Best Time To Visit Machu Picchu
Impressive Inca architecture in the Inca city of Machu Picchu
The well-preserved, partially reconstructed Inca city of Machu Picchu is located in the Peruvian Andes and is one of the main attractions of any trip to South America. 216 buildings are arranged in terraces and connected by thousands of steps. Machu Picchu's water supply system with canals and cascades is still fully functional - impressive evidence of the Inca architecture, who probably built the city in the 15th century. It was never conquered by the Spaniards and what purpose it served remains a secret to this day: Some researchers suspect Machu Picchu to be a second residence of the Inca ruling in Cusco, others write of the site, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an astronomical and / or cultic site. religious function too.
Since Machu Picchu has seen a real rush of visitors from home and abroad for years, the Peruvian authorities have limited the number of visitors per day. It is strongly advised to book the Machu Picchu tickets for visiting the Machu Picchu in advance - or to have this done conveniently through the tour operator. Excursions to Machu Picchu start in Aguas Calientes (named after its hot thermal springs), from there it is about 30 minutes drive to the Inca city. The most important sights include the Intihuatana, a large granite block that probably served as a sacrificial altar, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Three Windows, which owes its name to the distinctive openings in the walls. You can also visit mausoleums and graves as well as partially reconstructed multi-storey houses. The large round tower El Torreón was probably used as an observatory.
Around Machu Picchu: an Eldorado for trekking fans
Machu Picchu is not only a must for all South American travelers interested in culture, but also a top destination for hikers and mountaineers. Thanks to the location in the tropics, despite the altitude, hardly any snow is to be expected and storms are rare, so that trekking tours promise untroubled pleasure. Recommended routes include, for example, an ascent of the local mountain Huayna Picchu, the Salkantay Trek or the ancient Inca Trail tours, which leads from Cusco to Machu Picchu and for which about four days of hiking are planned. If you want to take it easy, you can also cover the distance by bus - you should definitely not miss the magnificent cathedral of Cusco and the sun temple Korikancha when visiting the former Inca capital. If you would like to do some sport, you can go biking in the Urubamba Valley or try your hand at river rafting.
The best travel time for Machu Picchu
The climate in Machu Picchu is determined on the one hand by the latitude and on the other hand by its location in the Andes at an altitude of around 2,450 meters. Also, the seasons in Peru are opposite to ours as the country is in the southern hemisphere. Around the lost city it is warm and humid all year round, so that tropical and subtropical plants thrive; However, it can get cold at night, although frost is unknown at this altitude. The best travel times are the months with less precipitation from April / May to September / October, while in January / February road and rail traffic is sometimes to be expected due to heavy rainfall. It also makes sense not to visit Machu Picchu during local and national holidays or during the holiday seasons, as the number of visitors increases sharply. If you want to go on mountain tours from Machu Picchu, you should consider that it gets significantly colder with increasing altitude - the temperatures in Cusco, which is almost 1,000 meters higher, are around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius lower and often at zero or below at night. Good to know: A good level of fitness is helpful for a visit to the lost city of the Incas as well as for hikes and excursions in the surrounding Andean high mountains - physical fitness is even essential for mountain climbing
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