The ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu is one of the fascinating archeological sites in the world. Adventurers and trekkers travel to this lost city in the sky, marveling at a lost civilization and a city supposedly built by aliens.
The City in the Sky
Trekking trips to Machu Picchu can last three to fives days. The city itself is almost 8,000 feet above sea level, making your trek an uphill one for most of your journey. You don’t need to be a rock climber or a trained athlete to make the trek, but you do need a certain fitness level to be able to walk for 6-7 hours a day. The steady ascent takes a lot out of you, so make sure you bring lots of water. Medication could help with the altitude sickness if you didn’t spend a few days in Ollantaytambo to acclimatize. The trail is fantastic, and you’ll drown in magnificent views — just don’t take too long to take those perfect shots.
Built by Aliens
Machu Picchu is a magnificent city, enough for it to land a place as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. However, the site has gotten a lot of attention in recent years because of a particular show in the History Channel — yes, the one with aliens. The History Channel’s Ancient Aliens put forth a theory that aliens built Machu Picchu or using alien technology. While there is very little actual proof, the arguments put forth by the show coincides with factual and visual evidence. Stories of Incan leader Pachacutec involve levitating stones, and once you see the city in the sky, you might believe those stories had a bit of truth. Machu Picchu’s construction is so precise and moving the tons of rock up that mountain is a herculean effort, especially since the Incas had no concept of the wheel. The cuts made on the stone structures are so precise that modern-day engineers can’t replicate them using the technology available at that time.
Preparing for Your Trek
You need to book your treks early if you want the best possible experience. You need to book six months in advance for treks between April and October (the dry months) or three months in advance between November and March. This gives you a lot of time to get a bit (or a lot) of cardio. Wear trekking clothes or Dri-fit clothing. You’ll be sweating a lot, so you want your clothes to be breathable and waterproof. A warm jacket is essential, especially during the cold nights and early mornings. Insect repellant is a must; those Peruvian mosquitos are enormous, and they can be bothersome at the early stages of your trek. If you have sensitive skin, bring sunscreen. UV concentrations can go up by 7 percent for every 1,000 feet of elevation, so reaching the top of Machu Picchu exposes you to almost 50 percent more UV.
Charge your phones and get ready to take a lot of photos. Whether you’re in it for the aliens or the adventure — a trip to Machu Picchu will be an experience of a lifetime.
