Machu Picchu is an architectural wonder with the Incan trapezoidal building techniques very evident. The walls of the buildings are of varying heights and though much of the ruins have been excavated one can wonder what lies yet to be discovered.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu can can be daunting. The usual flow of tourists to Machu Picchu area via Lima and on to Cusco by national airlines. Once in Cusco the ancient capital of the Incas the norm is to allow a day or two to acclimatize to the altitude to prevent altitude sickness. Do try the traditional welcome cup of coca leaf tea to help you get used to the 3379 m. (11,150 ft) altitude.

While in Cusco you'll have plenty to see. Buy a tourist ticket which is valid for the length of your trip. It covers admission to the many archaeological sites, temples and other places of interest in Cusco or Qosco in Quechua.

From Cusco, most travelers take the 6:00 AM train to Aguas Calientes located on the Urubamba river at the base of Machu Picchu. There is the local non-tourist train which is always busy, crammed with residents about their business as well as travelers. There are also the tourist trains. You'll see vendors selling coca leaves with a bit of stone. Chewing them together is a centuries-old practice to make working in higher altitudes easier. The Incas used it; so do their modern day descendants and savvy tourists. I've done so more than once when climbing various Andes peaks.

Aguas Calientes, named for the thermal springs, is a bit of a boom town built on the tourist trade and as such is not highly recommended as a destination in itself, but there are reasonable places to stay if you plan to stay more than one day at Machu Picchu. You may want to soak in the hot springs after touring the ruins. If you want to be right onsite, you can stay at the more expensive Hotel Las Ruinas, located at the base of the ruins. (photo). You'll be glad you did for you can stay later in the afternoon to watch the sunset after the bulk of the tourist groups leave to catch their return rides and in the morning you'll be there to see the ruins at dawn and before others arrive about 10:00 AM.

From the train station, buses travel up the steep mountain road, named for Hiram Bingham, with thirteen hairpin curves . It doesn't seem so bad going up, but once you can look down at the road, you may be a little more uneasy about the return trip. Be prepared for weather changes with layered clothing you can add as the temperature drops. The climate is mostly temperate throughout the year with temperatures between 8 -11 C. There are two seasons: rainy between November and March and dry and warm between April and October. However, during June July and August the temperature can drop to freezing.  Machu Picchu Inca Trail Tours