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Machu Picchu height

In the middle of the Amazon rainforest, there is the beautiful stone fortress of the city of Machu Picchu, which is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic destinations of South America and the world today, with an age dating back more than 500 years old, Machu Picchu captivates every person who likes to venture to travel and know the world. This cultural and natural heritage of humanity is a unique and rare place, for all the mysteries that, more than a hundred years after its discovery, continue to hide in the sight of all travelers. But what is the Machu Picchu height?

Machu Picchu height Machu Picchu height is 7,972 feet (2,430 meters) above sea level; In front of it rises Huayna Picchu, which gives the classic geography to the archaeological zone, its peak reaches 2,720 meters above sea level. At this point, no matter how fit you are, you may experience symptoms of altitude sickness. (Acute mountain sickness) (AMS), this evil can usually occur when you exceed a height of 2,500 masl, especially if you come from low altitude places, if we speak in terms of risk, only the cusps of The Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu mountains would be the places where you would be really prone to acquire such evil. However, despite the situation, statistically very few visitors to the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu, who come to suffer from this evil.

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The total Inca Trail lenght is approximately 43 kilometers, starting from the place known as Kilometer 88. The trip starts in the town of Qorihuayrachina, at kilometer 88 of the Quillabamba - Cusco railway and takes 3 to 4 days of strenuous hike, it is the path that takes tourists to Machu Picchu. The route consists of an impressive variety of altitudes, climates and ecosystems ranging from the Andean plain to the cloud forest. Travelers cross two high-altitude areas (the highest being Warmiwañuska at 4,200 m.s.) to complete the walk with a magical entrance to Machu Picchu through the Inti Punko or Puerta del Sol.

Description of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu route

On the first day, the Inca Trail lenght is 13 km. To start the road, you need to cross the Kusichaca bridge, then you must go to the left bank of the river through an Eucalyptus forest to start the day calmly. Almost immediately, you will arrive at the archaeological complexes of Q'ente, Pulpituyoc, Kusichaca and Patallaca. You will have to continue until you reach the small peasant village of Wayllabamba and the Inca aqueducts. It will take around four hours to cover 9 km to this place. The first night you can camp here, but for greater comfort it is recommended to stay in Llullucha, 1.6 km further on.

The second day is more difficult as it will have to climb 4,200 meters, crossing the Warmiwañusqa pass, the first and highest point. If you suffer from soroche (sickness to the heights) it is better that you do not stop and descend quickly to the valley of the Pakaymayu river, where you will be able to camp. The Inca Trail lenght of this day is 11 km and approximately 8 hours walking.

The third day is the longest Inca Trail lenght, 16km are covered, but it is the most interesting. You can visit impressive resorts such as Runqurakay, the second step, at 3,800 m.s. After crossing the second step, we will descend to Yanacocha (the black lagoon), then climb a path with stone steps until we reach another group of buildings that attracts the attention of visitors; This place is called Sayaqmarka. The approximate distance to Runkuraqay is 5 km, to 2 hours. We recommend that you camp near the Phuyupatamarca ruins or 3 km later in the Wiñay Wayna Visitor Center, where you can buy food and drinks or use the bathrooms.

On the fourth day, which starts around 8 A.M., the walkers arrive at Machu Picchu at approximately 11 A.M. after walk 5 km of Inca Trail lenght, through the jungle. You must follow the signposted route and then drink some water at the Wiñay Wayna Visitor Center. The road is clearly marked but we recommend not getting too close to the cliff.

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Cusco to Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is often visited by tourists heading to Machu Picchu. To get from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, you will cross the Sacred Valley of the Incas by bus or train. This Inca ceremonial fortress and center holds as many attractions as the Wonder of the World, so take your time to get to know it better.

Where is Ollantaytambo located? Ollantaytambo is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, in the current province of Urubamba (Cusco).

It is located 2,792 meters above sea level (m.s.n.m.), almost 60 kilometers from the city of Cusco.

The town sits next to the Urubamba River. From this town, trains depart in the direction of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town).

How do I get from Cusco to Ollantaytambo? There are 2 ways to get from Cusco to Ollantaytambo: one to the north through the town of Pisac and another shorter to the south, through the town of Chinchero.

