Peru. Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a typical Incan city located in the Andes at an altitude of 2400 meters on the mountain ridge above the Urubamba River valley. Getting there involves taking a microbus to the Hydroelectrica settlement, then walking along the railway to the campground by the river, near the mountain where the ancient Incan city is sprawled.
One can reach the base for the Machu Picchu ascent directly from Cusco by train, but the high ticket prices (starting from $120) and limited availability make this option inconvenient. There are no regular buses, so the best alternative is to book a transfer on a microbus through local tour companies to Hydroelectrica ($14), then continue on foot for about 10 km along the railway tracks... 
Three kilometers from the ascent to Machu Picchu, we settled into a campground around midday. Our tickets for the Incan city were purchased for the next day with enter at 7:00 a.m., we booked them two months prior to our trip...
After visiting Machu Picchu, we planned to hike the Salkantay trail in reverse, so the campground's location suited us perfectly. We wanted left our belongings at the campground before Machu Picchu, visited the city, then retrieved our backpacks on the way back to continue with the Salkantay route...
The private campground was situated by the Urubamba River, offering the opportunity for a refreshing swim...
Early the next morning, after packing our backpacks and leaving them in a storage room, we set off for Machu Picchu. We had to walk about 3.5 km from the campground to the entrance, ascending nearly 400 meters. Arriving half an hour before our ticketed time, we patiently waited for our turn to enter Machu Picchu...
Upon finally entering, we encountered dense fog that obscured much of the city...
We settled onto a terrace of Machu Picchu, awaiting the clearing of clouds to admire the city's full beauty...
The city was believed to have been built as a sacred mountain refuge by Inca Emperor Pachacuti approximately in 1440, functioning until 1532 when the Spanish invaded the empire. Unlike many other Incan sites, Machu Picchu was not discovered by the Spanish, remaining hidden for over 400 years until its rediscovery in 1911...
Machu Picchu is a typical Incan city containing a central plaza, a royal palace, and a Temple of the Sun, all constructed from polygonal stone blocks. The city has a very precise structure. A complex of palace buildings is located on the southern slope. The stones used in their construction were meticulously cut, fitted, and polished; it is impossible to even insert the blade of a safety razor between them...
The clouds rising from the lowlands of the rainforest gradually revealed more and more of the mountain Wayna Picchu, which loomed behind the city as if towering over it...
We sat for almost three hours in one spot to catch the same classic view of Machu Picchu from the terraces...
Another classic viewpoint was located on the descent towards the city...
Passing through the gates, we entered the heart of the former Incan city...
The mountains surrounded by clouds were the most beautiful adornment of the city...
Little owl...
And most impressive are the scales of the construction...
The Temple of the Condor was one of the most intriguing structures at Machu Picchu...
Featuring carved stones resembling wings and a condor's head, creating a three-dimensional effect best appreciated by facing the bird's beak and stepping back 5-6 steps...
The terraces from the lower part of the city, drainage canals, and other features also captured our attention.
After completing the tour of the most popular Incan town, we exited the open-air museum area within the designated four hours. On our way back to the campground, we spotted a beautiful bird in the forest...
Upon returning to the campground, we had lunch, retrieved our backpacks from storage, and continued along the Salkantay trek route...
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