Embrace Inca Constellations at Castle in the Sky, Machu Picchu (Part I)

Discover 5 fun facts before visiting Machu Picchu

Pre-Test before reading this article:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to consider the following before you decide to pay this castle in the sky a visit.

• Don’t go if you are NOT a fan of Mysteries
• Don’t go if you are NOT a fan of Mother Nature
• Don’t go if you are NOT a fan of Ancient Civilizations

Fact #1

Against common belief amongst movie fans, Indiana Jones never set foot in Machu Picchu; then, do you know there’s a real Indy?

Many movie fans of Raiders of the Lost Ark may remember the famous opening scene where Indiana Jones began his adventure in Peru jungles, but the real shooting location of that scene was actually in Hawaii.

Don’t be disappointed, you will be more interested in the real professor Indy. His name is Hiram Bingham, and he was a Hawaiian professor/ explorer/ politician, fascinating triple identities don’t you think? How Hiram rediscovered Machu Picchu was purely by accident though. In 1911 when a local farm boy took him to the 2,000 meters high Machu Picchu, he was actually trying to locate Vilcabamba, the last refuge of Incas before they surrendered to the Spanish flag.

It’s been over 100 years since Machu Picchu was first unveiled to the world; however, despite archaeologists’ diligent works, there are still so many unsolved mysteries about this ancient site, like why did the Incas abandon this brilliantly designed palace in the first place, why did the Spanish troop never find it, or how could the Incas transport so many heavy stones to the mountaintops and cut them so precisely that not a single paper can be fit between two stones… Anyone has an Indy soul to solve them all?

My Take: When paying the lost city Machu Picchu a visit, do spend some time to walk around it’s neighborhood, you never know, who says you can’t be the finder of the long-lost Inca treasure, or you may accidentally hit a button when wandering around the sacred site and find yourself fallen into a hidden temple with a mysterious ark.

Fact #2

While many know about the famous Machu Picchu face, little do they know there’s a gigantic hidden condor to be discovered!

Many travel lovers must fall for this famous Machu Picchu portrait once, as the ancient shrine seems to be surrounded and protected by a divine Inca spirit. Be that as it may, don’t miss another tour highlight nearby, even though it may take a bit more time and sweat.

That is, the famous nose tip, Huayna Picchu (or Wayna Picchu).

What’s so special about Huayna Picchu, you may ask. Well, for one, you’ve come so far to this river deep mountain high Inca trail, why not walk a bit further and treat yourself with a different view of the famous castle? After all, the hike takes less than 3 hours while the experience is certainly a lifetime.

For another, the hiking route is totally doable for hiking newbies. Trust me, mountains and I don’t usually cross paths, but with the help of some simple gear like hiking shoes or trekking poles, I completed the trek all by myself!

Lastly, Huayna Picchu peak is the one and only high point where you can have a bird’s-eye-view of the whole Machu Picchu citadel! When you make it to the top, I bet you will be just like me, all you can think of is WOW. You forget all the steep paths and narrow stairs, simply hold the Incas in high esteem, as they could construct the whole castle in the shape of their sacred animal, Andean Condor, so as to worship this messenger of heaven.

My Take: Remember to pace yourself when climbing Huayna Picchu as there are a 6-hour time constraint for your stay in both Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Speaking from personal experience, with the breathtaking view and ancient ruins on top, you will need all the time you can spare.

Did you miss traveling? I visited Machu Picchu on the first day of 2020 before everything got crazy and sad due to COVID-19. Now Machu Picchu seems to be an ancient memory...

Let‘s take a brief stop here, see me in the next article.

PS, all photos in this article were taken by me, welcome to follow my Instagram account here for more.

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