Putucusi Mountain and Maccu Picchu

We arrived in Aguas Caliente, the hub for visitors of Maccu Picchu, after a 3 hour train ride from Cusco. After promptly checking in to our claustrophobically small room, Julia began exploring the hostel’s gardens and terraces, recognizing a large open room offering panoramic views of the river and surrounding Andes. She quickly asked for, and received, an upgrade to the superior suite.


We threw our stuff down and met our tour guide, Juan Carlos, for our climb up Mt. Putucusi. Julia noticed the striking resemblance of Putucusi to the mountains in NES Mario
She began the climb in lead position at an aggressive pace. However, the challenging inclines and lack of oxygen (~3000 meters, nearly 2 miles high) very quickly said “not so fast,” resulting in her quick digression into an angry, gasping-for-air, sweaty mess. Unwilling to accept defeat, we continued at a steadier pace while listening to Juan’s historical and geographical expertise of the surrounding Andean Jungle and the Incas that once inhabited them. The hike was unlike any other back home – it included vertical wooden ladders so high you could not see where they ended, narrow cliff-side paths that did not allow one misstep, and varied terrain including thick canopied jungle to desert-like formations. The 4 hour round trip offered beautiful views of the city below,
,
and our reason for coming, Machu Picchu.

The next day, we rose at the godforsaken hour of 4am to begin our ascent to Machu Picchu. As July is the high tourist season, nearly 4,000 global gringos make the trip to the park daily. But in this case, the early bird truly got the worm as we witnessed the sunrise break the Andean Mountain range and shed its light on the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu.
Alongside Juan, we learned about the sacred temples, religious rituals, and the tragic demise of the Inca Empire after Spanish colonization in South America. Most interesting to me, I feel the Inca provide a useful lesson in sustainability. The enormous Empire spanned the areas that are now Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and even some of Argentina. The Inca respected/worshipped the natural world around them and used it to create a vibrant society and sustainable economic system. However, after the Spanish invasion, the Incas fled their cities and temples to seek protection in the surrounding jungle. With them, they took their treasures, history and answers to the many questions spurred from what little scientist actually know.