The day of the most awaited adventure has started here in Peru: going to Machu Picchu. Finally, we're going to discover our fifth modern wonder of the world. Well, welcome to Inca Rail, my friends. We've arrived! Wow! Look at this view from here. That's right, friends, this new adventure starts from Jorge Chávez airport here in Lima, Peru, which is where we're departing from and perhaps you will too, because to get to Peru you're likely going to land at this airport. Our next stop is Cusco, this city is where you need to get to if you want to visit Machu Picchu. I'll be giving you lots of recommendations throughout this video, so take notes and keep them in mind when planning your trip to make it perfect, so everything goes well and you can complete the task of visiting Machu Picchu, because currently it's not easy, especially because of the issue of getting into Machu Picchu, which you have to purchase well in advance. So stay tuned because this is going to be your guide, to successfully visit Machu Picchu. In addition to visiting this site, if you don't have the chance to come, you will know it in detail, as if you were traveling in this video. It's exactly 6:26 PM, and we still have to wait two more hours to leave. There's our gate: Cusco at eight-thirty. Let's wait for them to call us. Before showing you anything, before showing you the Airbnb, I have to make a small complaint. It's been a while since I complained on a trip, and this trip was, quite difficult. I mean, this travel season we've been on, you've seen from El Salvador, Argentina, Uruguay, and now Peru, nothing had happened, nothing to complain about, until I took that flight with the people from Sky Airlines. Don't do it, please, don't do it. I was complaining on my Instagram account, GabrielHerrera_baja, and I always tell you the details in the moment I'm in the places, and you found out first there. Turns out I always travel with carry-on luggage, which are those suitcases over there. Those suitcases are the ones I always use for traveling, to avoid losing luggage due to poor airline management, because it's quite common. So, I don't want my carry-on to go in the hold, for any reason, because I always make sure it's included in the ticket. Anyway, this airline randomly chose my suitcase and said: "Come here". That's how the lady from Skyerland told me: "Come here to send your suitcase to the hold because the plane is full". And I'm like, "No, I want to carry it with me, that's why I travel with carry-on luggage, to carry it with me". She says, "No, because the plane is full". And I'm like, "But, since when is that mandatory, I mean, it can't be". They were forcing me to check in my carry-on. A somewhat heated conversation ensued, in the sense that I was telling her: "Look, I travel too much, I lose my luggage all the time", that's why I travel with carry-on, please, ask someone else, if it's too full, to put their suitcase in the hold, but I don't want to because it's not mandatory". Well, it turns out I had to pay for the suitcase despite my ticket, and as you'll see here, included carry-on luggage, included a handbag and carry-on luggage. My suitcase meets the measurements, as it does with any other airline, but you know they always come up with 300 excuses. I had to pay 40 dollars for a carry-on that was already included. And what's my surprise, that all the other passengers had larger suitcases than mine. None of them were told to take their suitcase down to the hold, they just randomly chose me. They didn't even have the courtesy to ask me politely: "Sir, we have the flight full of suitcases up here, Would it be possible for yours to go down in the hold?". And there I think, "Well, no problem". But if you come to tell me... Because it was like this: "Come here, let's send the suitcase to the hold because it's...". I'm even getting confused. "...the flight is full", and they catch you off guard. And then, with all this experience, and all these bad experiences losing luggage, you don't want that to happen again. When we got on the plane, we understand why I can't carry my carry-on up, and it's because they have several compartments, where you place your carry-on above your head, where you're seated, sealed, because they are broken, they are defective, the plane is falling apart, the seats, even Angie, had to change her seat because her seat was bad. Luckily she recorded part of it because I didn't notice, Angie noticed because where she was supposed to sit, was part of those compartments sealed with a sign saying not to use them, and there were like three more like that, She recorded them, and I'm going to put them here for you to see. So, that's the reason why the plane was full of carry-on luggage. In addition to the mess that the flight attendants don't control, the order related to bags, backpacks, because the backpack, you have to carry it under the seat, but everyone puts it up to be more comfortable, and I understand, but if you already have that problem of damaged compartments, reducing the plane's capacity, and you don't control people, instead of putting the backpack up, putting it down, so those of us with carry-on luggage can carry it and not have to check it, you create a mess. So, don't fly with Sky Airlines because, moreover, I've been told that's the least of the problems you can encounter with them, because you can also miss your flight. And if you have a ticket bought for Machu Picchu and you're on the edge, meaning, you arrive today and the ticket is for tomorrow, and you have to buy it well in advance, you can lose your entry to Machu Picchu. What do you think? They might delay the flight to such an extent, that you travel the next day or many hours later, and lose your entrance to Machu Picchu. So save yourselves the headaches, save yourselves a bad time and don't risk losing your entrance to Machu Picchu, by flying with Sky Airlines. Unfortunately. The most incredible thing is that, when you pay for the luggage, they put a tag on it that says "Hand Luggage", so, by paying, everything is possible. But if I hadn't paid, which was already included in the ticket, as you saw... If you pay, the suitcase fits, but before paying it didn't fit, I don't understand, it makes no sense. What they want is to take your money because of their poorly maintained planes, they don't invest in fixing them, and then they tell you: "No, it doesn't fit, the plane isn't full". But if you pay me, it won't be full. But well, let me show you the Airbnb. Look, this is the Airbnb we booked to spend our next nights here. It's a surprise, a practically complete accommodation, it's a mini-apartment. We have a small living room here, it looks very comfortable. We have a small counter here, where we have something to heat up water, make ourselves a coffee. They left us some water bottles, look, they're called Gabriel, I'm just realizing now. I have a water brand here in Peru. We have a fridge here, in case we want to store something, and here, we have some utensils too, in case you need them. Now, over here, we have the bathroom. Quite comfortable, modern, impeccable. Do we have a hairdryer? We have a hairdryer! Look, I'm wearing a cap because in the last places we stayed, they didn't have a hairdryer, and this hair is rebellious. And the bedroom, look at this beauty. It's spectacular, the bed is huge, I can't wait to sleep. Even though the city center is lovely. We are at Plaza de Armas, I believe. The Airbnb is located right in Plaza de Armas. I chose it because it's very close to the IncaRail station, from where we'll take the bus that later takes us to the train, which then takes us to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu. But this is fine. Plus, we have a desk over here, nice and long for recording here, both of us, to back up all the information after recording. And let's open the balcony. It's cold, but look at the moon, look at the view. Well, the gentleman says that at night it can reach zero degrees, because we are