To go from Cusco to Machu Picchu there are two main ways to get there. You can take a beautiful train trip to the town of Aguas Calientes or you can choose the well-known Inca Trail. Regularly, in all Machu Picchu tours, you can opt for the train option unless indicated otherwise. The train ride is a trip with panoramic views that lasts about 3 ½ hours approximately every way, it goes within the Urubamba River through the Sacred Valley and can have exclusive, luxurious, or classic options. Keep in mind that the train will leave you in Aguas Calientes, where you will have to take a bus or take a walk to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The other option is to take the classic Inca Trail, which is a hiking trek lasting 4 days and 3 nights. The Inca Trail is one of the most incredible and famous hiking routes in the world. Those who choose to visit Machu Picchu with the Inca Trail, are usually rewarded with wonderful views. The Inca Trail generally ends at Inti Punku, the original gateway to the Machu Picchu.
The Imperial City is the starting place for different Machu Picchu vacations. Whether you travel by plane or bus, Cusco will be a mandatory stop for those adventurers looking to tour the well-known Inca citadel. One of the best options is to choose to stay a few days while touring the city and its different attractions. You will also have the opportunity to acclimatize to the height of the city. In this way, when you go up to Machu Picchu, you will be prepared for everything. In Cusco, you will find hotels, resorts, and boutiques for all types of budgets. And whether you are looking for exclusive or more classic options. The Sacred Valley that surrounds the Inca citadel is another imposing place to visit before your tour. Before embarking on your adventure, be sure to take a tour of the different archaeological ruins and traditional villages. If you plan to visit Machu Picchu, you will most likely pass through the beautiful Imperial City.
Despite being one of the Inca ruins in the best condition, its function is still debated among various archaeologists. Some believe that Machu Picchu was built as the property of the great Inca Pachacuti. Although it is also considered to be a place of pilgrimage, where the Incas paid tribute not only to the Inca leader but also to the different spirits that inhabited the area. Today you can choose to do the same pilgrimage route on the Inca Trail. The mysteries of Machu Picchu are one of the best reasons to visit the Inca ruins.
If you plan to visit Machu Picchu, its architecture is one of the aspects that does not go unnoticed. The precision and engineering capacity is very impressive, even more so when one takes into account that the citadel was built in the middle of the clouds. The Incas cut stone blocks without the need for a mortar. The different stones in its walls and constructions are so tight that not even a blade fits between them. The architecture of the site is evidence of the great structural integrity despite the years. The citadel has survived earthquakes, torrential rains in the middle of the mountain, and even mass tourism.