Lord Nigel's Travels - Peru - Ultimate Machu Picchu Collection

in #travel5 years ago (edited)

Welcome to another @lordnigel's travels.

In recent times many people have put Machu Picchu on the MUST SEE travel list when visiting South America.

In this post I will share some photos of this great and magical place before the tourists hit it in record proportions! - it was still full of tourists but some patience and sitting in key spots/angles let me get some pretty cool shots - well I reckon :)

I'm going to share many of my favorite photos plus step you through getting there, should you be considering it a place to visit on your bucket list.

The quality of the photos may be a bit on the lower grade side; the photos were taken on the most expensive camera I could afford at the time - the  Nikon D3100 14.2-megapixel DX format DSLR  - it had just come out on the market and I spent everything I had to spare.

From a guide and tips point of view, this post assumes you have already arrived In South America and your ready to head straight to Machu Picchu.

There is plenty of info out there about Machu Picchu how it was built in the classical Inca style, and restored starting mainly in the late 70's, so I won't repeat this in this post. Instead I will focus on giving some hidden tips and unique insight -  I will try to the best of my ability anyways :) - only the best for Steem.

First thing you do is buy some these... you basically munch these to help with the altitude sickness. They are just lollies and you munch them.

Second thing is grab your bottle of ....this stuff is more popular than Coco Cola in South America.

Third thing grab yourself a local Voodoo doll thingy for protection..lol! just joking, but they sure have some interesting art in South America.

Next you decide will you walk the Inca trail (several days hike). Below is a quick snap shot of part of the trail - you can see the hikers hard at it.

OR will you take the train? It follows the Urubamba River and ends at a small tourist town just below the Citadel of Machu Picchu. In this case (against my Doctor's wishes - I just started some fresh Chemotherapy treatment) I decided to go, but play it safe...I decided to take the train. In hindsight I wish I had done the full Inca trail, but that was then and this is now..anyways. Below is a photo of me on the train, feeling a bit rough :(

The town at the end of the track is partially made up of bars and eateries. It sits on the rivers edge - it is a very beautiful part of the world and the photos just don't give it credit.

After arriving head to the largest local pub for a local brew and catch the entertainment.

If the above place is full, there are many smaller places to visit and a variety of things to eat - checkout this UFO pizza bar place below. When I asked them where they got inspiration for the UFO, they just said it's a representation of one of the ancient gods they worshiped -- not sure if they were having me on? haha.

Once your feed get yourself on one of the many buses heading up to the Citadel. They have to make their way up this windy track to get to the Citadel, this is the track you'll be driving up when you grab the bus. I recall I hiked a bit after we arrived to get this picture, but not far.

Once there there is allot to see and allot of people trying to see it. I recommend making your way up high quickly, either pickup the Inca trail for a view down or at least just head to the highest point/temples so you can get the best photos before the hoards make their way up and block the great views.

There are many great photo vantage points. I tried my best to get lots of angles and I recall trying to get just a few tourists in the shots.  this is a shot from the Inca trail (from memory) you can see the majority of the Citadel.

Here are some of my favorites below

I always love taking photos through door ways in these ancient temples.


Of course no @lordnigel's travels is complete without a strong focus on the animals in the area

And just to finish up any guesses as to what this animal was below?

Some of the standouts about Machu Picchu is the way the ancient Inca's designed their temples. I won't give too much away as the tour guides will share the local lore, but I will say you will see some impressive stone water moving systems and crazy sacrificial rocks that line up with star, moon and sun locations

I'm affraid that's it for my latest @lordnigel's travels. I hope people enjoyed and see you for the next post.

Take care.


!steemitworldmap -13.153597 lat -72.523958 long Lord Nigel's Travels - Peru - Ultimate Machu Picchu Collection d3scr

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One of the best posts on Machu Picchu I have ever seen here. Congrats, great job :)

Gosh! thanks dude.. such a fantastic place :)

My kids where there yesterday! Can't wait till they get home to hear about their Peruvian adventures.

Sweet - just like pop eh not afraid to travel :)

It really is a magical place

Yea! I wish I was with them....not the ex wife.
We will have to plan a trip soon.
Australia perhaps?!?!

There's a place for you at the #mallsballers table already made if you make Adelaide :)

Aww Thanks!
It's on my list. :)

Fabulous photos and an interesting post. I would have taken the train and had no idea they offered this service. Everyone I have known to visit this place has gone the hard way along the trails. Love the Gold Inca coke lol.

lol! yeah...I was suprised to hear they sell more then coke cola ...I walked part of the Inca trail near the Citadel, but that near killed me.

These days i'd definitely do the trail, even if it did kill me (worse ways to go - like grinding away at a 9 to 5, this is killing me).

I believe that's a place that one should definitely visit during our lifetime. I haven't had the chance yet but my cousin was there last year and I saw the photos plus she told me everything in details, even about Cusco.

However, I'm glad to read your blog, you've managed to capture some wonderful photos.

It's a very unique and special place

Cusco's altitude is even higher - great place to visit though, lovely people - one of the hardest airports on earth to land a commercial aircraft - interesting experience though :)

Great photographs @lordnigel , Machu Picchubis definitely high on my travel list

Thanks muchly - I hope you are able to make it happen, definitely worth it :)

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Quite an interesting travel blog with some beautiful pictures, The framing of the first picture itself was superb, The snow clad mountains in the back drop of blue sky, the hill that in green color with its particular triangle shape was really looks good.

The stone structures looks interesting, the way it has shaped the landscape and it seems you did not included any temple photos which you mentioned in the end.

Anyhow it is a good post to see some nice pictures of a place which there is no chance fore me to make a trip for...Thanks and Cheers

It is a photo I can't take credit for - but yeah it was framed well :).

Glad you enjoyed the post.

Cheers

Great post and great photos!

Thanks for sharing this wonderful place.

Greetings from Mexico.

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Hola - It really was magical, happy to share my adventures :)

Thanks for the comment

Waaaaaah! Machu Picchu! I've only heard about this and a parcel of its history over youtube.

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lol! sorry, I'd share the trips with everyone if i could afford it - It's a magical place, you really need it on the bucket list :)

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Is it a bat????

I love taking photos through doorways too. I never get the light quite right though.

My sister was proposed to at Macchu Picchu.. well played, bro in law. I would love to go one day.

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Wow! certainly hard to trump a proposal at Macchu Picchu..didn't bro law know he set the bar too high :)

I got no idea what the skull is..I figured a baby lemur?

There are places that everyone should visit once in a lifetime and this is one of them. I haven't visited it yet but I think it's one of them :) When did you visit it? It looks like you were lucky with tourists. I'm sure there were some as there must be always some but it indeed doesn't seem too crowded.

Thank you for showing us your trip and I must say that you were very brave to do this trip considering the health conditions that you mentioned.

Have a lovely day!

Gosh must have been 10 years back now when I took these pics. back before the time of Iphones and internet maps at least because I remember using a hand drawn map haha.

I've been ill since I was 17; on and off through life, currently in remission. When life rolls you a one, bugger the dice, haha roll yourself a 6 and travel the world :)

Hahaha, I still prefer a hand drawn map. And I like to write on it :)

I am happy to hear that you're doing well and I hope that you will feel even better! :)

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Cool cool we're here in Peru and just going through all the Peru blog posts. This helps a lot but not sure if I catch, where exactly is the town you stopped by before the citadel, Agua calient

You lucky people! such a magical place - I'm sure you will love it.

Not sure the name of the town, I had a feeling it started with an O.......(big long word) haha.
If you key in Machu Picchu station in your favourite online map service it should take you to the town where the train drops you off.

HAve fun :)

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