quite high up here, it's cold. The view is incredible. The place is beautiful. This is the square. Let's see if tomorrow we have the opportunity to show you a bit, as we're walking towards the bus station because, truthfully, we're exhausted. It's almost 11 at night, so we deserve to rest. We are on the top floor. Our door is precisely that one there. We had to climb all these stairs. I must say, the altitude hits a bit. We are now at 3,400 meters. One of the highest capitals I've been in, I think it's the highest, if I'm not mistaken, because we've been to Bogotá. At that time, I also felt the altitude a lot. Here it hasn't hit me as much, but I think it's because I exercise more regularly now. You might ask, "But what happened, weren't you going to sleep?". We couldn't resist. We thought, "When else are we going to be here to take a nighttime stroll?", tomorrow will be an intense day towards Machu Picchu, and we won't have much time afterward, on the return, because we'll arrive around 11:30 at night. And the next day we go back. Let's take a walk around here. Just a few steps from the Airbnb, we have Plaza de Armas. Wow! Look at this. Look at those buildings there, with the balconies. Beautiful, it's gorgeous here. And it's very lively. The whole square is full of things. Today, recording this video, is Saturday. One of the things to highlight about Cusco as such, is that it lives entirely, almost entirely, on tourism. And it represents, my friends, 70% of the income. Because everyone who comes to Cusco is because they're going to Machu Picchu, or going, for example, to the Mountain of Seven Colors. So, this is what drives tourism here in the city. Now at our location, it's 7 degrees Celsius, but it will drop to 3 degrees at 5 in the morning. We will have to get up around 8 in the morning or a little before 8. Everyone is always dressed warmly whenever it gets a bit colder. But during the day, when there is sun, I was told it can reach over 30 degrees Celsius. So you have to bring both warm clothes, and also light clothes for when you are in Machu Picchu, because, although now we are at 3,400 meters in altitude, when we are in Machu Picchu, we will have to go down and reach 2,800, I believe. So, it will be warmer in Machu Picchu than here, which could be thought to be higher than the city of Cusco, but it's not. And depending on the time of year you come, it can be raining a lot, it's very common for it to rain. The person who brought us to the Airbnb told us to, have rain jackets because it could rain at any time. So, come prepared with all kinds of clothes: for the cold, for the rain, for the sun, for the heat, for everything. And for mosquitoes, they asked us to bring repellent because they could invade us. In Machu Picchu, there's a plague, there are mosquitoes. So, he said, mosquito repellent, very important, don't forget it. Now, you will draw your own conclusions about, today, Saturday, people go out for a stroll. Look how crowded it is. By the way, I recommend staying close to this square, Plaza de Armas. We are simply across there, at that corner, because this will allow you to move around better for the different activities you plan to do. For example, if you are going on the Seven Colors Mountain excursion, right next to our door to access the Airbnb, is where you need to get on the tour. Or five minutes walking to the bus station to then take the IncaRail, that's the whole company. I mean, you first take the IncaRail bus and then you go on the IncaRail. You are also five minutes from the Airbnb, five minutes from this place. So, a tip if you don't want to be moving around by taxi later, look for lodging in this area. And if you want to warm up on a night like this, you will find corn on the cob, hot corn. "Corn with cheese, corn, hot corn, corn with cheese." Here they also sell you hot chocolate, hot drinks. Look, it reminds me, I mean, it gives me a vibe of Mérida, it has that Merida atmosphere, our Mérida, our state of Mérida, which we haven't recorded a video It's been exactly 10 years since we went. By the way, this time we are in the Peruvian Andes, and our state of Mérida is located in the Venezuelan Andes. See how in the background of the mountains all those lights look. It looks like a nativity scene. How beautiful it looks. Look at that detail. I love it when the franchise adapts to places, and keeps the facade, keeps the architecture of the site. Look, there's McDonald's and it doesn't look like a McDonald's. We're going to be guided by the number of people entering this street, because it's quite lively. How beautiful, it's super nice, look at this. Cobblestone streets, balconies on both sides, very typical constructions. How beautiful this is here. This is where the party is. Well, this seems to be the street if you want to enjoy music, an incredible place to eat, a stroll. Here they are making super sandwiches, mixed sandwiches. Look, they are hitting next to me. Definitely, I'm no longer of the age to be out on the street. Well, I never was one to go out on the street partying for those kinds of things. I'm a very healthy person. By the way, the street is called Calle Procuradores, and it's pedestrian-only. Here you can find the famous anticuchos. That looks delicious. Those with sausage, potato, they look good. By the way, friends, do you recognize the flag in the center, between the Peru and Brazil one? It's the flag of Cusco, my friends, and it has six colors, starting with red at the top. And also, it has the Inca sun, which was added later to avoid confusion with the community flag. And well, whatever street you go down, you're going to find activity everywhere: restaurants, bars, places to go listen to live music. I would dedicate, my friends, a full day to explore Cusco, its historic center, enjoy its bars, enjoy a stroll, a good meal. Look, street stalls everywhere, places with a lot of music. And it's early in the night because it's 11:30. I don't know how late they will stay partying in these places, but there they threw someone out, shoving them, movie-style, and I couldn't capture that. But, friends, the nights here are interesting. Well, here, climbing each step costs three times more because of this altitude. For soccer players, when they come to play here, because they are at a total disadvantage. We climbed that staircase and it felt like we climbed, I don't know, a mountain. But look at the view from up here. How beautiful, it's spectacular. By the way, friends, seeing that sign, did you know that Cusco's real name in Quechua is actually Cosco? We've seen several Korean food restaurants. And another thing we've seen a lot are tattoo shops. And the interesting thing is that they are open at this hour, almost midnight. That means these parties go on for a long time, because a tattoo shop open at midnight, with bars everywhere and people drinking, surely many will regret getting a tattoo the next day. How many of you watching this video have gotten tattoos unintentionally, comment below. we've arrived back at the Airbnb. we are going to sleep, but not before showing you this curiosity about the coins here in Peru. We were given something other than what we expected, the taxi driver that took us from Huacachina... We were in the Huacachina desert and visited the Nazca Lines, that video is already available on the channel. The taxi driver who took us to catch the bus to Lima, and then take a flight here, gave me change, and handed me a couple of coins. And he said... Oh, by the way, I paid with a 50 soles bill, he had to give me 30 soles back. He was charging me 20 soles for the ride, which was already double what we had been charged the previous days. But, well, in the rush to get to the bus on time, it wasn't a problem. But I had a 50 soles bill and the taxi driver didn't have change at that moment and he said: "Wait here, I'll come back and bring you the rest of the change". He gave me some coins and two bills. Among the coins, he gave me these two. I don't