MACHU PICCHU REMAINS

ARCHAEOLOGICAL CLUSTER
8 km away from "Aguas Calientes."
Altitude: 2,450 meters above sea level

Machu Picchu's location, at the heart of the Urubamba Canyon, was ideally chosen. Its construction was obviously well planned and carefully designed to be part of the environment. It is the result of different unique experiences, where nature and human work meet and successfully merge. Its uneven topography was transformed into terraces with agricultural and urban aims in mind, blending with their surroundings. However, some two dozen rocks were placed to represent the surrounding topography.

For its urban development, Machu Picchu was divided into two sectors: the agricultural sector, with security posts, the upper cemetery and a ritual rock, and the urban sector, including the Intiwatana and the Sacred Monolith group, the Three-Windowed Temple, the access gates, liturgical pools, the Royal Mausoleum and plazas. Due to its impressive buildings and gorgeous natural surroundings, Machu Picchu is among the seven "wonders of the world".

Archaeological Cluster

HISTORICAL SANCTUARY
The sanctuary, surrounded by majestic snow-capped mountains, it is easy to appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna, it is an attraction for local people and for tourists.
The Inca architecture was among the finest prehistoric architecture in the world. Examples can be seen in Cuzco and Ollantaytambo, and of course here at Machu Picchu. The building style is characterized by exquisitely cut masonry, placed together completely without mortar. The raw material was granite, worked by stone and sand into irregular shapes that fit together like a gigantic puzzle. Some stones have as many as thirty facets worked into the surface, and as a result, the faces of the stone fit together so tightly that a needle won't fit between them. Those are only few reasons for visiting Machu Picchu in a unique experience: a wonderful combination of creativity art and the wildness of nature.

Historical Sanctuary

WAYNA PICCHU
The "Young mountain" in the Quechua language. Machu Picchu represents the face of the Inca looking upward towards the sky, with the largest peak, Huayna Picchu (meaning Young Peak), representing his pierced nose and also the duality templance and balance withing Machupicchu (Machupicchu = Old Mountain and Huaynapicchu =Joung mountain)

 

Wayna Picchu

Inca Trail

in the astounding scenery from ground level. From town we’ll walk out of town along the road, and then pick up the railroad tracks which follow the river when the road ends. From here we view the steep mountain cliffs all around, jutting straight into the sky far above. After about an hour along the river we’ll turn away from the river and head up a side stream toward the Mandor Waterfall. Although we are hiking in the Machu Picchu sanctuary, there are some homesteads scattered throughout, and as we get away from the river we pass through an orchard with fruit trees before transitioning into cloud forest. About 20 minutes later we reach the waterfall, with a small pool nearby that allows a quick swim before or after our picnic lunch. We’ll then retrace our steps back to town, with a total hiking time of about five hours.

Mandor Waterfalls

HOT SPRINGS
At a distance of 800m East of the town of Aguas Calientes, there are underground hot sulfur springs which bubble up from the rocky ground at varying temperatures. The especially-built pools at this resort are the basis of its use as hot mineral baths. The average temperature of the water runs from 38ºc to 46ºc. There are also changing rooms, bathrooms and a small snack bar.

Hot Springs