Machu Picchu : Why a hike to this wonder of the world is worth all the muscle aches

Another view of Machu Picchu, with Huayna Picchu in the background. (Photo credit: Nithya Rajan)

Machu Picchu is the highlight of a trip to Peru for most people. We were no different. But my excitement to visit this wonder of the world was tinged with anxiety as I didn’t know one could visit Machu Picchu without undertaking the multi-day, strenuous Inca Trail hike. I like hiking – but not that much. Luckily for me and others like me who do not want to (or cannot) hike for two, three, or four days (there are various versions of the Inca trail hike), you can take a train to the town of Agua Caliente at the base of Machu Picchu. The train journey along the Urubamba River which weaves through the Andes is an experience in itself. Inca archeological sites, some still under excavation, are dotted along the way. Like a good movie plot, the journey builds you up for Machu Picchu. From Agua Caliente, a small town full of hotels and cafes catering to tourists, you can take a bus shuttle to Machu Picchu. Alternatively, you can hike up the picchu (mountain). It will get you to the entrance in a couple of hours. The hike to Machu Picchu was ultimately not as scary as I had feared. Despite the early start and the strenuousness of the hike, the lush trail with birds, mountain views and fresh morning air is a fitting prelude to the magnificence that lay ahead. The first glimpse of Machu Picchu nestled among the Andean peaks is something that I will not forget for a long time.

Machu Picchu is only one of many surviving Inca sites in Peru. The area called Sacred Valley (around two hours from Cusco) is full of Inca settlements, royal estates, and agricultural labs. What makes Machu Picchu unique is its location. The gold idols and wall coverings that used to adorn the granite walls and niches of the many temples within the complex are long gone. Ceramics and other artifacts that survived the end of the Inca empire due to Spanish conquest were “taken” by the self-proclaimed discoverer of Machu Picchu — Hiram Bingham. (In the 1920s Bingham carried away thousands of objects from the site. The ownership of these items was a matter of dispute between Peru and Yale University for many decades.) However, the majesty of Machu Picchu lies in the Andes that will forever be its breathtaking backdrop. That no conquistador or explorer can take away.

That archeologists and historians are still debating what Machu Picchu was, also adds to its intrigue. Cusco was the capital of the Incas whose empire at its peak included not just present-day Peru but parts of Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and Columbia. So if Cusco was the capital where the emperor — The Inca — ruled from, what was this citadel in the clouds? Why would the Inca royalty build this elaborate complex in Machu Picchu, which even today on foot is a multi-day journey? (The Incas apparently did not have wheels or horses). According to our guide Javier, Machu Picchu was a sacred site rather than an administrative capital. The heads of kingdoms conquered by the Incas would come to Machu Picchu to bend their knees before The Inca. They would participate in sacred rituals that would make them part of the Inca empire. Standing within the vast complex of Machu Picchu with its agricultural terraces, and remnants of temples that bear testament to the finesse of Inca masonry and engineering, Javier’s explanation made sense. If there was a place to exhibit your might and astound people into submission, this was it. The other theory is that it was a royal estate, a summer refuge of sorts for the Inca aristocracy. UNESCO, which designated Machu Picchu as a world heritage site in 1983, refers to it as a historic sanctuary. Well, if you were a person of immense power and wealth, the head of a vast empire, I cannot think of a better place to go off the grid and take a break.

These Alpacas are the resident lawn mowers of Machu Picchu complex. (Photo credit: Nithya Rajan)

Machu Picchu is believed to have been in use for almost a century (1420s to 1530s). Then it was abandoned. The Spanish, although they decimated the Inca empire through war, treachery, and genocide, never got to Machu Picchu. Most likely it was just forgotten as the empire declined. It is hard to believe that a place like Machu Picchu was completely lost from living memory for a few centuries. I made the mistake of bringing up Bingham in my conversation with Javier. I asked him about something I had read — that all of Machu Picchu was completely covered in foliage when Bingham arrived. My question was not by any means — did Bingham “discover” Machu Picchu. Rather, it was about the state of the site after it was abandoned by the Incas. Turn right at Machu Picchu, is a travelogue by Mark Adams where he retraces Bingham’s route and evaluates his claim that it was the “lost city of the Incas”. In the book, Adams points to sources that say that locals had shown Bingham exactly where the site was and that there were people living within the complex at the time. Javier dismissed Bingham’s tale about having found the site taken over by the lush jungle that surrounds it. His story was that after many years of being hidden under trees and shrubs, Machu Picchu was revealed when locals accidentally started a fire to clear land for planting, much before Bingham landed up in Peru.

Going back to the hike up to Machu Picchu that had kept me awake for a while; it even motivated me to go on uphill hikes in the weekends leading up to our trip. After all this, I hiked up to Machu Picchu without too much trouble. Not to brag, but we also hiked Huayna Picchu — that peak you see sticking up behind Machu Picchu in my photos. The Huayna Picchu hike (for which you have to reserve a separate ticket) is an endless set of narrow vertical steps. Toward the end, when the summit is in front of you like a wall, you have to use all your limbs to climb. This additional hike might seem like an exercise in masochism. As someone who doesn’t like exercise for the sake of it, I can assure you that it is not. The bird’s eye view of Machu Picchu from the summit of Huayna Picchu (which was used as a watchtower by the Incas) is really something else. Whether it is worth it or not, is for one to decide for themselves. But to behold a place with so much historical and spiritual significance, in its entirety, far from the throngs of tourists is a special experience. But your toes, thighs, calves, and other previously unknown muscles and joints will hate you for a few days at least.

When a place is pronounced a Wonder of the World, there is a fear that it might not live up to the hype. But Machu Picchu lives up to the hype and exceeds every photograph I have seen. This citadel nestled among magnificent peaks evokes both wonder and a deep sense of humility; it fills you with a sense of being both physically small and a fleeting footnote in history. If Javier’s theory about Machu Picchu’s purpose is to be believed, then it is still serving that purpose of astounding people who arrive at its lofty gates. So if Machu Picchu has been on your list, I highly recommend it, aching toes, thighs, and calves notwithstanding.

View of Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu. (Photo credit: Nithya Rajan)

A parting note of appreciation to Peru’s tourist department or whoever manages Machu Picchu and the tens of thousands of visitors. They have streamlined the process of getting to Machu Picchu as much as possible. You have to pre-book your timed entry tickets to Machu Picchu, which allows you to stay in the complex for four hours. So, the number of visitors is distributed throughout the day, minimising the impact on the site and giving each visitor the opportunity to experience Machu Picchu without jostling with others. The only practical way to get to Agua Caliente is by train, which democratizes the process to some extent. (The Internet tells me there is a helicopter service, but it is prohibitively expensive). You are only allowed to bring a small bag on the train which is well-maintained and is designed to give you great views of the mountains. So jostling for luggage space is also eliminated. The Inca Trail is also highly regulated. You can only hike as part of a group with an experienced guide. If you are not hiking to Machu Picchu, you have to get there by shuttle buses that run on a schedule from Agua Caliente. So no traffic jams and honking. You are not allowed to eat inside the Machu Picchu complex, however tempting it might be to picnic with that view. No trash. Even the trail from Agua Caliente to Machu Picchu was pristine. All of these little things add to the experience of being in Machu Picchu. All these annoyances out of the equation, you can revel in Machu Picchu— its history, beauty, and mystery.

Nithya is a Gender Studies research scholar and writer based in the US. Travel, history and food (and the connections between them) are her passion.

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