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Cusco.
I arrived in Cusco on a bus coming from Puno.Cusco is one of the main cities of Peru. For being the starting point of Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley visit. You can meet people from all over the world.It is a typical city of the Spanish region of Latin America, was also the center of the Inca empire, when the Spanish arrived.It is considered the capital of backpackers in South America because of the numbers of travelers is huge.
First of all it is necessary to know that Cusco is at 3,400 meters above sea level, so you should worry about altitude sickness.
Many people talk about the most absurd things about altitude sickness, but what you should know is that following ground rules and everything will be fine.
Beware of high altitude sickness
- Take it easy. Initially, you should walk as if you were 90 years old. That way you will feel like someone of 20 years old as soon as you acclimatize.
- Drinking too much liquid: Everyone will say to take coca tea (leaf), which improves. Yes, it improves, but the most important here is to drink lots of liquid, but without alcohol in the first few days. The standard is 1 liter for every thousand meters, that is, at least 4 liters of water per day. Avoid alcohol until you feel good.
- Get plenty of rest. Do not wanna be the super man. Rest at the hotel for a few hours before leaving. You’d feel much better later.
Most important: If you have 3 of the symptoms below, seek a doctor or go to a lower place, such as the sacred valley or Machu Picchu.
It will makes you feel better immediately. So you can go back and continue your journey.
- Symptoms
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Difficulty breathing
- Accelerated heart.
In 1911, explorer Hiram Bingham III, a professor at Yale University, looking for the lost city of the Incas and talking to local residents, discovered the existence of ruins. He went to investigate and found everything covered in vegetation and had been abandoned.It is believed to have been built by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the ninth ruler of the Incas.Machu Picchu is known with the Lost City of the Incas, located at 2,430 meters above sea level, in the Andes Mountain Range, above the Urubamba river valley. It is believed to have been built in the 15th century and then abandoned. Its exact use remains a mystery.In the native Quechua language, “Machu Picchu” means “Old Peak” or “Old Mountain”.
It was built without the aid of wheels or iron tools. It is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.
Here you will find more details on how to get there, cost etc.. here.
Learn some intriguing facts in National Geographic here.
To purchase tickets click here.
The way to Machu Picchu
I went 2 times, the first one I took the train from Poroy (25km from Cusco) and the second I took the Ollantaytambo train.As you know, I am an independent traveler, so I use local transportation because I believe this is much closer to the local population.I took a van to Ollantaytambo and stayed 1 day to get to know the place, so I took the train to Aguas Calientes where I stayed for 3 days and then came back to Cusco.My first trip was unique because as well as being the first, it was in an unusual way.
When I arrived in Aguas Calientes, I went up the Putukusi mountain, the mountain that faces Machu Picchu.