Exceptional Experience: Our Legendary Trip to Machu Picchu ~ Part 2

At the end of Part 1 we had just arrived at 7 a.m. with our guide to explore Circuit 1 of Machu Picchu. This one provides the iconic views like the one above, but doesn’t allow entry into the interior of the ancient complex. That would be happening with our tickets for Circuit 2 at 1 p.m.

Machu Picchu’s altitude is around 8,000 feet above sea level, less than what we are used to in Cuenca. Still, the ascent was somewhat steep and challenging. While climbing we got a preview of what we were about to witness.

And suddenly there it was. The view was everything we could have ever hoped for. Photos cannot properly capture the magnificence of not only the site itself but the surrounding mountains. Breathtaking!

As we were taking it all in, our guide caught us completely off guard by saying, “My next tour isn’t until 11 o’clock. When we’re finished here I’ll talk to someone and see if we can go ahead and do Circuit 3 if you'd like.”

Well, sure!

So off we went on a totally unexpected (and complimentary) “bonus round” into Machu Picchu’s lower terraces.

This area was the location of important temples and royal residences.

It was incredible to now be looking up towards the area where we had been gazing down from shortly before.

After an early start and four intense hours of touring the two circuits we were hungry and exhausted. We headed straight for Belmond’s luxurious Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel adjacent to Machu Picchu.

The dining room wasn’t officially open for lunch yet, but the kind staff graciously escorted us to a table anyway.

This was our one and only day at Machu Picchu, but when we sat down we weren’t sure we had the energy to do Circuit 2. Delicious food, lots of water, and a couple of hours rest revived us enough to keep going.

Good decision. Being the most popular route, this one was much easier to navigate. It starts with another fabulous overview, just not as high as from Circuit 1.

What a pity it would have been to skip wandering through this significant and well-preserved ceremonial center built during the Inca Empire. The experience was absolutely fascinating.

And since we were in Peru, how appropriate for us to run into llamas here and there.

Before catching the evening train back to Cusco, we invited our guide to join us for dinner. We related to him our afternoon adventure and he said in 20 years of taking visitors to Machu Picchu, we were the only people he ever knew that did all three circuits in one day.

For this accomplishment he declared us to be “legendary!” 🏆

We arrived expecting to do only one circuit and miraculously ended up going to not one–not two–but all three! Goodbye, Machu Picchu, and thanks for a lifelong memory.