Machu Picchu from the Sun Gates (Intipunku) soon after dawn. The site is over my left shoulder, still in shadow.
There is a 40 minute walk from the Sun Gates to the site itself.
It is not the archaeological buildings themselves that makes this place so special, it is the setting, hidden high in the Andes with sheer a drop down to the Urumbamba canyon, overlooked by further towering mountains.
An unforgettable experience.
In the early morning the clouds keep on covering & then revealing the ruins. Nature can be very theatrical at times.
The legendary 'Lost City of Machu Picchu' is obviously the most important tourist attraction in Peru.
The site is a lot larger than you realise. The whole archaeological complex covers approximately 5 square kms. Machu Picchu was one of the Inca's best kept secrets, since they did not leave any written records and the Spanish never found the citadel. It was only discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. 85% of the buildings were in ruins, so most of what we see now has been restored over the years.
Even though by mid morning there are hundreds of tourists swarming round (and we visited on a Sunday when it is free for the locals & school parties) it is still possible to take views like this with just the odd Lama grazing.
Alan took a panoramic Video of Machu Picchu from the same point I took this photo.
The Temple of the Sun is the "P" shaped structure in the centre. As the photo below left shows, it takes the shape of the giant bolder on which it is constructed. Its shape therefore starts off formed by nature & ends up completed by "man". The Incas blended in a lot of their architecture with the surrounding environment. Very ecologically sound!
Ann having a well deserved rest.
The highlight of the holiday.