know if you notice the mistake. I didn't notice at first. This is a 2 soles coin and this is a 5, or that's what I thought, but it's actually a 5 Mexican pesos coin, not 5 soles. I don't know if he did it on purpose or if he was also given it as a mistake and thought it was 5 soles. But now I have a 5 Mexican pesos coin that I can't use here. It's worth noting that 5 Mexican pesos, is much less money in exchange for dollars than 5 soles. it's curious that I was given change with a 5 Mexican pesos coin and I didn't realize. You have to be careful because they look identical, look. I mean, at first glance, they're identical. Exactly there, and he never came back with the change, we were left waiting. I mean, he took 5 soles for the coin and we were still missing 5 soles, so, 10 soles in total. But now, my friends, time to sleep, and we'll see you tomorrow. Friends, good morning. The day of the most awaited adventure has started here in Peru: going to Machu Picchu. we're going to discover our fifth modern wonder of the world, and it's going to be this significant. We're already ready. Look, I'm shaved, ready, dressed, because we're going to take our bus that will later take us to the train. It's exactly 7:52 AM now. And well, I'll be telling you all about how things develop, what you need to do, the steps, things you need to buy, and suggestions. Speaking of suggestions, we were told that if you get altitude sickness, you can drink coca leaf tea. Look how they've placed it here in the lodging. These are the ones. I had never seen them, didn't know they existed until now. They say they help with altitude sickness, but be very careful how you consume them, because you can only have 4 a day and before 5 PM is the best time, because after that time, it can cause insomnia. It's also a diuretic, so you'll be in the bathroom all day. So be careful, try it and don't exceed. Really, in my case, I haven't felt the altitude much, but a bit... like a lack of air. I've been a bit short of breath, as if doing anything requires me to breathe deeply. And at night it happened a couple of times, lying down... strange, but well, nothing too serious. Don't worry about that, if you're careful, nothing will happen to you. Leaving our lodging, the IncaRail bus station is about a 10-minute walk away. It's not the only service that offers the train ride to Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes. There's another company, you choose whichever suits you best, in terms of prices, availability, dates, and everything. Buy everything well in advance. At least, the entrance is the most important thing. Buy it two months, minimum, in advance because they are selling out. After the pandemic, they limited the number of people who could visit Machu Picchu and now they are controlling the entrance. So, if you don't want to miss that opportunity, you have to buy your ticket in time, and you can do it through the official website which I'll leave in the description, and you'll save a lot of money. We had to buy ours through an external company that resells them, and that's what we did to be able to visit, because when we went, and that's with buying them a month and a week, a month and two weeks in advance, and it still wasn't enough time, because there were available dates for the first days of November, and we are going in the last days of October. Well, look, ready with the check-in. They give us this little paper for both of us to access the bus. You just have to come here to Avenida del Sol. That's the place where the IncaRail office is located, if you have included the bus that takes you to the train. Because you might have only purchased the train and it doesn't include the bus, So, you have to make your way to the train. In this case, I, for convenience, included both the bus and the train. So, they take care of all the transportation to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu. And I think, it seems to me, even from Aguas Calientes to the actual entrance of the site. We'll confirm that, because right now I'm also a bit confused, but I'll be clearing up all your doubts in this video. Now, the price I paid for the IncaRail, look, was 346 dollars for both tickets. So, the entrance and the IncaRail cost us the same, which in this case is bi-modal, it's the bi-modal IncaRail, meaning it includes both the bus and the train. You can buy the IncaRail through its official website, or on the websites of other companies as well. Or you can also purchase them on websites offering tours. The offices are quite comfortable. Here is a waiting room to, well, wait for the bus. Now I'm going to show you this before we leave, we've been called to bus number 6, but notice what they offer here, cold water and hot water to prepare different types of tea. Look at how the coca leaf looks, it's right here. You just take it, put it in a cup with water, and drink it. And here they explain a bit about the benefits of the coca leaf. How about that. I hadn't seen it. We're now walking towards the bus, which actually is, I believe, this large, modern and comfortable. Hello, thank you. Now they're taking us to Ollantaytambo, and it will take about two hours, approximately, in this vehicle. There we'll make a small 10-minute stop. And then, yes, we continue. Friends, a small 10-minute stop to stretch our legs, admire the beautiful landscapes here, among the mountains, and maybe buy a souvenir. But also, we'll be able to see the native animals of the area. Given the importance of llamas to the Incas, we can still see them today. And also in Machu Picchu, we'll be able to see them roaming around, in homage to this tradition and the importance it had for this culture. How beautiful. It's spectacular. Look, how lovely she is, caring for it. It's not very tall. I mean, it must be about 50, around 40, approximately. Look at its little feet with two claws. How beautiful they are. The girl doesn't speak Spanish at all, she speaks Quechua. And this is the language I mentioned in the first episodes of the Peru series, that many communities, especially those on this side and the more remote ones, speak Quechua as their primary language. Even, schools in these areas, their main language, the one they teach, is Quechua, and Spanish is the second. That's how important it is. But something I didn't expect were these large fields, immense and vast that are in this region of the Peruvian Andes. They're spectacular. The weather is perfect. Today, it's not cold at all. And since there's sunshine, the temperature is perfect. Look at the mountains. There are even snow-capped mountains. Look up there, the top of those mountains. Truly, incredible. Walking and exploring around here, look at this little donkey. The baby donkey, how cute. Look at this beauty. I had never seen a baby donkey before. Look at this beauty, my God. What a spectacular animal. Look at that, with its mom. Look at this. Wow, what a sight. Well, taking advantage of being in this calm place and that we're going to have a few minutes of peace, and I don't know how much peace and tranquility we're going to have once we enter Machu Picchu, I'd like to tell you many things about this place. I want to share part of the history of why this is here, what is said, why it's so important, and it goes like this: Machu Picchu is just the contemporary name given to a llacta, which would be an ancient Andean Incan village. It was built before the 15th century, and it's located in the Eastern Cordillera, in the south of Peru, in the Peruvian Andes mountain range, all this that we're seeing on our way, at 2,430 meters above sea level. Crazy. And it's located in the department of Cusco, province of Urubamba, district of Machu Picchu, over the Sacred Valley of the Incas, 80 kilometers northeast of the city of Cusco, Peru, and where the Urubamba River flows, a river that crosses the mountain range and creates a canyon with a tropical mountain climate. Now, who built Machu Picchu? It's said to be Pachacuti, who was