Machu Picchu

[Bigritchie]

I just got done watching Samantha Brown on the travel channel and she went to Machu Picchu in Peru, and I am just breathless at how beautiful that place was.

Pretty mind blowing that no one even realized it was there until 1911. Anyone traveled there yet?

 

[Bigritchie]

O duh I didn't mean to start a 2nd thread, I just got excited after watching that show :-(

 

[renferme]

O duh I didn't mean to start a 2nd thread, I just got excited after watching that show :-(

That's ok, it's so beautiful that, maybe, it deserves a second thread.

 

[kaudrey]

Not yet, but it's high on my list! I hope to go within the next year or two.

Karen - still working.

 

[prubin]

Photos and video do not do Michu Picchu justice. While it is a highlight of any trip to Peru, there is lots more to see. We went on Oveseas Adventure Travel's "Real Affordable Peru" trip. This trip includes an overight in Aguas Caliente, which is the town adjacent to M-P. The benefit is you get to visit M-P in afternnon of the day you travel to Agaus Caliente and then again the next morning. I highly recommend this trip and this company. If you go on this trip take the extension to Puna and Lake Titicaca. We have also taken OAT's "Real Affordable Costa Rica" trip and it is an excellent trip too.

 

[wcv56]

You can join there club and get free info. ( SAE=South American Explorers
http://www.saexplorers.org/club/home

 

[toofrugalformycat]

DH and I visited Peru last year for six weeks, traveling independently. We went to Macchu Picchu early in the trip. It was an extraordinary experience in its own way, not just because for me it was a fulfillment of one of my life goals. We stayed in Aguas Calientes three nights so we would have lots of time to explore the ruins. There's a small mountain to climb (Huayna Picchu) and trails around and about, besides climbing through the ruins themselves, and it's nice to get there early in the morning to beat the tourist hordes. Lonely Planet and Footprint Peru guidebooks got us through, along with our pathetic limited Spanish.

 

[Olav23]

Has anyone ever experienced an Ayahuasca ceremony in Peru with a shaman? This seems like an incredible "adventure" vacation. Commune with the rain forest, spiritual healing and a quest to the great ruins.

One of those trips I hope to experience before I go..

 

[Zoocat]

Here's a fascinating article about ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca - National Geographic Adventure Magazine

 

[Olav23]

I actually saw that program on TV a short while ago, and that is what sorta piqued my interest.

For those of us who missed the 60s, this hallucinogenic stuff sounds pretty amazing. (and very very scary at the same time). It is truly something you can never come back from, good or bad, just from the personal growth aspects. And to do it in a place like mystical Machu Picchu!

 

[WanderALot]

I'm a little late to this thread. But I just wanted to add that I highly recommend doing the 4-day hike from Cusco to Macchu Picchu. It was an absolutely beautiful hike, had lots of history and local culture. The hike has you walk on the same trail that Incas used 500 years ago! I personally didn't like Aguas Caliente. The mountain behind Macchu Pichhu is quite nice as toofrgualformycat mentioned (incredible view), but get there early because they limit the number of people who can hike it. Another nice thing about doing the hike is that you get Macchu Picchu all to yourself (well, you and maybe 50 people) before all the tour buses invade the place by noon.

Also recomend Lake Titicaca and staying with family for a night or two at one of the islands.

 

[podey]

I'm a little late to this thread. But I just wanted to add that I highly recommend doing the 4-day hike from Cusco to Macchu Picchu. It was an absolutely beautiful hike, had lots of history and local culture. The hike has you walk on the same trail that Incas used 500 years ago! I personally didn't like Aguas Caliente. The mountain behind Macchu Pichhu is quite nice as toofrgualformycat mentioned (incredible view), but get there early because they limit the number of people who can hike it. Another nice thing about doing the hike is that you get Macchu Picchu all to yourself (well, you and maybe 50 people) before all the tour buses invade the place by noon.

Also recomend Lake Titicaca and staying with family for a night or two at one of the islands.

I just did this trip in October, with a 4 day hike in the Andes, a trip to Machu Picchu and a homestay on Lake Titicaca. I would recommend a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu for anyone!

 

[jambo101]

Spice up your home page with some Machu Picchu walpaper
machu picchu wallpaper - Google Image Search

 

[layla17]

I've always wanted to make the trip to Titicaca... I guess I should definitely include Machu Picchu in the trip, since it so highly recommended.

 

[pentang.fog]

It's incredible. Made the list of the new wonders of the world, didn't it? With good reason!

 

[RetireeRobert]

I just got done watching Samantha Brown on the travel channel and she went to Machu Picchu in Peru, and I am just breathless at how beautiful that place was.

Pretty mind blowing that no one even realized it was there until 1911. Anyone traveled there yet?

It is amazing it hid until 1911. Haven't been there myself yet, but it's on our list.

Old college roommate went years ago in the 80's. Showed slides of his trip, and I have never forgot those pictures.

 

[Charlie_Boy]

Going there this year!

Just found this post, although it has been up for some time, so my comments are a bit late. However, we have made arrangements for a trip to Peru several weeks ago and will travel in late May. We too were introduced to Peru through Samantha Brown's program on the Travel Channel. I had been watching her travels through South America but Peru really struck me as a place we would like to visit and photograph.

We considered the Overseas Adventure Travel or OAT tour, went with them to Eastern Europe, but we wanted to spend several more days in Cusco and photograph the Corpus Christi festival. Also, we wanted to visit the Pisac market on a Sunday. We finally made our arrangements through Amazing Peru. Parts of the trip like Machu Picchu and Lima will be with small groups, Cusco on our own, and other parts like the Sacred Valley will be with a private guide. The overall cost was a few hundred less than OAT's but did not include the flight to and from Peru. This we did using mileage that we have accumulated on our credit card. Round trip mileage is only 30,000 miles. At some point after the trip our photographs will be on our photosite, Travels with Charlie. Hope this helps others thinking of such a trip.

Charlie