On the Pisac route: To travel this route from Cusco to Ollantaytambo you must take the buses on Puputi S / N street in Cusco. The cars pass through the town of Pisac and arrive in Calca. The trip takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. After Calca, you should take a car to the town of Urubamba (30 minutes). Finally, you must board a bus from Urubamba to the town of Ollantaytambo (30 minutes).

For the Chinchero route: To travel with this last Cusco to Ollantaytambo route, you must board the small buses on Pavitos street in Cusco. These cars reach the Main Plaza of Ollantaytambo (with an intermediate stop in the town of Urubamba). The trip takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can get to Ollantaytambo by train. However, the cost may be somewhat high for most people. If you are in one of the towns of the Sacred Valley, you can take the buses to 'Ollanta'.

What to see in Ollantaytambo? Ollantaytambo is magical. It conserves the straight streets of the Inca period. Where the inhabitants live today you can see the Inca walls of the original houses.

On one side of these small streets you can see Inca channels that currently supply the town with crystal clear waters. There you will feel at times that you go back hundreds of years to the past.

Archaeological site of Ollantaytambo: Among the most impressive structures of the site you can see the Temple of the Sun.

The town of Ollantaytambo: In the town of Ollantaytambo you can enjoy its streets, its landscapes and its people.

The Pincuylluna Mountain: If you decide to climb the mountain, you can see structures of stone blocks superimposed with 6 windows of facades and 6 windows called 'colcas' (Inca warehouses).

Site Museum of "CATCCO": There are samples of architecture, crafts and beliefs of the inhabitants of the town.

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Iquitos Peru weather

The Peru 'Amazon has a very dense hydrographic network; its forest production is very important. Its main crops are rice, beans, cocoa, papaya and coffee. His livestock is based on zebu cattle with Creole cow crossbreeding. Among the tourist attractions of Iquitos is the Quistococha lagoon, 16 km south of Iquitos.

Iquitos Peru weather is tropical, therefore, there is no summer or winter. Although, when the temperature drops a little due to some atmospheric phenomena, the Iquitos residents take off to wear their best coats, kept for the rest of the year.

In Iquitos, the summers are very hot and cloudy; the winters are short, hot and partly cloudy and oppressive and wet all year round. During the course of the year, the temperature generally varies from 22 ° C to 32 ° C and rarely drops below 20 ° C or rises above 34 ° C.

The best time of year to visit To describe how pleasant is the Iquitos Peru weather during the year, we calculate two scores to travel to Peru 'Amazon.

The tourism score favors the days cleared and without rain with temperatures perceived between 18 ° C and 27 ° C. Based on this score, the best time of the year to visit Iquitos for general tourist activities outdoors is from the beginning of June to the end of August, with a maximum score in the third week of July.

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Short Inca trail

The Inca Trail or Inca Trail (its commercial name in English) is a set of tourist packages of enormous demand worldwide and nationally; There are several types of Inca Trail, the most popular being the Classic Inca Trail (4 days and 3 nights). On this occasion we will talk about the guide the spectacular Short Inca Trail (2 days and 1 night)

Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu The Classic Inca Trail is an adventure dreamed by thousands of people, but it has some demands that not all of them want, like the duration or spend 3 nights sleeping in armed tents in the heights of the Andes Mountain Range; there are those who prefer a more comfortable and traditional trip.

Due to this, the Short Inca trail, of 2 days and 1 night, was designed, which includes the walk and obviously the grand final guided tour in the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, but also offers plenty of time to enjoy the urban environment of the town of Aguas Hot, and the only night of the package takes place in a hotel in the same town; that is, the Short Inca Trail has the same excitement of walking and visiting Machu Picchu but without spending so much time in the middle of nature, it is complemented by time and attractions in an urban environment with all the comforts.

Short Inca Trail Itinerary Basically, the Short Inca Trail consists of walking and visiting Inca archaeological sites on day 1 and the guided tour of Machu Picchu on day 2; remember that this package contains amenities such as hotel accommodation, restaurants and transportation that are not part of the Classic Inca Trail, which is much more adventurous.

Day 1: we will pick you up at your hotel in the city of Cusco early in the morning and we will take you to the Ollantaytambo train station; from there to km. 104 of the old Cusco-Machu Picchu road, where a walk will start from 09:00 am to 03:30 pm approximately, with a lunch break. In this journey, you will visit with our professional guide the wonderful Inca archeological sites of Chachabamba and Wiñaywayna, enormous architectural remains that were built in an integrated way with nature.

