From Intipunku at 2685 m. (8,860 ft), a path leads you into the fabled ruins. Plan a full day here, with perhaps a stay at the Machu Picchu Santcuary Lodge, to make sure you see the ruins before or after the tourists arrive by bus from Aguas Calientes at the bottom of the steep hill. Be warned, though, you'll need reservations made months in advance.
Machu Picchu is most visited during the day between 11 am and 2:30 pm, during the weekends from June to August.
There are a number of theories about the function of Machu Picchu. Some say it was a summer palace for the Incas, other a religious retreat, others a last bastion against the encroaching Spanish conquistadores. The thick vegetation hid it for centuries until Hiram Bingham re-discovered it in 1912.
Whatever the purpose, the Inca engineers and laborers who constructed this city were master stonemasons. The quality of their work is an indication of the importance of the city.
Now we, as visitors, can marvel at their workmanship, be awed by the views and this enormously fascinating archaeologically important site with palaces, temples, plazas, dwellings, steps and terraces.
Its climate is semi-tropical and the mist that often hangs over the peaks gives it a mystical, ethereal ambiance. The Incan city is laid out in such a way that the northern half tends to be agricultural terraces and high ritual areas while the southern end/side tends to be agricultural and domestic..
Enjoy your walk on the Inca Trail!