the ninth ruler of the Incas, and who it's said built it as a royal estate for himself. But, if it's true that the purpose is still not entirely clear, because as that, many other things are said about this place. The llama, how incredible, to make this video with these animals. Though, I've seen in videos that they might not be so friendly, but it's calm. Stay there, don't catch me off guard. And it's that, different researchers have concluded that, it could be a royal palace for this Incan emperor, but it could also have been a site of religious worship. Some even say it could have been a commercial center, a sort of shopping center during the Inca era. But also an astronomical observatory. I mean, nothing to do with one thing or the other, or maybe it was all of that at the same time. We may never know, perhaps. I don't know if it will be noticeable, but many of the houses we've passed, on the roof, there's either a cross, on the gable roof, or a pair of little bulls. From what I understand, it's for prosperity, because a friend, a subscriber, gave us a little bull in Lima, and said it was for abundance and prosperity in the home. Friends, we've arrived at the town of Ollantaytambo, from where we're going to take our train. Well, we've arrived, friends, at the Inca Rail waiting room. This is the entire area where you'll be able to wait for your train. There's here a small place to buy, some coffee, a snack, juice, whatever you need. We have WiFi here. We're the group from here. There are some well-dressed gentlemen. And Kusi Qullur is the princess of the Incan Empire, daughter of the Inca. She is strong, sensitive, and proud of her lineage. The moment is getting closer and closer. There are many people here also waiting for their train. The waiting room is quite comfortable. Now, while we wait for our train, I want to tell you about whom we owe this visit to today, and all the tourists who come to Peru wanting to visit Machu Picchu, to whom we owe this. A very important and famous explorer named Hiram Bingham III. He was a legendary explorer and also a scientific researcher, who discovered Machu Picchu on July 24, 1911. And he discovered it thanks to the locals. Once here, the locals told him about this place, took him there, and when he saw it, he was so astonished that he couldn't believe it. This was due to the excellent state of conservation in which he found Machu Picchu. It still had its temples, its palaces. And thanks to his help, and thanks to Yale University and the National Geographic Society, they brought back the popularity of Machu Picchu. Well, we're making this trip in a single day, but you can also stay here, in the town of Ollantaytambo, and from here take the train that takes you to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu. But the first stage is that, coming from Cusco to this small town here. You see the best way that suits you. But this is the place from where you have to leave. Well, we're being called to board now. Well, there's even a themed dance. The boys and girls dressed in typical Inca costumes. Look, on your way to the station, the Ollantaytambo station, you'll find souvenir shops on both sides, where you can buy what you need. If you forgot sunscreen, if you forgot insect repellent, if you forgot sunglasses, a hat, or a coat, whatever it is, or buy a small snack. Here, have your ticket ready to show at the moment. Wow, look at the train, look how cool. Here's the PeruRail one, which you can also take, because IncaRail isn't the only one, there's also PeruRail. I chose IncaRail. Here they organize us by letter. Notice they're entering according to their group. We are D. This is the IncaRail train. Well, welcome to IncaRail, my friends. It has air conditioning. The seats look quite comfortable. We have tables here and we have assigned seats. We are 35 and 36. Excited? Yes, very! Recommendation: bring little luggage, because there's nowhere to place bags or anything, other than here, on your laps. And it has a small table here to rest some things. Exciting. we now have the comfort of being able to reach Machu Picchu, through these means of transport, comfortably and without much complication. But before, it wasn't like this. Before, you had to go solely and exclusively through the trail, the famous Inca Trail, which is also one of the most impressive hikes in the world. It was originally built in the 15th century, obviously, by the Inca Empire. And it's about 42 kilometers long. The trek starts in the Urubamba Valley and ends at the majestic Machu Picchu. The ancient Inca Trail was used as a pilgrimage route, and it was the only way to get there, to Machu Picchu. And, as it passed through some of the empire's most fertile lands, it was also a very commercial route. Today, you can still use the Inca Trail, and it's a way to have another experience visiting Machu Picchu, but it requires a few days and, depending on your availability, and it's also used by cyclists, hikers, and mountain riders. Always keep your tickets handy because they will be asking for them to verify. The train has started, folks. We're rolling. We're passing right by the river. The river we'll be seeing here, on one side, is the Vilcanota. They are doing repair work here, on the riverbanks. We can see crops. Of corn, of course, it couldn't be missing. The train journey to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, will take about an hour and a half. So you'll be able to relax a bit and continue enjoying the landscapes before arriving. This is very well organized. They just handed me the bus ticket sheet because, when we arrive at the Machu Picchu train station, where the train arrives, you still have to take a bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu, and that usually isn't included in your train transport, but I purchased it and it also included a guide. This was because I bought it through these platforms, where they sell tours and that kind of stuff, and it came with a quite complete package. That's also why the price, because it includes the bus from Cuzco, then the train to Machu Picchu and this other bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu and the guide. So that's also why the price, but obviously, if you buy the entrance to Machu Picchu on the official website, it will be much cheaper. The landscapes are breathtaking and it's something additional, that you'll be able to enjoy during the journey. They are very beautiful. Well, there are cheaper ways to get to Machu Picchu, now, not as many comfortable ones, because you can take a bus to Santa Teresa, in Santa Teresa you get off the bus and take a taxi to Santa Maria, in Santa Maria you get off and take another one to the hydroelectric plant, and from the hydroelectric plant, it's walking to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu. You can also do this and save quite a bit of money, because the trips can cost 15 soles, for example, instead of paying the amount of dollars we've paid. But, it's faster, more comfortable, if you don't have much time, depends on your budget, but everything is viable. Well, they're telling us the dramatized story of how men are always there. He who doesn't insist doesn't win, I know it. I've told you the story of Angie, they make one suffer. Part of the Inca Trail you have to do if you want a real adventure. By the way, if you want to do the Inca Trail, it will take you four days. and what you do is stay at certain campsites that are already set up for that purpose. Of course, you always have to do it with an agency. Now you can do a short stretch, which was what we were going to do, starting yesterday and spending the night in Aguas Calientes, which lasts one day and starts from the hydroelectric plant, that already shortens it from 4 to 1 day. But well, it all depends, as I said, on you, on how physically prepared you are and what kind of adventure you want. Friends, we have arrived at the station. Here we are getting ready to get off the train, and