Had a good sleep and when I got up at 4am, I headed across the street for breakfast. There was no one there, not even a waiter! I went up to the breakfast counter and took a few items until the waiter arrived about 10 minutes later, with some food and juice. After breakfast I went over to check out of my room and no one was there. The waiter, who was working in the restaurant, came across the street and asked if I needed something. I ran upstairs and grabbed my backpack and asked if he would put it in storage. I then headed down to the bus stop.
I arrived at the bus stop at 4:50am and the first bus arrives at 5am. The line up was already over 3 blocks long. The buses started to arrive at 5am and there were over 15 buses that showed up. This system was very organized and had everyone load on the bus at their gate. I got onto the 11th bus.
The bus would wind its way up the mountain to the Machu Picchu main gate. The gate did not open until 5:30am and everyone was lined up waiting to get in. This was not as well organized as there was no specific line and people just crowded in towards the gate. After showing your ticket and passport, you enter.
I appreciated a suggestion from my brother Charlie who mentioned that when you enter the gate, take the first left and go to the top. Here you get an excellent view of Machu Picchu with minimal tourists in your photos. This was a beautiful start to the entry into the park. No photo can replace what an incredible site this is … unbelievable.
After taking a few photos around the area, I asked a guide where I would go to enter the Waynapicchu Mountain gate. He pointed to the far end of the complex. I took my time working my way over as I had to be there between 7-8am to enter. For this section of the complex, they only allow 400 people per day into this area; two hundred people between 7-8am and two hundred people between 10-11am. If you show up late, they do not let you in. This is a highly controlled area for the amount of people that may visit this site and to get this ticket you would have to try and get one at least 6 months prior to your trip. Depending on when you go, there could be a year in advance for booking a ticket.
Slowly working my way around I made it to the gate at 6:50am. When you enter, you show them your ticket and passport. If the passport does not match the ticket you cannot enter, the ticket is non transferable. The name of the mountain that I climbed is called Waynapicchu which means "Young Mountain"
Once inside you go up and down steps for about 3 sections which doesn’t seem that bad, then you start going up steps and up more steps and up more steps! It was a long way to the top with uneven steps and some places were on the steep side. This is definitely not an area for those that have a fear of heights or have any sort of serious leg-knee problems.
But, once you get to the top ... it was totally worth it! Such a heavenly view.
I must say that after half way up, I was feeling it. Everyone was feeling it, as we would pass each other on different sections of the trail. However, all that energy draining seems to leave when you reach the top as you take in the breathtaking scenery that surrounds you. It was absolutely an indescribable experience … such a world wonder.
Back in the time of the Inca's, when they built the cities they built them in shapes of powerful animals. For example, Cusco was built shaped like a puma, Ollantaytambo was shaped like a Llama and Machu Picchu was shaped like a condor. The only way you can take this photo is by climbing Waynapicchu. When you look at the photo below, I turned it 180degrees from the direction it was taken. To see the Condor, imagine the head is on the bottom left, feet on bottom right. Above is the body and then the wings. Can you see it?
After spending a few minutes admiring the scenery, I started to work my around the top loop. When you get to the other side there is a little cave you need to go through. Not difficult for shorter people, but when you are over 6’ tall, you have to get onto your hands and knees for one little part of it. Wouldn’t you know it there was a puddle right at the lowest point in the cave. LOL
On my way back to the gate, I witnessed a guide pulling a lady up the steps. She was having a difficult time and stopped every 15 steps. The scary part is they were only 1/8th of the way to the top, and this was not even the steepest part. When she got beside me, she looked apologetically at me and I gave her a thumbs up. A big smile came across her face. So much effort, what a beautiful lady.
I found going down a lot easier and made good time. When I got close to the Waynapicchu gate, I was trying to decide if I should take the side path that goes to Huchu’ypicchu Mountain. I decided I would make that attempt and did hike to the top which was not too steep. After spending a few moments here, I headed back down.
I had to get back to the main gate by 10am for the tour of the lower section of Machu Picchu. I arrived there at 9:55am and waited until 10:15am for the guide. We covered part of the trail that I had walked on, but it was nice to hear about some of the history relevant to this amazing complex.
We worked our way around the complex and it was great to learn what some of the structures were about. Near the end the guide indicated that they plan on changing the process for visitors coming to Machu Picchu. They already have limited the number of tourist access per day, but now they are planning to have the same amount of visitors but broken into 3 different times to enter the complex. Meaning that you can enter either in the morning, later in the morning or in early afternoon … only one of the three.
The tour was a little longer than was expected and at the end of the tour we made our way onto the bus, back to the bus stop in town. I had less than an hour to get to the hotel, grab my luggage and get to the train station. I had plenty of time, but not enough time to get something to eat.
Nice train ride back to Ollantaytambo and my driver was waiting for me with a sign. We shook hands and he took off like a shot towards his vehicle. I quickly followed, with sore legs and all. LOL
I realized what he was doing, he was trying to get on the road before all the buses left with all the other tourists. We quickly got going and through town he passed about 20 people. Let’s just say I put my seatbelt on. This is the closest I have been to feeling I was in the Indianapolis 500 road race. We were flying so fast that going around one corner he hit a cat. We then turned quickly onto a gravel road and I asked if it was a short cut. He indicated that it would save around 10 minutes. Well, have you ever traveled on a windy narrow gravel road doing 80km an hour? Oh, this wasn’t the exciting part … on the gravel road we went around a corner and directly in front of us were two bulls! He locked the brakes and the bulls moved off the road. Further up the road we went around the corner and there were three sheep on the road. Again, locked on the brakes and swerved passed them. We went from one cat, to two bulls to three sheep … I was scared what was going to be next … so glad to get to the hotel and kiss the ground. HaHaHa
It was after 7pm and I was tired but super hungry … more walking to do. LOL