After lunch in Wiñaywayna, the walk resumes until you reach Inti Punku or Puerta del Sol, which was the access point to Machu Picchu in the time of the Inca Empire, from there you will have an unforgettable panoramic view of the citadel of Machu Picchu. It will give you time to enjoy the scenery and share the experience with visitors who stop at that place. Then we will go by bus to the town of Aguas Calientes, where we will have several options: rest in the comfort of the hotel, visit the town and make purchases and even enjoy the thermal baths that give this place its name. That night he will sleep in a hotel.

Day 2: early in the morning, after breakfast included in the hotel, we will go by bus to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu for a wonderful tour conducted by our professional guide with a duration of 3 hours; After that, you will be given time to continue touring the citadel on your own. We will return to Aguas Calientes where you will have free time to continue enjoying the town until around 06:00 pm, when we will take the train back to Ollantaytambo and from there by bus to Cusco, where you will be dropped off at your hotel.

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Lima to Cusco

From Lima to Cusco there is a distance of 1,165 km. and it will only take an hour if you decide to travel by plane; On the other hand, the bus trip from Lima to Cusco takes around 20 hours. Remember that the city of Cusco is a mandatory arrival point for people wishing to reach Machu Picchu.

1. Lima to Cusco by plane

A flight from the city of Lima to Cusco will take about 1 hour (55 minutes to be exact), flights from Lima and any city in Peru, arrive at the Teniente FAP Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco; there are regular daily flights to and from Lima.

From the Cusco airport there are daily flights to and from Arequipa, Juliaca (Puno Lake Titicaca), and Puerto Maldonado (Tambopata), and international destinations such as La Paz (Bolivia).

The airport of Cusco has; ATMs, restaurants, gift and souvenir shops, bookstores and a small medical center. On the outskirts of the airport you will find taxis to any part of the city.

2. Lima to Cusco by Train

Train routes in Cusco.- From Cusco you can travel by train the city of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the city of Arequipa and the National Park of Machu Picchu, so it is also possible to arrive to Cusco via train if you are in any of the places mentioned.

The train route from Cusco to Puno was awarded as the second most beautiful in the world. During the train journey, you will ascend slowly to great heights. In the first half of the journey, you can enjoy the magnificent Andes mountain range, then you can enjoy the Andean plains, where you can see vicuñas and alpacas.

The trains to Machu Picchu leave from the Ollantaytambo station in Cusco, and the route through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, is considered among the most beautiful short train routes in the world. However, to get to Machu Picchu by train, you must book Machu Picchu tickets and train tickets in advance.

3. Lima to Cusco by bus

You can get from Lima to Cusco by bus along the south Pan-American highway route, some people pass through the city of Arequipa during this tour: although you can get directly to the city of Cusco if you wish.

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Machu Picchu

Located 110 kilometers northeast of Cusco, in the province of Urubamba, this architectural jewel is surrounded by temples, platforms and water channels.

The citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and is the main destination of Peru. Few works done by man show as much harmony with nature as the citadel of Machu Picchu shows us and the 33 archaeological groups that are united by the Inka trail.

The archaeological complex is located at the top of the mountain, Machu Picchu (in Quechua means old mountain or important mountain) which gives the name to the citadel and the impressive landscape that we have all seen. In front of this, the incredible mountain of Wayna Picchu appears ("young mountain") in whose top and slopes some archaeological remains are located. Both summits limit with the mighty Urubamba River that runs towards the east, 400 meters below the citadel.

Machu Picchu is an Inca city surrounded by temples, platforms and water channels, built on top of a mountain. Its construction was built with large blocks of stone joined together, without the use of amalgam. At the moment it is considered cultural patrimony of the humanity when being recognized like important political center, religious and administrative of the Incaic time.

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Sacsayhuaman

The fortress of Sacsayhuaman ('Place where the falcon is satiated') is an Inca archaeological site located in Peru, just 2 kilometers from the city of Cusco and 3,700 meters above sea level (m.s.n.m.). According to the Peruvian chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, the site is "the greatest architectural work that the Incas carried out during its apogee". Its construction began the Inca Pachacutec in the fifteenth century and was completed by Huayna Cápac in the sixteenth. In 1536, Manco Inca, leader of the Inca resistance of Vilcabamba, fought the Spaniards in this enclosure. Due to the destruction caused by the conquerors, only 20% of the architectural complex is currently appreciated.

