Peru: Machu Picchu


Adventure

I wasn’t sure if Machu Picchu was going to be worth the trip. I was already tight on time, having attended most of the two week COP20 climate negotiations in Lima. But when else would I be in Peru? I decided I had to try and get there. And I’m so glad I did! Even though it took a full day of travel and jumping through some serious logistical hoops, it was well worth it.

The trip there was an adventure in itself. My day started at 4am on Sunday, catching a plane to the ancient andean city of Cusco where I joined a ‘colectivo’ — a family run mini-bus. That dropped me off in the beautiful Ollantaytambo where I caught a train to Aguas Calientes. The train ride through the Sacred Valley was incredible. Waking up the next morning I jumped on a 7am bus that brought me the last leg up a mountain to Machu Picchu itself where I met up with a bunch of SustainUS friends.

The remoteness, history, and scale of the experience all left a lasting impression. Here are a few pictures from the adventure, beginning when I arrived in Aguas Calientes.