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ARCHAEOLOGY
Three thousand feet above Urubamba Valley, Peru,
stretch two mountains, Machu Picchu (Old Mountain)
and Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain). On a cloud-draped
ridge between the two peaks lies the site of Machu
Picchu, part of the estate of the Inca king
Pachacuti [AD 1438-1471]. The site is made up of
single buildings arranged in groups, along streets,
adjacent to plazas and terraces. Most of the
buildings are residences, some of white granite
masonry such as that seen in the city of Cuzco. Some
of the buildings, which must have been for special
purposes, are partly carved into the bedrock and
partly built from finely cut white granite.
Due to its impressive buildings and gorgeous natural
surroundings, Machu Picchu is among the seven "wonders
of the world".
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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.
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THE INCA TRAIL
Following Bingham's footsteps, the Inca Trail to
Machu Picchu is rated among the ten best trekking
trails in the world because of its striking beauty,
ancient Inca ruins and diverse ecological zones.
This route traverses very diverse terrains, from
high desert plateau to tropical Andean rainforest.
Following an ancient Inca trail, we will be walking
past mysterious archaeological sites half-cloaked in
jungle overgrowth that makes it look like you are
discovering them for the first time.
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THE MOON TEMPLE
The Temple covers the entire landscape of the slopes
of Huayna Picchu and consists of a set of
architecturally enhanced caves, most likely used to
hold mummies of important Inca ancestors and provide
places for their worship. More fine stonework
embellishes the walls of these caves, some of which
are decorated with niches and altars carved into the
native rock.
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HOW TO GET THERE
Traveling to Machu Picchu is one of most gratifying
and sought after trips. There is a certain sense of
serenity and enlightenment one feels when walking
through the once inhabited stonewalls of the 500-year-old
Incan city. It is awe inspiring to think of the
effort put forth to build such an expansive city in
such a harsh, unforgiving environment The best way
to get there is to fly to Lima and take the earliest
available departure to Cusco. Stay the first night
in Cusco city, then taking the train from Cusco is
an easy trip, but more adventurous souls may want to
sign up for the 4day trek up the Inca trail and
discover Machu Picchu revealing itselft at sunrise.
Whichever way you decide to take, give yourself a
day or two to get used to the altitude.
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ONCE IN MACHUPICCHU:
You have to take a 25 minutes bus from the Aguas
Calientes Town to the Archaeological site the bus
comes and goes with no schedule, the fee is US$12
per person round trip
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ENTRANCE TO THE ARCHEAOLOGICAL SITE:
The entrance is US$36 per person and is open from
6:30 am to 5:00pm
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HOW TO VISIT
The sanctuary of Machu Picchu is divided into two
large sectors - one the agricultural sector and the
other the urban or the citadel - of which the first
surrounds the second. We could consider the peak
Wayna Picchu as a third sector.
The principal road to approach Machu Picchu, which
comes from Cuzco through the south (Qosqoñan),
crosses the crest of the mountain and goes to the
entrance to the sanctuary after passing through
areas with isolated constructions - such as what is
now called the watchtower - posts for lookouts or
guards, qolqa or granaries and abundant agricultural
terraces. There were also other roads, such as that
which made the river accessible from the sanctuary
on the northeast. At present a road has been
constructed for tourist visits, a road which did not
exist before and now runs parallel to the Qosqoñan.
The sanctuary properly speaking is a citadel made up
of palaces and temples, dwellings and storehouses,
but above all for buildings which clearly fulfill
ceremonial religious functions, the more luxurious
and spectacular components of which are the
mausoleums carved in the rock.
The buildings as well as the plazas and the
platforms that constitute the urban sector are
connected among themselves by a system of narrow
lanes or paths, mostly in the form of flights of
steps, which cross the terraces which follow a flat
longitudinal axis. The main platform of the urban
sector is an extensive plaza - the main plaza -
which in turn divides the buildings into hanan ("above"
or "upper") and urin ("below" or "lower"). The urban
sector was surrounded by impediments to gaining
access to the sanctuary such as a defense wall and
the deep and wide ditch, or dry moat, which
surrounded the whole complex, not as part of a
military fortification rather as a form of
restricted ceremonial isolation.
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GENERAL SERVICES
The Aguas Calientes offers standard services for
making your stay confortable, is a small town where
you can easily walk from one place to another, there
are not even taxis, the only transportation you will
see are the trains that arrives from Cusco and the
buses that comes and goes from there to the
Archeaological site. There are facilities such as
running water, electric power, fixed and mobile
phones, radio and TV, internet and exchange offices.
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PUBLIC SERVICES
Health
There are two drugstores and two medical centers,
both for emergencies only,
.
National Police in Peru There is only one police
station in town with personnel trained in rescue,
civil safety, and emergency matters.
Tourist Protection Bureau in Machu Picchu There are
special services to strengthen civil safety and
protect tourists offered by the town councils,
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AGUAS CALIENTES TOWN
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.
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RAIL TRANSPORT
Tourist Train, It only operates in the high season,
leaving Cusco in the morning, stopping at the most
important stations (Ollantaytambo, Km.88 or
Ooriwayrachina) until it arrives at the station of
Puente Ruinas. The trip takes four hours and returns
in the evening. Autovagon, This tourist service
leaves Cusco in the morning and takes three hours.
The trip from The Sacred Valley of the Incas
(Urubamba to Ollantaytambo) takes 1,1/2 hours. It
returns in the evening. It is recommended to check
all timetables in train stations and travel
agencies, as they are modified according to the
season.
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HANDICRAFT MARKET
Peru all handmade all designes are about the incas
culture items such as Rugs, tapestries, blankets,
alpaca bedspreads, blankets, gourds all of these
with the traditional process of making our items,
The Peruvian Handicrafts are well known around the
world and are really appreciated.
The production areas are located here in Machu
Picchu or in its agricultural communities There are
also craftsmen from Cusco, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo,
Chinchero and other areas displaying their wares,
the best appreciated in the following :
· Antiques
· Carvings and cuttings
· Inca pottery
· Textile and carpets
· Silverware and jewelry
· Plaster casts
· Repoussé leather items
· Paintings and canvases from the Cusco school
· Straw basketwork
· Woolen vicuña and alpaca fabrics
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VISITING RULES FOR THE HISTORICAL SANCTUARY OF
MACHU PICCHU
Park authorities may occasionally designate
different campsites than those indicate The Inca
Trail is part of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a
protected area of 32,592 hectares, managed by the
National Institute of Natural Resources, INRENA.
Every visitor must obey park regulations prohibiting
littering, cutting or damaging trees, removing or
damaging stones of ruins and the Trail, removing
plants, killing animals, lighting open fires or
camping in the archeological sites (Only authorized
campsites can be used).
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