Where is? 

Sacsayhuaman is 2 kilometers from Cuzco. It sits along the Tullumayo River on the side of a hill surrounded by snowcapped mountains such as Ausangate, Pachatusán and the Cinca. Due to its high location, from there you can see the city of Cusco. Currently it is located next to the archaeological sites of Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.

Climate and height 

Sacsayhuaman, like Cuzco, is dry and temperate. The average annual temperature is 12 ° C. Due to its height, at 3,700 masl, almost 300 meters higher than the 'Imperial City', the nights are colder and the days are hotter. There are 2 stations during the year. The first is the rainy season (from November to March) where there is a greater amount of rainfall. The second is the dry season (from April to October), where rainfall decreases considerably.

How to get?

There are several ways to get there. Ascending on foot takes 1 hour from the Main Square of Cusco. By taxi, the trip is 15 minutes. It is also possible to get there with public service, you should only take some of the transport lines that will take you there in approximately 30 minutes. However, the most common way to get there is to hire the City Tour service, which includes transportation and guided service to this and other tourist sites.

Price and entrance ticket 

Access to Sacsayhuaman is included in the Tourist Ticket of Cusco. This entrance also allows entry to other archaeological sites such as Qenqo, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and Coricancha. The price of the Partial Ticket is 70 soles.

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Machu Picchu altitude

Machu Picchu is located at an altitude of 7,972 feet (2,430 meters) above sea level; In front of it rises Huayna Picchu, which gives the classic geography to the archaeological zone, its peak reaches 2,720 meters above sea level. At this point, no matter how fit you are, you may experience symptoms of altitude sickness. (Acute mountain sickness) (AMS), this evil can usually occur when you exceed a height of 2,500 masl, especially if you come from low altitude places, if we speak in terms of risk, only the cusps of The Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu mountains would be the places where you would be really prone to acquire such evil. However, despite the situation, statistically very few visitors to the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu, who come to suffer from this evil.

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The Amazon Rainforest Facts

The Amazon does not need a lot of presentation. It is the largest tropical forest that exists, hosts innumerable forms of life that we still do not know and who knows how many more secrets. With its fascinating landscapes and immense biodiversity, its territory overflows interest for science. As we did a short time ago with Antarctica, join me today in this post to enjoy the Amazon Rainforest facts.

The Amazon Rainforest Facts:

The real pharmacy of the world is the Amazon jungle, from where 25% of all the medicines that exist are born.

The Amazon rainforest provides 20% of the total oxygen on Earth. For this reason it is often called "The lung of the planet."

In the Amazon it rains a lot, but a lot. More precisely, the average annual rainfall in the entire Amazon basin is about 2300 mm.

Due to the thickness of vegetation and the height of many trees, there are certain regions of the Amazon where light does not reach the ground.

The Amazon River provides 20% of all the fresh water in the world, an invaluable resource.

The Amazon rainforest has some 2,500 species of insects known ...

20% of all the bird species that exist in the world are here and this means that 1 of every 5 birds in the world are from the Amazon.

The Amazon also hosts some 3000 species of fruits, all edible. I told you that this was the real pharmacy in the world, well, it is also the largest greengrocer or grocery store you can imagine and at least 80% of the developed world's diet originated here.

It keeps the most amazing river in the world, the Amazon River has an extension of 6400 km and during the wettest seasons, some sections reach 190 km in width. Everything that exists in the Amazon, exists thanks to this river.

A more than curious fact is that in the 6400 km that make the entire Amazon River there is not a single known bridge. The truth is that there is no need for it, since in many points, the river can be crossed simply by walking.

In this river there are more than 3000 species of fish of which we have knowledge and the number is growing steadily.

Many people live in the abundance of the Amazon. It is estimated that by 1500 there were between 6 and 9 million Amazonian natives living in the jungle, currently, the number has dropped to just 250,000, dispersed in different tribes with more than 170 different languages. The most interesting is that many have not yet been discovered, although there is plenty of evidence that there are at least 50 tribes that have never had contact with civilization.

If deforestation does not stop, the Amazon could collapse in less than 50 years.

