is the world's most dramatic ruins. It sits boldly perched on a steep sided mountain saddle far above the partially encircling Urubamba River gorge.

What remains of the precision stonework of the pre-Colombian Inca temples and palaces clearly reveals how exalted Machu Picchu was in its glory days.

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Birthplace of
Hillman Wonders

My Wonders of the World list officially began in earnest during my 1968 trip to Machu Picchu. Click the button below for details:

How Hillman Wonders began in 1968

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Best and worst times
to visit Machu Picchu

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The two tourism seasons

May to September
This is the best period. May is the prettiest month (the dense, subtropical mountain forests are exceptionally green) while August is the best all around month.

October to April
The is the rainy season and therefore the least desirable period.

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The Lost City
of the Incas

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Mysteriously
abandoned

Just before the Spanish conquest, Machu Picchu was mysteriously abandoned - and this was when it was still in its golden age.

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Unknown to
the Spaniards

The conquering Spanish were unaware of Machu Picchu because its existence was known only by local insiders.

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Discovery

Machu Picchu lay buried under dense mountainous vegetation until 1911 when Yale University explorer Hiram Bingham discovered it and began the reclamation process.

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Page two

What was its purpose?

Page three

Getting there

Page four

Daytrip vs overnight

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Peru

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