find our spot to board the final bus of the journey. This is real Peru and this is Inca Rail, which we came on. They arrive at the same station, as you can see. Inca Rail has something that is this wagon here, which has a balcony to enjoy your ride closer to nature. That does cost a lot more. Look, here's the station, we have a small shop here in case you want to buy something: water, some snacks, some sweets, some cake, whatever, they have it there. Wow, look at this. Where one arrives. How beautiful. The facilities are very nice. Very, very nice. Well, here we are. And here's my name. Well, if you hired a tour or anything, when leaving the station, which is that door, there you'll have the guys with your names here waiting for you. You just come here, see your name and get organized. Ours is this guy here, who will guide us to our spot to take the bus, which will finally take us to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Here you'll be able to find souvenir shops. Magnets, the little bulls we saw, those are the little bulls we saw on houses on the way... Some magnet. The number of shops there are here. Just outside the train station, many places to buy different types of souvenirs and what you need. Now, an important piece of information the guy told us, the last bus that leaves from there, from Machu Picchu, from the entrance here, to the train station, is at 05:30. If you miss that, you have to walk from there here to catch your train. Obviously, if you have time to catch the train after walking here, otherwise, you'll have to sleep with those from the stands here. So be aware of that, and the bus that takes you from the train to Machu Picchu and back here runs frequently. But that one is at 05:30, so be aware of that. Look at this bridge we're crossing now. Look at the river. Down there, you can see many love locks here, that people have been leaving on both sides, everyone taking their photos, their things, enjoying the spectacle of the place. We have to go down these stairs here, there are places to eat, you'll also have, so if what you want after, before taking your train, you can eat something around here, just be mindful of the time. In case you also want to take some candy that helps with altitude sickness. There are also muña and coca candies. Curiosity. I had never seen this before. We're going to board the bus that will finally take us to the entrance of Machu Picchu. This will be the last stretch until we get there. As I mentioned, the entire tour I purchased included the bus, but you can buy that here. Don't worry too much because they are always coming and going, so this is the least of your concerns. We're on the last stretch, here Angie is snacking on some chips. Look at the potatoes, they're fantastic, they're purple. I'm fasting to maintain my athletic body. We were told that this is the most expensive bus ride in the world, because they charge you to go and come back like almost $25, and I think it's a 15-minute or 10-minute journey, and it's full. Friends, we're already seeing incredible views. We've arrived, my friend, we've finally arrived. Well, friends, once the bus drops you off at this part here, what you have to do is walk towards the main entrance, which is over there. Present your ticket, present your passport. It's very important to always carry it with you on any part of the trip. My friends, all in order, all set, we've entered, we've accessed, and this is the first path, the first little path you come across. We have no idea because we're going to do it randomly, we don't have a guide, so what we're going to follow is the path, and the signage there is and tell you, all those curious and historical things about this emblematic place. Friends, I can't contain the excitement of seeing this here. Look at that, what a spectacle. Observe the surroundings, all the mountains around here. We can already see part of the construction, part of all the Inca constructions here and that we're going to see on our tour. The best circuits you can do are circuit one and two, which is towards Machu Picchu Mountain. That's where you're going to have the view for, also, taking the iconic photo, so we're heading there. What an incredible place, look at that. As we arrive, I'll indicate the difficulty level, but so far, easy, easy level. Remember that Machu Picchu is 2,430 meters above sea level. We're going to be even lower here than in the city of Cusco itself. Recommendations for the time you could come here to climb, depends on if your ticket is for open entry, meaning you can enter at any time. I recommend not early in the morning because it might be cloudy. Around 11, from 11 onwards, I would say it's a very good time. Notice that we're climbing at 1:45 PM and the sky is clear. You must respect the signs and the paths that are closed, do not enter because those are places prohibited for tourists' entry, only appear where it is allowed. Many of the constructions we're going to see, friends, have been restored. For example, this one has been fully restored, to give us an idea of what they looked like, at the time when this place was inhabited by the Incas. I'll be showing you the different views we find as we climb. Look at this one here, how beautiful this is. I know everyone wants to have the classic view, that appears in all the advertisements and when people come to Machu Picchu, but you have to enjoy each and every one of them. Look at this from here, look at this. It's for these views, friends, that Machu Picchu is considered a masterpiece of architecture and engineering. Its peculiar architectural and landscape characteristics, and the veil of mystery that has woven around it, have made this site one of the most famous tourist destinations on the planet. If you notice, Machu Picchu was built in the classic Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its three main structures are, the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Temple of the Three Windows. Most of the peripheral buildings have been reconstructed to give visitors, as I already mentioned, a better idea of how they were originally. By 1976, 30% of Machu Picchu had been restored and restoration continues to this day. It's quite well demarcated. Notice they have these small ropes here so you don't stray from the path, and the path itself are these large stones here, which present no difficulty whatsoever to cross. Well, I'm panting a bit. You have to go slowly, no rush, because notice I exercise every day, I jog at least two kilometers, practically daily, and yet, here I am, taking small steps. I'm also recording the video and that makes me lose some of the oxygen, the little there is at this height. Look, here it says lower platform, upper platform, and Machu Picchu Mountain. Wherever you want to go is to the left. I think you can even go back. That is, if you go to the small platform, you can later return and go to the higher platform. Well, look, the complex is clearly divided into two major zones: the agricultural zone, formed by sets of cultivation terraces, which is precisely what we're seeing here. See those terraces that look like small balconies protruding from the mountain, and then the urban zone, which is, of course, where its inhabitants lived, and where we're going to go see from here in a while, and where the main civil and religious activities took place. Both zones are separated by a wall, a moat, and a staircase, elements that run parallel along the slope of the mountain. Look, we're going to have to cross this here. We'll have to continue climbing here to reach that area that's on the other side. We leave the farming terraces here and continue on this way, always forward. Notice that what we're crossing on both sides are still terraces, here they cultivated, notice all this and how ingenious they were, because obviously on the mountain slopes, it's practically impossible to plant anything due to the topography of the terrain. And the most intelligent thing to do to take