In order to see sunrise at Machu Picchu there was a 4:30 wake up call followed by a 5:30 departure from the hotel. Although the first bus didn't depart until 6:30 we were in line by 6 am and still were on the 4th bus. Although it was much less crowded than yesterday afternoon, there were still several hundred people, most of whom were making their way to the Gatehouse, or on to the Gate of the Sun. I'm not sure whether it was the altitude, the steepness of the climb, general fatigue, or a combination, but it was a struggle to reach the Gatehouse. There we waited for the sun to appear above the mountain peaks. It is not a true sunrise, but it is still inspiring to watch it appear over the mountain. On June 21, the winter solstice in the Southern Hemispere, the sun will rise precisely through a small depression in the mountain peak. Since the Inca didn't change the mountain, they clearly laid out their site to take advantage of the solstice, which was a very important occasion. On that day. The sun rises exactly through one of the two windows in the Temple of the Sun. It rises through the other window on the Summer Solstice on December 21. We also saw another place with a carved bowl in a rock, which is a sun mirror at noon on the day of the Winter Solstice.
After sunrise we set out on a difficult hike to the Sun Gate, which is at the end of the Inca Trail
. My initial inclination was to skip the 3 hour hike and spend my time exploring many of the places at lower levels. Then, after the first series of about 30 stone steps with a rise of about 18 inches along the side of the cliff, my aching quads and my gasping lungs made me consider turning back. However, I was persuaded to continue on at least a quarter of the trail, and it did get easier. The views of the mountains, river valley, and the ruins were spectacular and since we were beyond the cleared portion of the site, you could imagine the site as it was in 1911. By the mid-point the trail became steeper and more difficult and I realized that if I made it to the top, I might have trouble on the descent. So, I was glad to have made it so far but realized that I wouldn't make it to the Sun Gate. I spent the rest of the morning in solitary exploration of the ruins, and in just sitting and watching the site, and that was good for me.
By noon we were on the bus returning to Aguas Caliente for lunch before catching the train back to Ollantaytambo, to meet our bus and return to Cusco. We returned by a different route and were able to complete our circuit of the Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley or Urubamba Valley was ther heartland of the Inca Empire. It includes wonderful agricultural areas as well as many archeological sites and villages.
As much as I enjoyed our exploration of the valley, it was wonderful to be in Cusco, with heat, tv, and Internet, and I look forward to the next 4 days of exploration and comfort. Also, I realize that my time at slightly lower altitudes has conditioned me for the thinner air here.
Sunrise in Machu Picchu and the Journey to Cusco
Monday, June 04, 2012
Cusco, Peru
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2025-02-11