Machu Picchu
Huayna Picchu
We went back for a quick breakfast before heading to Huayna Picchu. If you ever go, start early because it starts getting busy at around 10 a.m. They only allow 400 people into Huayna Picchu each day (you have to sign in and out), and even though it is open from 7a.m. to 4 p.m., the last admittance is at 1 p.m.
Lauren was really nervous all the way up to Huayna Picchu. After about 5 minutes, the path split off with directions to Hicchu Picchu and Wayna Picchu (different spelling of Huayna Picchu). The path is incredibly well marked like a US park so you can’t get lost. The path to Huayna actually starts with a cabled portion descending down to the saddle between Huayna Picchu and Una Picchu, before the long climb upwards begins.
As we headed up, we couldn’t help but think about the Incas who had to carry rocks and lay the path up to the summit. Partially up the mountain, the path forks with one route heading towards the Temple of the Moon. We took the other one and head to the top of Huayna Picchu via what’s known as the Storehouse Route.
Even if you are afraid of heights, you should definitely push yourself to make it to the summit. The view from the top is SPECTACULAR. After passing the Sacred Rock check point, we stopped at the viewing platform where there’s a phenomenal view of ALL of Machu Picchu. I went to the edge of the platform while Lauren stayed a good 15 feet back and screamed at me to be careful since it was a straight drop from where I was standing. We took some great photos at the edge with Machu Picchu as a backdrop.
After admiring the view, we passed by the Usnu, which is an elegantly raised platform which is a symbol of power and government. It was used as an altar for prayer and scarifice as well as being some sort of throne/seat. The Usnu was off to the side and required climbing some precarious steps.
We continued to ascend to the very top of Huayna Picchu. After navigating several boulders and slopes, we reached a V-shaped seat carving on the edge of a rock. Later we found out that this seat carving is the highest point of Huayna Picchu and points to Mount Salcantay which is a holy mountain 20 miles away. To start the descent down, we had to somehow negotiate down a huge sloped granite rock. Some gutsy (aka foolish) guys RUN down the rock.
Upon reaching the bottom of the granite thoroughly shaken but unscathed, we saw a sign pointing to the direct route Temple of the Moon. Let me tell you about the “direct route” to the Temple of the Moon. It is definitely a short cut, because you travel 1,250 feet (380 meters) horizontally over 2,600 feet (800 meters) vertically, resulting in an average slope of 48%. One of our guide books said it is “not well maintained”, “daunting”, and provided several warnings not to hike the path alone (it is not well traveled) and can result in a fatal fall. Even the guide from the previous day had warned us not to take that route so we bypassed it and went the traditional route past a two story security building and storehouse with three windows and a panoramic view on the southeast side.
This traditional route is called the Tunnel Route and eventually meets up with the Storehouse Route. To go down, you have to descend a long, steep staircase which had hanging terraces to the west, below the storehouse. People had expected corn to be cultivated on these terraces, but they have actually found traces of mate (pronounced “ma-TAY”) instead. Mate is tea, and is used in a brew called aramatio, which has stimulant properties. Some people actually walked sideways down the staircase, but Lauren decided to sit on the steps and go down face forwards. Most people do it this way. Unlike in other places, in case of a fall, Lauren wouldn’t actually fall off the mountain, but would barrel into everybody else going down the stairs in front of her and they’d all go down like bowling pins.
When we got to the fork in the road, we took the other route to the Temple of the Moon. This temple is all the way at the bottom of the mountain which was discovered in 1936. We’ve read conflicting things about this temple: some say that it is just called Temple of the Moon but has nothing to do with moon worship. Others say that the cave there is flooded with moonlight as an analog to the Sun Temple at the end of the day when the sun sets and the moon rises. Who knows? Frankly, I thought the Temple of the Moon looked like a great, secluded place for human sacrifices!