advantage of these spaces is to create these terraces. But imagine the amount of work it takes, to work the mountain and make flat lands like these. Now, the path we have to take is this one here. Notice we come from over there, all the terraces are here. Well, notice that today the terraces, well there's no cultivation, practically it's brush and green areas, but they still very well represent what they were used for. Imagine all this with the different crops when they were in their full glory. It must have looked incredible. If it looks impressive now, just imagine. Taking advantage of our passing by this retaining wall, which is formed by this rocky stone, this gives us a pretty clear idea of the ingenious architecture, with which Machu Picchu was built. And it's truly amazing. These are structures with meticulously cut and assembled stone. As you can see here all the stones fit perfectly together, cut and still there to this day, holding back these large terraces to have a source of food. Not only that, but this type of construction, was what helped so that we can still enjoy or admire this incredible place today. This type of construction is so strong that it has even withstood earthquakes, because let's remember that Peru experiences earthquakes and Machu Picchu over all the years, since its existence, has not succumbed to such earthquakes. And this is another incredible thing about the architecture used, about the engineering employed in this place. And it's that Peru is a country frequently affected by earthquakes. Therefore, Machu Picchu is exposed to a potential risk of collapse. However, did you know that the ruins of Machu Picchu were built between two geological faults? This is fascinating because this way the Inca engineers, made the ruins resistant to such natural events. As if that were not enough, and from here, from this incredible view, I tell you this so you keep in mind, look at all these stones and large-sized rocks, that were used to build this place. Can you believe that they built this place without the use of wheels? This means, my friends, that they transported all the heavy stones, from the quarries to Machu Picchu without additional help, by men, they had to push the heavy stones up the steep slope. Some of them exceeded 50 tons. In fact, they didn't use pack animals or iron tools for support, because it went against their culture. Well, we're getting close to the photo everyone wants here of Machu Picchu, and right down there, on that terrace over there. Right where we're standing at this moment is Machu Picchu Mountain. This means 'Old Mountain' and the one we're seeing in front, which appears in all the photos, that tall one over there, is Huayna Picchu Mountain, which means 'Young Mountain'. Machu Picchu was built atop the Andes mountains. Before beginning construction, the Incas needed to know how to transport water from the Urubamba River, which we saw when coming on the train, to the ancient city, and how to dispose of water avoiding landslides, they made this happen by creating an intricate system of channels, aqueducts, and innovative underground drainage systems. First, they dug channels in the riverbed rock. Then they placed stones and bricks to create a watertight system. After that, they also built aqueducts that brought water to the ruins, using a combination of stone, mortar, wood, and clay. This fascinating system was so well built that it is still in use today. Look, part of the mortar they used we can see today here, in this half wall that remains here. And they for making this mix used animal hair, ashes from trees they burned and mixed with the hairs, plus clay, and made a mix of everything that made it more compact and more adhesive. So look, it worked. Well, I guess hundreds of years later confirms it for us. Wow, look at this view from here. How incredible it is that each view is special, friends, every view is worth stopping for a second, to appreciate this wonder of the modern world. Wow! By the way, I take this opportunity to thank all of you, for allowing me to take you to places as incredible as this, and just by subscribing to this YouTube channel, you make it possible. And the best part is that it's completely free, and it's invaluable support for me to continue doing what I love so much, and you enjoy so much. Check here on the subscribe button if you are subscribed, because sometimes you see the videos that keep appearing when you enter YouTube, but you're not subscribed, and the truth is that support is invaluable to us. See how very close to where the buildings where they lived passes the river. Look right here and in the background, we can see a river passing. The work, the engineering necessary to be able to bring water from down there up here, is impressive, Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981, and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983, as part of a whole cultural and ecological ensemble, known under the name of the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the Modern World. This ceremony took place in Lisbon, Portugal, and featured the participation of 100 million voters worldwide. Machu Picchu was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, in a global internet poll. Look how the Sun offers us a better view. Look at the beauty, the day is perfect. I'm grateful for being able to make a video where the audio... My savings, my money... How hard it was to save it... At the same time, I'm grateful, because you will be able to enjoy this site through the video, in its fullest glory. The area of this place covers approximately 530 meters in length by 200 meters in width, featuring 172 buildings in its urban area. Biogeographically, it is located in the former region of the Peruvian Yungas. Every now and then, you'll find certain viewpoints, certain stops like this one I'm at, to have different points of view of the place. By the way, now that I look closely at the top of Huayna Picchu, there are constructions. Look, you can see terraces, it looks like some kind of house there. Wow, I had no idea. I mean, I never noticed it in photos, and that iconic mountain is always seen in photos, and it's actually a natural rock formation. I've always wondered why such impressive places, and so important in universal history are abandoned. Because there comes a point in history when people no longer live in it. There are many theories around this topic, but one of the strongest is that Machu Picchu, was abandoned after the arrival of the Spanish to Peru. As you all know, by this point, the Spanish conquered many American lands, including Peru. Specifically, Machu Picchu was abandoned in the 16th century after the arrival of the Spanish, it's said that probably the reason was precisely, fear of the Spanish because they had already heard about everything they were doing, and all that their arrival meant, so they decided perhaps to abandon the place before they got here, and turned them into slaves or who knows what they would think at that time. This is what is presumably thought to have happened, and it makes a lot of sense because remember that in the 16th century the Spanish, led by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro and 168 men, traveled to South America and carried out a cruel campaign through Machu Picchu. Another cause of the great annihilation of the Inca people, were diseases brought by the Spanish such as smallpox, measles, and others. All these are possible reasons for the disappearance of Machu Picchu, and the reduction of inhabitants of the Sanctuary. Now, I would like to know in the comments what you think happened, if you support this theory or if there is another stronger one that we can consider. Leave it in the comments. If we continue down here we will have the terraces that we saw a moment ago. We're just passing by them, and here we can see part of the construction method used, and an incredible view again of this incredible wonder. Does this photography spot