Machu Picchu…finally we arrived. Secluded in a beautiful rain forest, high in the Andes mountains, Machu Picchu is an archaeological marvel and the culmination of Inca achievement. To reach it we had flown to Cusco, taken a taxi to Ollantaytambo, taken a train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), and ridden a bus up endless switchbacks to the ancient site. And it was absolutely worth it.
There are Inca ruins all over the Sacred Valley. We visited two sites near Ollantaytambo, Moroy and Salinas de Maras. I had secured a van the evening before in the Ollanta town square, so we headed down to the square after breakfast. Luis was our driver for the day. First he took us to the remote Inca agricultural site of Moroy. The drive from Ollantaytambo to Moroy was spectacular. We headed back toward Urubamba, then turned off the main road. Moroy is on a high (11,500 feet) plateau. We drove for about half an hour on a remote and bumpy road across this plateau surrounded by the Andes. Extraordinary landscape.
Lima was nice, but our true goal was Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley is a valley in the Andes where the Inca once reigned. Ancient, mysterious, beautiful and frozen in time…it includes not only Machu Picchu but many Inca towns and ruins. We spent a week there, and barely scratched the surface.
After a leisurely day walking around Barranco, we set out the next day for the historic center of Lima. Our guesthouse called us a cab, and the five of us crammed in. Cabs are easy and cheap to find in Lima, and prices negotiable. Also, none of them minded if we crammed four people in the backseat…unless you called ahead to a reputable taxi service which required us to use two cabs or a van.
Ancient ruins, an enchanting culture, and a beautiful landscape allured me to Peru. And Machu Picchu of course. My family visited and we were not disappointed. With Machu Picchu the pinnacle destination, I planned eight days in the Sacred Valley and two in Lima. This was our first international family trip since spending a few weeks in Europe three years ago.
You Must Travel It For Yourself 