Cusco & the Sacred Valley ON TOP OF THE
Machu Picchu in Peru is South America's biggest tourist attraction. Get familiar with the region and its many possibilities now, says Andy Hoskins
WORLD
the overgrown remains of Machu Picchu in 1911 he knew he was on to something special. Today, the famous Inca citadel in Peru’s Sacred Valley is South America’s number one tourist attraction and one of the New Seven Wonders of the world. Spectacularly set high in the Andes,
W
towering above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu is justifiably Peru’s ‘must- see’ destination. It is featured in the itineraries of virtually all first-time visitors to Peru, and goes hand in hand with Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire and today the gateway to the Sacred Valley and the famous Inca Trail. Cusco is a 60-minute flight from capital city Lima and
hen American explorer and academic Hiram Bingham stumbled across
together with the mysterious Nazca lines, Lake Titicaca, and the Colca Canyon – and often the Amazon too – comprises a typical itinerary for southern Peru. At an elevation of over 3,000 metres
it’s common for new arrivals in Cusco to spend a couple of days in the city acclimatising before setting out to Machu Picchu. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the charms of this historic city where cobbled streets and Inca walls lie side by side with elaborate colonial churches and convents. The pretty Plaza de Armas at
the city’s heart is flanked by colonnaded shops, the Cathedral and La Compania de
Jesus church, while beyond the main square highlights include the Qoricancha temple complex and the Museo Inka, plus the impressive Inca ceremonial site of Sacsayhuaman (pronounced for years by backpackers as ‘sexy woman’), a steep 30-minute walk out of the city. From Cusco, the Sacred Valley
stretches towards isolated Machu Picchu which for the more adventurous is typically reached by the ever popular three or four-day Inca Trail trek. Be warned, the number of people taking to the Trail is strictly limited to 500 per day and it is closed for the whole of February for
maintenance. Permits are often unavailable at short notice and, during the high season from June to August, it can be fully booked months in advance. The alternative for visiting Machu Picchu is a scenic train journey (check out the services of Peru Rail, Inca Rail and the luxury Orient Express Hiram Bingham) from Cusco or from the towns of Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, both of which can be reached by road. A day trip from Cusco to Machu Picchu can be done, but it's more common to incorporate an overnight stay in either Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo), in
Pictured this page: majestic Machu Picchu; mountain biking and handicrafts in the Sacred Valley. Pictured opposite: The Inca ceremonial site of Sacsayhuaman, Cusco; and Orient Express' Rio Sagrado hotel.
40 July/August 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
Selling Tip
If clients want to trek the Inca Trail they'll need to book permits well in advance
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68