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Nazca Lines Astronaut

The Nazca lines are ancient geoglyphs of enormous dimensions (figures built on hillsides or plains, removing the surface layer of the ground, usually darker due to oxidation, to make the lighter background visible, creating a visible contrast between the color of the land and the figure in question), located in the Pampas de Jumana, in the Nazca desert (Peru).

These extraordinary lines originate from the Nazca culture (1st century - 7th century AD) and make up one of the most spectacular examples of pre-Columbian cultures. The lines form in the terrestrial surface from simple designs to complex geometric or zoomorphic figures (they present an animal aspect) of different sizes.

The lines and their forms are made with an unusual perfection although some of them can occupy several kilometers in length and all of them extend over more than 500 square kilometers. The width of the lines drawn on the floor ranges between 40 and 210 centimeters.

Because the climate is very hot and one of the drier areas of the planet, they have prevented these lines from being erased because the hot air forces the wind to change direction. Thanks to UNESCO, the Nazca lines have been World Heritage since 1994.

Nazca Lines Astronaut

The Nazca lines astronaut, as it has been called this strange anthropomorphic figure is one of the most curious of Nazca.

 "The Nazca lines astronaut" with a length of 32 meters,was discovered by Eduardo Herrán in 1982. Its nickname, "The Astronaut", is due to the imagination of the people who assure that this being wears a helmet or helmet. But the proposal of a pair of Czech scientists seems to knock down this illusion of alien stories. Rather it is a fisherman, because his right hand holds what looks like a net.

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Llama Machu Picchu

The llamas are perhaps the most beloved mammals of the Andes. The flames live in the mountainous regions of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, where they contributed greatly to the development of the vast Inca Empire. At present the curiosity of the people who visit the Inca City of Machu Picchu captivates.

By having a close encounter with them, you will realize that these animals can express a range of emotions that can be perceived in their gestures and in their huge eyes.

Llamas, inhabitants of the Andes The low oxygen of places at high altitudes, makes it very difficult for most animals to breathe, however the llamas can live comfortably at these altitudes, in fact they are the inhabitants par excellence of the Andes, and this is because their Blood has a large amount of hemoglobin, allowing them to absorb the scarce oxygen of this environment.

Flames are independent, peaceful and friendly animals. They are very sociable animals that need the company of others of their species. They will allow you to approach and observe them, but do not invade their space.

Do I have to be careful with the flames? Yes, the flames that feel threatened, are bothered, or if they want to get rid of unwanted attention, expectorate a powerful spit; in rare cases these are directed to people, but it happens, so we recommend you keep your distance (if you do not know the flame).

What is the best time to see the flames of Machu Picchu? If you have the opportunity to enter the Inca City of Machu Picchu very early, you can enjoy the company of these beautiful animals as alone as possible. Its legs with 2 fingers with leather soles, allow you to travel the rocky roads of Machu Picchu with ease, agility and avoiding erosion; this is why some "environmentally conscious" trekking companies often use llamas as pack animals. Since its legs cause less impact, for the native environment.

When you visit Machu Picchu, do not forget to take a selfie with the Andean camelids that live in the heights of the "Old Mountain", we refer to the llamas, alpacas and vicuñas that walk freely through the green plains and platforms of the portentous national icon.

They are tender animals accustomed to human presence, and that is why they approach people without fear and with a lot of curiosity to sniff the cameras or whatever they have at hand.

To take a good picture with these camelids, you just have to have some luck to approach one that is charismatic, photogenic and makes unexpected gestures that immortalize a photo out of series.

If you are interested in taking "selfies" then you will like the post we publish with everything you need to know about this new photographic technique.

Funny pictures of llamas Precisely this happened to the German photographer Erica Kuschel, when in 2013 she published in her Flickr account a funny image of a yawning flame, or at least that seems to be done, and the result was very funny viralizing quickly on social networks.

But the interest in photographing these auquénidos transcended the borders of the "real world" and became exposed in social networks as important as Instagram, who dedicated a special post on his official blog with a collection of the most beautiful photographic compositions of his users, who had the joy of knowing Machu Picchu and photographing themselves next to the famous llamas.

