Lewis visits a Wonder of the World: Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas

A map of Machu Picchu

Lewis the Lion thinks he was awake even before the alarm went off as he was so excited about the day ahead: he was headed for Machu Picchu: the lost city of the Incas and one of the Modern Wonders of the World. From the town of Aguascalientes at 2000 metres above sea level, Lewis would need to climb up some very steep steps to get to the town of Machu Picchu that was built on a mountain, surrounded by dense jungle. Machu Picchu rises 2,425 metres above sea-level and if Lewis the Lion’s hike up the Colca Canyon had taught him anything, he knew that you were best to climb as early in the morning as possible to avoid the hot sun. He also thought it might be good to try to see the sunrise over the famous citadel itself and so at 4:15 in the morning, he left his hostel on this exciting adventure.

This time he and Helen were accompanied by their friend Ofer who had met up with them again in Aguascalientes. There were also some of the people with whom he had done the Inka Jungle Trek. However, not all of them were up quite so early as Lewis the Lion and his friends. You can get to Machu Picchu by catching a bus instead for US $18 but Lewis thought that he would feel a greater sense of achievement if he finished off his journey with one final climb to the top of the mountain!

So armed with torches and head-torches, hikers and climbers followed the path which would lead them to the check-point by the bridge. There was tight security here as policemen checked passports with matching tickets to Machu Picchu. There is a limited number of tickets to the site sold each day as a way of making sure that the site is not damaged by too many tourists.

The ticket cost 142 nuevos soles.

Can you much would that be in pounds and pence?

Similarly you also need to purchase a ticket in advance if you wish to climb either the Huayna Picchu Mountain or the Machu Picchu Mountain (for an extra US $10). Lewis the Lion had already paid for his entrance to the Machu Picchu Mountain to avoid disappointment when he got there.

Clouds shroud the hidden city of the Incas

The bridge opened at precisely 5 o’clock in the morning and there was a stream of people eager to get across. After crossing the bridge, there was a stone staircase leading high up into the mountain. It was very physically demanding but luckily it was broken up in sections for the road which allowed hikers to grab their breath before embarking on the next section up the hillside. In the dark, there was a time when Lewis and his friends must have missed the next stone stairwell as they found themselves on the road for about 10 minutes! Thankfully, Lewis the Lion didn’t get too tired himself as he rode like a king in Ofer’s rucksack: wasn’t he lucky to have such kind and caring friends?!

In less than 45 minutes, the friends had reached the entrance to the Machu
Picchu UNESCO World Heritage Site but they now had to wait for the rest of their group and their guide. As Lewis the Lion waited, he wondered why he had got out of bed so early to try to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu as the cloud simply shrouded the site? Nonetheless, Lewis the Lion thought that it added to the intrigue and mystery of the place.

Lewis thinks the clouds add to the mystery of the site

It seemed incredible that unlike other Inca sites, this one had never been discovered and destroyed by the Spanish conquerers in the 15th Century. Lewis the Lion figured it must have had something to do with its out-of-the-way location, hidden high up in the jungle. Local people had always known about ruins at the top of a hill but it wasn’t until the American historian, Hiram Bingham, discovered the site in 1911 that it was revealed to the world. (Around the same time that Howard Carter made the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt). Bingham called the site, ‘the Lost City of the Incas,’ although the name Machu Picchu itself means ‘Old Mountain.’

A plaque commemorating the historian Hiram Bingham

As Lewis the Lion waited patiently, little by little the mist seemed to lift over the highland jungle to reveal the wonder of Machu Picchu itself. Lewis had a ‘wow’ moment as he wondered how on earth the Incas ever constructed such a city on the top of a mountain in the middle of the jungle?

Lewis the Lion waits patiently for the clouds to lift to reveal their secret treasure

The mist rises over the city of Machu Picchu

Click here to see the view that Lewis the Lion saw as he gazed on Machu Picchu for the first time.

Lewis sees the clouds lifting to reveal the hidden city of the Incas

Lewis the Lion looked on, mesmerised at this incredible place. It was unbelievable that it had stood intact for nearly 500 years and that it hadn’t been destroyed by the Spanish when they conquered Peru. It was a secret gem which had lain undiscovered until the start of the 20th Century. Lewis the Lion simply soaked up the view for quite a while before his tour guide ushered them on to reveal some of the secrets of this site.

At first the guide explained that the Incas were master architects. Machu Picchu is set on volcanic (igneous) rock and the city itself is made up predominately of white granite rock, surrounded by green, grassy terraces. The architects used the rocks in the landscape, by building around them. Lewis the Lion thought that that was very smart.

The Incas were master achitects

However, he realised that they were smarter still when they constructed their buildings without using grout between the stones and that they were also designed to withstand earthquakes.

Lewis walks around the city of Machu Picchu

For special buildings such as temples, the stones where more carefully carved. See how the Sun Temple curves even though the stones are straight.

Lewis admires the craftsmanship of the stone masons

Lewis the Lion thought that this was architectural brilliance!

Lewis sees the Temple of the Sun

This is what is thought to be a sun-dial calendar which again is a stone which the masons have cut with precision.

The Intihuatana is thought to be a sun calendar

There were many typical traits of the Inca Empire seen in other cities too, e.g. the three windows looking out onto the world.

