After navigating the often unpaved roads of Bolivia, we had come to realize why people brave the cold to visit this part of world in winter, as we were doing.  Driving in Peru was also very slow-going, but at least we were moving in the direction we wanted to go!. Many of the routes in this part of South America are impassable in summer’s rainy season, and even in winter it takes time to get from Point A to Point B.  In addition, there is no easy way to travel to our desired site, the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu…

Our travels from Copacabana, Bolivia to Machu Picchu, Peru

Our first stop was the gritty town of Puno, where we visited one of the man-made totora reed islands floating on Peru’s Lake Titicaca. Its inhabitants, the Uros tribe, pre-date Incan civilization and continue to hunt and fish the plentiful land and waters they occupy. It’s possible to visit some of the islands by hopping on a ferry at Puno Harbor.

Ferry Boats on Lake Titicaca at Puno harbor, Peru

Islas Uros on Lake Titicaca, Peru

Islas Uros, Peru

A creation made of totora reeds on Islas Uros, Peru

From there, we began a long and arduous journey to the Incan capital of Cuzco, said to be South America’s longest continuously inhabited city.  This is the gateway city to Machu Picchu, where you can take a train to Aguas Calientes, the closest city to the site.  It took us all day to drive there and we arrived at night.  Somehow we managed to find our campground, perched high above the city. It was a safe place to leave our van and walk into town.  We explored the city, bought our tickets to visit Machu Picchu and left our van at the campground the next day.  While in town, we didn’t fail to sample some delectable Andean cuisine, a high point of our visit to Cuzco!

View of the city on the walk from our campground, Cuzco, Peru

Plaza de Armas, Cuzco, Peru

Cathedral, Cuzco, Peru

Plaza de Armas, Cuzco, Peru

City center, Cuzco, Peru

Amazing traditional food at Marcelo Batata, Cuzco, Peru

Our train to Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Peru

Our train to Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Peru

It’s a three and one half hour train ride to Aguas Calientes, where we spent the night before visiting Machu Picchu. The ride was pleasant, with views of quaint Andean villages nestled below spectacular peaks. Aguas Calientes was, inevitably, loaded with tourists, hotels, hostels, cafes and souvenir shops.  We found a hotel room near the Machu Picchu bus stop. Then we walked around town and fueled up on more delicious Peruvian fare, this time with an accent français, prepared by Patrick, a French expat. We chatted with him a bit and discovered he was a native of Brittany. Bedtime came early that night since we had to rise at 3:00 am, in the hope of arriving at Machu Picchu before sunrise…

View of countryside on the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, Peru

View of countryside on the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, Peru

View of countryside on the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, Peru

Woman selling flowers, seen from the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, Peru

Andean peaks, seen from the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, Peru

Disembarking at Aguas Calientes, Peru

City center, Aguas Calientes, Peru

Another delicious Andean meal, à la française! Bistro Indio Feliz (Franco-Peruvian), Aguas Calientes, Peru

View from our hotel room, Aguas Calientes, Peru

There were at least three hundred other sightseers in line to board the bus at 3:30 am.  The rain was pouring down and we crossed our fingers that it would clear in time for our arrival.  In the distance, we viewed some intrepid souls on the steep switchback hike to the site, a distance of 9.5 km (6 miles)!  In spite of the time it took us to get there, we arrived before daybreak and it had stopped raining. We had to stand in line at the entrance to verify tickets and then… the thundering herd was allowed into the citadel.  The views that awaited us were truly spectacular…

The line to enter Machu Picchu Archaeological Site around 5:00 am, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

We did it! The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

The Inca citadel at Machu Picchu, Peru

After close to five hours we left the site and boarded the bus for Aguas Calientes. Later in the day we took the train back to Cuzco and left for Lima the next day…another long drive, but we knew we’d enjoy it once we arrived…