Ask travelers why they’re heading to Peru and most will respond with ‘Machu Picchu’. High on the bucket lists of travelers the world over, everyone dreams of uncovering the Secrets of Machu Picchu. The ancient Inca ruin enjoys a mystical attraction, stirring up a range of emotions and expectations.
More about Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a fascinating archaeological site located in Peru’s Sacred Valley. A breathtakingly beautiful and historic location its officially one of the wonders of the world. This ancient city was built in the 15th century and was later abandoned by the Inca civilization, only to be rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.
Book-ending the Northwestern edge of the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu is nestled in the Andes Mountains and is renowned for its stunning views, intricate stonework, and mysteries around its very existence. Scholars believe that it was built as an estate for the Incan emperor Pachacuti, but its exact purpose remains a mystery. The complex consists of many different structures, including temples, residences, and terraces, all of which are masterfully crafted from stone.
Today, Machu Picchu is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. Visitors can take a train or hike along the Inca Trail to reach the site, and once there, they can explore the ancient ruins and learn about the history of the Inca civilization. The Peruvian government has taken steps to preserve Machu Picchu and limit the impact of tourism on the fragile site, so visitors are required to follow certain rules and regulations when visiting.
Behind the scenes (possible spoilers)
If this is your first time reading a ‘Behind the scenes’ peek at one of our YouTube videos, watch the video before reading any further. There may be possible spoilers!
This was the first travel adventure we considered posting on YouTube. Although it wasn’t shot with a travel Vlog in mind, the amazing scenes and breathtaking beauty compelled us to venture into the crazy world of YouTube vlogging.
It’s not really captured in the video, but there was a surreal moment when Wendy and I were standing above the Machu Picchu ruins. As Wendy and I walked around the last bend to approach a point where you can down into the Machu Picchu ruins in their entirety we both experienced an out of body moment. It’s nothing mystical, more the brain trying to connect all the images absorbed over the years, knowing what you think you know about the ruin and then suddenly having in there, in real-life kind. Neither of us spoke about it at the time, but discovered later that feeling was the first thing that came to mind at that moment.
We were so absorbed by the incredible history all around us while walking through Machu Picchu, it was difficult retracing our steps sometime later when editing the video at home. It sounds cliched, but you really do feel like you’re uncovering the secrets of Machu Picchu as you navigate the ancient alleys.
We spent an entire evening, looking at the maps, rewatching the video and walking through our memories to finally get comfortable we were showing our correct route. Not finding the best maps online certainly didn’t help!
Finally, what wasn’t seen in the video were the number of times we stopped and just chatted. All three shared stories about travel, life and oh yes, the insanely historic ruins we were standing in!
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Thank you for taking the time to join us on this travel adventure and we look forward to having you along on the next one!
