To manage the crowd at Machu Picchu, visitors were admitted in specific time slots. Oliver, Felicity, and I were assigned the same slot at noon. Anton had an 8am slot and afterwards he was hopping on a bus back to Cusco. I asked him to wake me before he leaves and at 5:30 am the time came for our much-dreaded farewell. We exchanged a heartfelt hug, patted each other on the back, and tried to keep a straight face, knowing it would be the last time we’d see each other.
Unable to sleep and merely rolling around in bed, I finally gave up trying around 8 am and got up to meet Oliver and Felicity for breakfast at the hotel. Despite the lack of sleep and mediocre breakfast, our spirits remained high on this momentous day. After a quick detour to the market for food, we left for Machu Picchu around 10 am, giving ourselves ample time to reach the summit by noon.
The town quickly faded away, replaced by the lush jungle landscape as we meandered along a narrow valley tracing the path of the river. We soon crossed a bridge, marking our arrival at the official starting point of the hiking trail. An intimidatingly steep ascent, filled with stone steps, loomed ahead. In high spirits, we approached the climb head-on. Along the way, we encountered our fellow tour members on their way down from their visit, and the air buzzed with enthusiastic conversations. Their excitement made us more eager than ever to reach the infamous Inca city, and we practically skipped the rest of the way to the top.
When we emerged from the jungle, we found ourselves in a parking lot surrounded by hundreds of tourists. It was slightly overwhelming and a bit disorientating. We had a pre-arranged guide that we were supposed to meet, but had no sight of him whatsoever. None of us had the means to contact him. All we could do was wait, hoping we would show up soon.
A while later, with no guide in sight and our designated time slot for Machu Picchu looming, we grew concerned. We asked other guides if anyone had seen ours. No one had, but one guide who knew him was kind enough to let us use his phone to call. To our annoyance, our guide was already inside the Machu Picchu entrance, ready to start the tour with the other guests in our group. We hurried through the gate to catch up with them.
Before we set off on our tour, there was some initial confusion about the route we were taking. The foot traffic flows only one way, and you’re not allowed to turn back once you start. Given that there are various routes and you can only choose one, we had to ensure we were on the one with an elevated viewpoint overlooking the city. This is the iconic view you see in photos of Machu Picchu. Though it seemed like we were on a different route, the guide insisted he was taking us on the correct one. Not entirely convinced, we had no choice but to go along with it anyway.
To our relief, we ascended a series of stairs, anticipating the overhead view of the citadel we sought. As we ascended, the jungle gradually gave way to a grassy platform the size of a sports field. Initially, all we could see were the surrounding mountains, the citadel remained out of sight. Approaching the edge of the platform, the valley below started to emerge and suddenly, there it was… Machu Picchu, perched majestically atop the peaks, greeted us in all its renowned glory. My senses heightened, and the murmurs of people around me faded as my mind immersed itself fully in the sight before me. Viewing a photo could never capture the depth of this sensory encounter. There’s a profound feeling, an essence, that’s exponentially more vivid than an image can ever be.
Awestruck by the beauty before us, we spent about 15 minutes soaking in the moment. But, of course, a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this couldn’t go undocumented. Our guide, with the enthusiasm of a seasoned photographer, directed us into various poses as we captured countless photos from every conceivable angle. It felt like a magazine-style photoshoot, and we were more than happy to indulge.
Our guide was clearly on a tight schedule and didn’t allow us to linger as much as we would have liked. We could have stayed up there for hours capturing different views. As he led us down, we occasionally rebelled, sneaking off to platforms or pathways to snap a few more photos of the city from new angles. Eventually, we came to a stop at one of the first structures on the outskirts of the ruined city, where our guide launched into a comprehensive explanation of its history, architecture, and the daily lives of its former inhabitants.
The tour continued with stops at all the significant structures, where our guide provided detailed explanations. About three-quarters of the way through the city, the guide left us, allowing us explore the remaining sections at our own pace. While walking among the ruins was amazing, the real magic was found at the initial viewpoint, where the elevated view encapsulated this marvel in all its awe.
Slowly, we exited the site, savouring every moment almost to a crawl to stretch out our limited time inside. Once out, we retraced our steps back to town. This time at a much slower pace, joyously discussing our experiences along the way.
When we arrived back in town, another heavy farewell loomed. Olly and Felicity grabbed their bags and headed to the train station for their journey back to Cusco. I would only follow the next day by bus. Along the way, we searched out a restaurant for a final lunch together. Our choice was swayed more by the enthusiastic waiters than the menu itself. Despite the remarkable day we had just experienced, we settled on a fairly unremarkable lunch: a classic western pizza.
After our meal, I walked with them to the train station. Emotions ran high as we said our farewells, knowing our paths would now forever diverge. We stood tall, promising to reunite if circumstances allowed, no matter where in the world we found ourselves. With embraces and waves, I watched their train depart.
Now alone, I found myself reflecting for the first time in five days. As I wandered through the town towards my new accommodation, memories of our journey intertwined with the enchanting atmosphere around me. It felt as if the murmurs of the streets echoed the whispers of our shared experiences. Whispers of joy, friendship and one epic adventure.