look familiar to you? Does it ring a bell? Look, just this other terrace here, you won't be able to access unless you come via the Inca Trail. Only those who do the Inca Trail will be able to access this. And this is the best one for photos, p because if you take it from up here, from where we are taking ours, eventually the people who are taking their photos here, will move away, and it's just waiting for the exact right moment so they don't appear, or live with the idea that you're going to appear with people in the background. Now, another curious thing that I've already mentioned is the perfect geometry, but also of the buildings and terraces of Machu Picchu, since they are arranged in such a way that they form a giant sundial, and an astronomical observatory. Or so they say. Ah, and by the way, the double dry season, unlike most regions here in Peru, Machu Picchu has two dry seasons a year, which has helped in its preservation. And although they advise you to bring something for the rain, so far only a few drops have fallen and nothing more. Want to know what the terrace looks like from where the iconic photo is taken? Well, this is what it looks like, the surroundings, quite spacious, quite large. Notice, it's all this and you can walk all this part here, there's no restriction on anything. We came walking from up there and went down this way and entered through there, then you stand there and boom! The photo. But the best, the very best one, without a doubt, is down there, and you have to do the Inca Trail. Now, if you're curious to see how our photo turned out, you'll have to check out our Instagram accounts. gabrielherrera_ and angelianak, which you can find in the video description, go and see how the photos here turned out and how ours turned out, and leave us your comments to see if it was worth it or not. Well, when you're in places as impressive, so important, and that are easy to reach, but that require planning, that require a budget. But what you don't want is to miss out on an incredible photo, and to have it for the memory, because in the end, the best thing you have is the experience of having lived it. But then, to have a good photo. So, it gives you a bit of fear to leave the emblematic photo spot, because you're never quite sure if the photo came out or not, but I think it did. You'll tell me on my Instagram account. For now, we're going to continue our tour, to see what else awaits us until our departure. We started climbing past 1:00 PM, around 1:15 or so. We've been walking for about an hour and a half or almost two. The whole tour roughly takes about three hours, going at your own pace, stopping, taking photos, and even us recording video. And it has been quite productive. From this viewpoint, friends, we can see more of the cultivation zones. Look at this, they take advantage of every space. See that. There are many, many terraces surrounding the city. It was, as such, where they also lived. I can't stop thinking about how wonderful it must have been to live here in that era, well, after it was built, because the construction process must have been torture to create this place. The physical effort employed to build this at such a height, back in those times, I can't even imagine. Of some structures, you will find photos, where they don't look as complete as they are now. That's because of the restoration work that has been carried out in Machu Picchu, over the years, and it doesn't mean that it was built in these times, but restoration work has been done so that we, the visitors, can better appreciate what the site looked like when it was inhabited. We made it, we're finally here. What joy! I can't believe it. -What do you think?
-Spectacular. Really those sites you go to and are not so impressed, or you are impressed, but it looked bigger in photos and looks small. No, this is exactly like the photo. This is just like the photo. I wanted to mention that a moment ago, and how good that Angie mentioned it and we are together to tell you that. This is one of the places that impresses you more, seeing it in person than seeing it in a photo, than seeing it on a show. Truthfully, it's fantastic, it's wonderful, worth every hour invested in planning the trip, every penny saved to make it happen. It's costly, but as I explained at the beginning of the video, you can save money if you do it in other ways. Obviously, it's not the most comfortable way, but if you are young, take advantage of doing it that way and visit one of the modern wonders. If not, well, start saving little by little, and at some point, you'll make it happen. And if not, this video will perfectly give you the complete experience of having visited it. Well, on your circuit, you'll continue going down the stairs, you'll follow a one-way path, you won't be able to go back, so that's why you have to be sure that you've taken the photos, and the videos you wanted, but look, from here you're going to leave with 300,000 photos, and you'll keep the 300,000 photos stored because you'll only post a few, unless you like to spam photos. Here we can see more of the terraces, many terraces, parts of the constructions, notice that they are gable roofs. Many of the ones we're seeing right there, see how everything follows the topographic shape of the mountain, and yet, they had flat parts, to, I imagine, recreate themselves, some plaza, some place for ceremonies, events. And yes, as in every community, as in every civilization, town, city, they had a main square and just behind that tree you see there, in the middle of that green area, all that area was the Main Square. From there, around were the houses and then around them, the cultivation zones. Well, look, this is already the entrance, what welcomes us to the city, so to speak, where we'll be able to observe more closely, the different constructions where they lived, where they dwelled. From here we can see part of the construction. It's amazing to be here inside. It truly is impressive. Look at this, look at this. Wow, how incredible to be ever closer to the different constructions. You can get a clear idea, using a bit of imagination, of when this site was fully inhabited. The movement... Well, here comes the rain, a few drops here and there, and it's raining with sunshine. You can see how that cloudiness is approaching and even arriving. Due to weather conditions, we've switched cameras. There might be a change there because I'm using the action camera that can get wet, and I had to put on my jacket. what a good detail it was that they recommended us to bring, to cover ourselves from the rain. Because, look how I'm already soaked. People are putting on their ponchos and their things, but at the same time, there's sunshine there, it's there, trying to cover up. Part of the adventure. And it's raining with a lot of wind, truthfully. It's raining sideways. But, look at this, we can't help but appreciate the beauty of this place, be it with rain, be it with sunshine, whatever. I hope it's not cloudy. Well, here we have a garden where we have different types of orchids, this is a matico, called Mocomoco. What a beautiful valley is here. Well, notice this part here, wider, flatter, this one has indeed collapsed a bit these walls here, but notice that the ones that haven't collapsed are perfectly aligned. Look at this part here, look at that stone there, perfectly fitted, and they all fit together as if they were made, but look, they were cut as if by machine and that perfection. Look at the llamas there sheltering from the rain, there's one, two, three, four, just here, and they're part of the tour. You'll be able to observe them because, as I mentioned before, to give, as it were, that importance they were to the Incas, today they are still kept here. Well, now we're walking through circuit two, the long one, which is going to be, I imagine, this entire tour, and we'll be able to delve into that part over there and continue on that side. If you want to shorten the path, you