The three windows mimic other Inca sites

Lewis admires the terraces and buildings of this hidden city

There was a central ceremonial square where religious ceremonies would have been carried out.

Lewis stands in the once ceremonial area of Machu Picchu

In spite of an eerie silence only broken by the bubble of excited tourists, Lewis the Lion loved the fact that swallows seemed to be Machu Picchu’s only permanent residents and they weren’t being quiet in letting everybody know about it. Lewis the Lion listens to them in this video as they fly by. It seemed strange to think that once upon a time there might have been as many as 500 inhabitants living in this remote location in the middle of the jungle.

Being a curious cat, Lewis the Lion got Helen to ask the guide if there any spooky stories to tell of Machu Picchu itself? ‘Indeed there are!’ replied the guide. The best one involves the last Inca who was believed to have been killed and quartered, with his body pieces being spread far and wide. The legend believes that one day, when these pieces are reunited the Incas will rise again! Lewis the Lion just loved stories like this one and wondered if it might just be true?!

The guided tour of the site ended up at some houses with roofs. They had been recreated in a way that historians believed the Incas might have had them 500 years ago. This helped you to imagine how Machu Picchu might have looked in its hayday.

How the roofs are thought to have been constructed

The tourists then got a chance to wander off and appreciate this wonderful historical site. Lewis the Lion sat back and admired the view for a bit. He just could not believe how well-preserved the town of Machu Picchu is so he wanted to film a little bit more from within the town itself so that you can see it too. Click here to see this incredible site.

After a little while, Lewis the Lion along with Helen and Ofer went off to climb the Machu Picchu Mountain which would give an even better view from above the town of Machu Picchu.

Lewis has a long climb ahead of him up the Machu Picchu Mountain

As Lewis the Lion was again lucky to be riding in Ofer’s rucksack, he secretly thought that his friends were gluttons for punishment!

The climb to the top of Montaña Machu Picchu

The climb was practically double what they had just done to get to Machu Picchu itself (at least an hour and a half’s climb) and this time it was under the full heat of the sun. This time the friends didn’t race to get up there though but took their time as they trudged up hundreds of steps.

There are hundreds of steps to climb up the Machu Picchu Mountain

They were happy to see other friends from the Inca Jungle Trek who were also making their way up there (Kuno, Cerianne and Neil) and hikers coming down the mountain encouraged them on telling them that all their efforts would be worth it.

Lewis the Lion celebrates reaching the top with Kuno and Cerianne

Lewis the Lion and Neil smile at the top of Montaña Machu Picchu

Indeed it was as the view from the top of Machu Picchu mountain was simply magnificent! Lewis the Lion feared that photos might not do it justice and so took a little film of it so that you could see it too. Click here.

A Peruvian flag flies high on the Machu Picchu Mountain

He enjoyed being there so much that he just spent a couple of hours at the top with his friends, savouring the view and enjoying the sunshine.

Machu Picchu as seen from Montaña Machu Picchu

Lewis marvels at the wonder of Machu Picchu

Lewis looks down on Machu Picchu from the Machu Picchu Mountain

From the top of Machu Picchu Mountain, Lewis could trace the journey that he had walked on his Inka Jungle Trek as the River wound around the valley below.

Lewis is in awe of the valley below and the journey he has made

Lewis the Lion also loved a mountain that was right beside Machu Picchu that he thought looked like a giant’s cloak!

Lewis loves the mountain that looks like a giant’s cloak

As he sat there, he felt a really great sense of achievement, especially for his friends Helen and Ofer who had kept on going, even though there were times when it would have been easy to give up.

Lewis the Lion is proud to be travelling with his friend Helen

Lewis the Lion and Ofer are proud of their achievement

Lewis watches Helen overlooking Machu Picchu below

The walk back down the mountain was equally challenging as you had to watch your footing. By the time they got back to the bottom, Helen could feel her legs wobbling but they weren’t going to stop there for they were headed for the Sun Gate. This is where many people who do the famous Inca Trail see Machu Picchu for the first time. On their way there, they saw llamas grazing on the terraces and Lewis the Lion wondered how they got there to?

Llamas graze on the terraces

From the Sun Gate, Lewis saw Machu Picchu from a different perspective and could see the road winding down the hillside. This would be the first view that many hikers would get of Machu Picchu and it must seem like a diamond glinting on the hillside after such a long walk.

Lewis has a different perspective of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate

Just as the friends started to head back, it started to rain very heavily and Lewis the Lion hid deep in the rucksack to keep dry. The stone pathways became very slippy and hazardous. Conscious that the site itself would close in the afternoon, Helen and Ofer decided that being wet through, it was probably best to catch a bus back down to the town of Aguascalientes. So for US $18 or 50 Nuevos Soles, the tired friends caught the bus…but not before they’d had their passports stamped with a special stamp from Machu Picchu!

A Machu Picchu passport stamp

That evening, Lewis the Lion had a final walk through Aguascalientes and was reminded of how great the short-lived Inca Empire was. Here in the middle of the main square are statues of some Inca leaders and Lewis the Lion was filled with admiration when he thought of everything he had learnt about the Incas over the past few days.

Inca statues adorn the main square in Aguacalientes, Machu Picchu town

If like Lewis the Lion, you love learning about different cultures and different ways of life, why don’t you check out this cool website which has some more information about the Incas. Click here.