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Salkantay Trek vs Lares Trek

The routes of Salkantay and Lares are gaining popularity little by little worldwide since they offer you the possibility of knowing Machu Picchu but from a more experiential and less commercial perspective. Both routes have their pros and cons and in this blog we will try to indicate some of them so that you can choose the trek that suits your wishes and tastes:

Salkantay Trek

Also known as the alternative Inca Trail, this route is a bit more known by travelers, since it allows you to reach Machu Picchu without the need (if you wish) to board a train. This walk varies according to the preferences of the traveler between 4 to 5 days.

Days in which the journey begins in the city of Cusco to go then to the valley of Limatambo to the area of ​​Mollepata from where the walk begins, during this excursion the ascent will reach up to 4,600 meters above sea level in the Abra del Apu Salkantay and then take the Descent into the Peruvian jungle and thus finally reach Machu Picchu.

Lares Trek

This route also starts in the city of Cusco from where tourist transport crosses the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the town of Calca and then to visit Lares and its relaxing and healing thermal waters. After having enjoyed the hot springs, the climb begins, which has its highest point above 4,400 meters above sea level. During the whole trip you will be accompanied by mountains and the Apu Ausangate as well as the flora and fauna typical of the Peruvian Andes.

During this tour you can visit lagoons with crystal clear waters and communities that still maintain their traditions which makes this trip an experience because you can live with the inhabitants and learn a little more about their customs.

The walk continues through communities such as Patacancha and then descend to the town of Ollantaytambo from where you will have to board the train to Machu Picchu and finally be able to visit this wonderful trip.

Pros and cons

Salkantay:

It is better known, which means that there are several agencies that offer it with competitive prices.

The vast majority of agencies take groups daily which facilitates your trip and the date of it.

Cheap: The journey is made walking and bus which saves the tour.

Lares:

Experiential: Unlike Salkantay, the communities that inhabit this area still preserve their traditions such as clothing, parties and adobe houses.

It offers a greater number of lagoons than the Salkantay and since it is a less commercial route there is a greater number of species of animals that can be observed.

Not so commercial: it is one of the few routes that still offer a path where you can feel one with nature since the influx of tourists is less.

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Humantay Lake

In a city like Cusco, we sometimes get the feeling of not having had enough time to know the most important places and even less unique and not very popular places which leaves us with the desire to stay and return to the mind.

And this is how the thousand-year-old city of Cusco once again surprises us by presenting a new alternative for travelers who wish to enjoy nature, landscape in a place at the foot of a snow-covered mountain above 4,200 meters above sea level where, in addition to relaxing and feeling one with nature you can perform activities such as stand up paddling.

Humantay Lagoon is located in the province of Anta, area of ​​Cusco that in recent months has been presenting other interesting places such as the well-known Condor sightseeing canyon in Chonta.

To get to this lagoon we must take a mobility that takes us to the charming village of Mollepata through the pampas of Anta and the town of Limatambo, recognized for its production of avocado to reach the town of Mollepata where it is recommended take breakfast and do the necessary shopping since it is the last point where you can find a store of products.

From Mollepata you must take another mobility to the town of Soraypampa in a stretch of about 2 hours to then start the trek up to the lagoon, the road is the same to go to the snowy Salkantay taking a deviation halfway to reach the lagoon after hours of walking approximately.

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Best Machu Picchu tour operators

Hire a tour operator before traveling to Cusco, offers greater security in the programming of your trip as well as assure you that they will be waiting to guide you during your stay.

There are excursions that need to be hired in advance, for example, the Inca Trail. It is necessary to make your reservations before embarking on the trip.

We recommend hiring a local operator because of their knowledge of the area and the rates that are usually cheaper since they avoid intermediaries.

Many travelers choose to go with the best travel agency for reasons of safety and comfort. The tour will be in charge of experts who will guarantee a good experience according to your needs. To recognize which is the best travel agency that can operate in Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, it is necessary to comply with these points:

License and authorization of SERNANP AND DIRCETUR Tourism in Peru is regulated by various government agencies such as the Ministry of Culture, the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (DIRCETUR) and the National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP). They grant authorizations and licenses to tourism agencies so they can operate legally and responsibly.

Whenever you contact an agency, ask for your authorization from DIRCETUR and SERNANP. The authorizations must contain the name of the agency and be valid for this year.