can exit over there. I hope that llama doesn't decide to do anything by wagging its tail. Here is the main square of the citadel. See how the terraces look from here. All these terraces look like giant stairs. I must highlight that the space is perfectly maintained, it's impeccable. Look, look at this ground, it's earth and it's perfectly flat. Everything is immaculate, nothing is out of place. Moreover, the organization is very good, spaces are very well demarcated, where you can pass, where you cannot pass. Here we are closer to Machu Picchu, the large mountain we see. Truly, that journey is quite easy, what tires the most is climbing up to that peak to reach the viewpoint for the photograph. After there, up to now, it has been quite easy. Now, my sincere opinion about Machu Picchu, up to this point that we have toured, I believe, 70 or 80% of the place, truthfully, if I had expectations of ten, right now, I have a score of 20, because I really thought that the visit to Machu Picchu was just perhaps to see it from a distance, from where the iconic photograph is taken, and that you had no access at all to visit these places up so close, to practically touch the walls, which should not be done to protect the place. Truthfully, that surprised me because I had no idea. Normally, obviously, I do my research and investigate about places, but I let myself be surprised. I try not to delve too much beyond history, but not about the present, what you are going to see or find, so it can be a quite sincere opinion and that it surprises me. And I must say it surprised me. Wow, look at this. It is impressive to be able to see the constructions practically as they looked at their time. Look at this. Sure, this is a reconstruction, this has been refurbished, restored. But look at how the roofs were constructed, they were made of straw and wood. That's why most of the sites don't have them, because wood deteriorates over the years, and this has to be maintained from time to time, and that's why you practically only see the stones like this, with that gable roof shape, but the roof is not there for that reason. And here we have another clear example, and it's impressive to be able to appreciate it, and to take away a very real idea of what it was like at that time. Friends, this is Machu Picchu's sacred rock. It's a totemic stone that was venerated in the times when the Incas lived here. It's still here today and we can also venerate it. Why did they venerate this particular stone and not any other? Because they surely saw some special shape in it, or because of its location, or perhaps because, well, something happened here. We continue our way around the sacred rock, and here we have a view quite close to Machu Picchu. We're going to follow this path Ok, this is indeed impressive. Look at these large rocks how they are perfectly aligned with each other and how they fit. Look at that degree of perfection, especially this one. Look at this shape, and those surrounding it fitting perfectly. What a marvel! It's incredible to visit these types of places because it gives us a very clear view of what the construction method was like, what the style of cultures like the Incas was like, because they were not influenced by any other. They were isolated communities that simply did what occurred to them, what they liked, what served them, what was useful to do, so they did it. So, the Incas based their work on nothing but their own way, of making their houses, their cities, their villages. And that's what we see today, for example, this here. Notice that I don't know if you can tell, that these walls are inclined this way and that way. This is due to that style of construction, to that engineering work by the Incas, to prevent the walls from collapsing during earthquakes. So, when there was an earthquake, besides taking the precaution of building them separated with tectonic plates, also the construction method, by making the walls inclined, they weren't going to collapse, but rather the walls were going to try to come together, and that's why they avoided falling. And I think it worked perfectly for them. I don't know if you can see over there. Notice how this opens wider as it goes up. Friends, we are looking through the windows, through which at some point the Incas also looked. See the thickness of the walls, clearly, to protect against the elements, to protect from the cold. It's impressive. Look at the thickness of the walls. Regarding the circuit that we chose, you can go through practically all places. As I told you, we don't have any guide, although it was included in the tour we chose, as we didn't do the Inca Trail the day before, and as we also wanted to enter another circuit, that guide wasn't included for this type of circuit, so we went on our own, but I think it was a better idea, because one gets to know quite well about the site. But for you, it might indeed be the best idea, they'll be explaining everything you see, but for us, it's better, we don't have the pressure of someone waiting for us while we record videos. So it's fine. Here we can see more. The example of the type of construction, how each stone perfectly fits in with the next. And notice, the large stone blocks that make up some of the walls, look at this huge one, see that it spans all this here, all of this here. Imagine how much this stone block weighs. The effort it must have taken these men to bring this up here. There are many places we cannot access because they have these types of barriers, even though it might seem in the video that we can walk everywhere, yes and no, there are certain limits we must respect. Here the crowd from today is starting to disperse. This is an important part of your visit here to Machu Picchu and it's that right there. Those are called the water mirrors, or this enclosure is called the mirror room, and basically, the Incas used it as an astronomical observatory, because there, on those stones that were nicely rounded and could accumulate water, they could see the sky reflected right there. Today, these two remain. Look at part of the water system they had here; there are 16 fountains in total. This is another one of them. Look how it still receives water today. As I said, there are 16 in total and the first one received water in the Inca's house, which is up there, and here we have the Temple of the Sun. Impressive that the fountains are still here, isn't it? Look at that. And well, something tells me we're finishing our tour. I think this is the final stretch to start our exit, I believe that one there, this is the first house we saw once we started climbing. Look at what was once used to cultivate potatoes, corn, quinoa, now serves for us to exit the place, because these are the areas that are enabled for that purpose. We're precisely walking on one of the terraces, notice how they protect it with these metal platforms so that the weight is better distributed. Tour completed, my friends, we have to make the return trip. Everything we did here, we have to do in reverse. That's Angie singing karaoke. And well, friends, back to the place from where we took that bus, where the train also dropped us off, here ends this great adventure. And what more can I say about it? that I haven't already told you, that I haven't already shown you, I think the video speaks for itself. I think we leave with a quite incredible adventure, one of the most intense on this YouTube channel. Visiting such an emblematic and historical site, on a global level is undoubtedly a great experience. I'm not leaving without inviting you to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Activate the notification bell so you always know when I upload a new video, and remember you can follow me on each adventure, at the moment I'm in the places, before these videos appear on YouTube, through my Instagram account, grabielherrera_ Friends, from here, having known Machu Picchu in Peru, I say goodbye. See you in the next video? Goodbye! Much love.
