Japanese ⇒ Sekai burari SHOT
Entrance to Machu Picchu Ruins (February 2015)
Machu Picchu sits in the 2,400m ridge between two mountains; Mt.Machu Picchu (2,940m) and Mt.Huayna Picchu (2,690m).
It's called as the 'city in the air' because it can be seen only from the sky.
Entrance ticket and passport are required here.
There are many plates to have honored Machu Picchu Ruins and Hiram Bingham who discovered Machu Picchu.
Urubamba River can be seen 400m below.
Trains which is standing at Machu Picchu Station can be seen.
Thatched houses are the restored storage called as Colca.
Deep valley seen on the way
The other side of the Colca has spread terraced fields. But tour route shows to turn left at front of it and go up to Guardhouse along steep slope.
Going up zigzag slopes
Passing through woods, suddenly a panoramic scene of Machu Picchu can be seen.
Hiram Bingham, historian of Yale University, found a Inca ruins which was escaped the destruction by Spain in 1911.
Guardhouse (Recinto del Guardián) It's the best location of overlooking Machu Picchu.
We face on the north from the Guardhouse to observe Machu Picchu Ruins and Huayna Picchu.
The Guardhouse is situated in such a location as seen from the west side.
We can climb to the top of Huayna Picchu, altitude difference 250m from the ruins, in a 2-hour and half round-trip.
video (2 min) Landscape around the Guardhouse
Rock Funeral （La Roca Funeraria） It's said that sacred rituals have been performed here.
Steep slopes of west side in Machu Picchu
video (22 sec) Clouds rising up over Machu Picchu
Because Urubamba river basin has covered with dense forests, the ruins on a mountain couldn't been confirmed for a long time.
The place where is a lot of big stone on the upper part of the slope was the quarry (La Cantera) to build the city.
Urubamba River in the valley bottom
Fog rising up from the valley bottom
You can see that the Guardhouse is located on the top of terraced fields in the east side.
It's said that Machu Picchu had 300-1,000 residents.
The city is divided into an urban area and an agricultural area with high walls and deep moats.
In 1983, UNESCO designated Machu Picchu a World Heritage Site, describing it as 'an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization'.
End of Guardhouse. return to countries visited