Quality of information of its services The best professional tourism agencies have a website with well presented and detailed information. You should have a clear idea of ​​what they offer you on a tour when reading your itinerary. Details such as prices, schedules, activities among others, must be clearly indicated.

The best customer service How long are your questions answered? The best tour operators try to be quick to answer any questions from a traveler. In addition, they must use appropriate language to communicate: formal, clear and pleasant. In this way, misunderstandings that may cause problems are avoided.

Contribute to responsible tourism Tourism is an economic activity that involves different types of people with different jobs, all focused on providing the best experience to the passenger. On the other hand, tourism must be developed in a friendly way with the environment in which it is developed, collaborating with the preservation and care of the environment.

Responsible tourism involves the good treatment of part of the companies to their staff and the respect and care of the tourist circuits. Choose an agency that is part of this philosophy.

Testimonials and recommendations from travelers Finally, you can learn a little more about the agency through the testimony of other travelers. Many of them have videos and comments on websites about their experiences with the different authorized agencies.

Inca Trail Machu is an agency authorized by DIRCETUR and SERNANP to operate in Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. We work every day to offer the best experience to each of our passengers. Contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. All our team is there to assist you. You can see comments from other passengers who used our services. We wish you a great trip!

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Inti Raymi 2018

The Inti Raymi is an ancient Inca religious celebration, as we all know, the Incas worshiped their god: The God Inti or Sun in his translation into Spanish. Formerly the Inti Raymi lasted about 15 days, sacrifices were made and dances or dances were performed to worship the sun god. The last Inti Raymi that was made with the presence of the Inca Emperor was in the year of 1535; a year before "The Spanish Conquest", which was actually the Spanish Invasion given in the year of 1536.

Currently the Inti Raymi is a theatrical performance, millions of people from Cusco and people from all over the world come together to this event which is one of the most attractive cultural and traditional manifestations. This Inca celebration makes each one of us feel the Inca blood flow through his veins and revalue our past.

The entrance of the Inca to the Main Square or to Saqsayhuaman was always presided over by a group of "acllas" who sprayed flowers and accompanied by the Pichaq, men who were responsible for shooing with straw brooms the evil spirits that could have in the path. The Inca in all his performances in the open air was always accompanied by his "kumillo", or hunchback dwarf who carried the "Achiwa", a kind of umbrella or umbrella made of colored feathers.

Another part of the Inti Raymi celebration consisted of the new fire ceremony. In this part of the ceremony the order of the Inca was fulfilled to put out the fire in all the kitchens of Cusco and surroundings with the purpose of lighting the new fire that was distributed from a bonfire to all the stoves of the city. This is because the cooks are experts not only in cooking but also in keeping the fire in the ashes.

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Peru lines of Nazca tour

These mysterious figures drawn by the settlers of the ancient Nazca culture, in the middle of the coastal desert, have shapes of huge figures of animals, birds and gods. It is the main legacy of the Nazca culture, which developed between 100 BC. until 600 AD.

Until now, the technology that was used has not been determined, nor the reason for its layout. Due to its large size, which can reach 300 meters in length, they can only be seen from the sky.

They were discovered by chance from an aircraft in flight in 1927, and in the late 1980s new lines were discovered.

Since its discovery many theories have been proposed. María Reiche, the German scholar who dedicated her life to the research and care of the Nazca Lines, proposed the hypothesis of an astronomical calendar whose figures marked the different solar periods. She discovered the ancient practice of making crevices in the hard and dry desert soil to cover them with stones extracted from distant places. The component of natural gypsum that exists in the region would have contributed to fix the figures.

The Nazca lines were declared as Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO in 1994.

Basically it is necessary to take a flight in a small plane to appreciate the set of lines in all their dimensions. At the edge of the Pan-American Highway there is a lookout tower that allows limited viewing of a few figures. Some of the best achieved figures are the hummingbird, the dog, the monkey and the chaucato. Flights last approximately 30 minutes and prices range from 110 USD to 200 USD. Fly over the new Cessna Garmin G1000 aircraft piloted by the most experienced captains in the area, touring the Nazca Lines watching 12 classic geoglyphs: The Whale, Trapezoids, the Astronaut, the Monkey, the Dog, the Hummingbird, the Condor, the Spider , the Alcatraz / Flamenco, the Parrot, the Hands, the tree. At the end of the course, you receive a diploma for having flown the Nazca Classic Circuit.