Lose yourself in “the Lost City of the Incas,†Machu Picchu. The beauty (and the altitude) are breathtaking. Voted as one of the “New Wonders of the World,†Machu Picchu’s history began centuries ago but was only discovered in the early 1900s.
Now you can discover the wonder yourself, with Adventure Life tours. If you are an avid hiker, consider the Inca Trail (but sign up early – permits sell out quickly). For a more relaxed experience, enjoy the scenery on the train ride to the top. On the seven-day tour, you will learn about Inca history and culture through a series of visits to the most important Inca ruins.
The tour begins in Cusco, a vibrant cultural Mecca nestled in the mountains. Art and architectural styles of the ancient Incas and the Spanish conquistadores are blended; consider Cathedral of Santo Domingo in the Plaza de Armas, built atop an Inca royal palace. The Spanish priests commissioned Inca artists, and in one rendition of the “Last Supper,†Jesus and the apostles are distinctly darker-skinned and feast on local delicacies – “cuy chactao†(roasted guinea pig) and “chicha†(purple corn beer).
Down the road from the cathedral lies a colonial church whose stone foundation was originally the Inca Temple of the Sun, Coricancha. This is the first preview of the Incas’ building prowess. Their stonework has endured major earthquakes.
In the outskirts of Cusco, enjoy the archaeological sites including Sacsayhuaman, a three-tiered structure representing puma teeth. Pisac is an awe-inspiring ancient city with legendary terraced hillsides, family homes and burial caves. Another stunning site is Moray in the verdant Sacred Valley, where the Incas terraced deepening concentric circles for growing crops in different micro-climates on the mountainside. The tour spends a night in the living Inca city of Ollantaytambo, where you can dip your hands in the original temple fountain.
The grand finale is of course two days at Machu Picchu. An air of mystery surrounds the religious center, where the Intihuatana stone is perfectly aligned with the sun during the equinoxes. This ancient solar calendar has its own magnetic field.
Enjoy the 360 degree panoramic views of unimaginably steep mountains, the expanse of the clear blue sky, the calculated placement of stones and the beautiful green grass that swathes the ground. You might even make friends with the local llamas that roam the monument.
Adventure Life Tours is dedicated to providing a positive cultural and environmental experience to small tour groups. The entire team was more than helpful during the registration process, answering all of my questions (even changed my flight at the last minute!), and the organization on the ground was impeccable. Visit their website, www.Adventure-Life.com or call 1-800-344-6118 to make reservations.
