The Traveling Vet Girl

I woke at 3am and staggered, dreary eyed, down to the bus stop. It was a cold morning but I had my newly purchased alpaca sweater to keep me warm. I was first in a line that grew to over a hundred people, all clamoring to make it up the mountain before sunrise. At 5am, I took my seat in the first row and sat back as the bus made its way along the dirt road, wondering with each switchback if the large bus could make the turn, surprised every time when it did. The gray light of morning had begun to show as I made my way through the gates and bee-lined up the stairs to the lookout. I took a seat on the ledge and watched the sunlight break over the mountain and shine down onto the mountaintop Incan city of Machu Picchu!

This article is part of my “New 7 Wonders of the World” series. The New 7 Wonders were voted upon worldwide in 2007, and include The Great Wall of China, the Colosseum, Petra, the Christ Redeemer, Machu Picchu, and Chichen Itza. While it’s certainly not a complete list of places I want to visit, it is my goal to travel to each location.

I started my trip 4 days prior in Cusco, volunteering with a World Vets clinic. I specifically booked this trip so that I could see Machu Picchu. My cousins had visited a few years prior, and I had been dreaming of going there ever since. There are a few ways to get to the Incan city. Hiking the Inca Trail is very popular and takes about 4 days. Since I had limited time on this trip, I decided to take the easier route – a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (the closest town to Machu Picchu).

The day started with a collectivo ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. It’s a cheap bus ride for a reason – they pack it full and drive like crazy! But I made it to Ollantaytambo safely, and followed the crowds to the train station, where I took the evening train to Aguas Calientes. I had a minor panic attack when I arrived that night, since my phone had died and I wasn’t exactly sure where my hostel was located. Luckily a nice souvenir vendor knew the name, and pointed me in the right direction.

It was a cheap hostel with no hot water, but had a warm bed that I used for a few hours before I was up and ready to get in line for the shuttle buses. I knew I wanted to watch the sunrise at Machu Picchu, so I made sure I was on the first bus to the site, even if I did have to wake up at 3am.

But wow, it was worth it! The atmosphere in the early morning was so calm, and I was really happy to experience the ancient city with so few people around. Also, there were BABY LLAMAS!!! It can’t get any better than that!

After taking some sunrise photos and pulling myself away from the llamas, I made my way to the entrance of Huayna Picchu, the mountain peak visible in all the typical pictures of Machu Picchu. This hike is one you have to book in advance, as the government has been restricting the number of tourists allowed daily.

It’s not a hike for the faint of heart. It took me SO LONG to make it up top. Like I’ve said previously, I suck at hiking! And given the high altitude, my beach level lungs couldn’t take more than a few feet at a time before I needed to rest. But if there’s one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I am not a quitter! I made it up after what felt like hours later, surpassed by everyone that I had started with. The view up top was incredible though! I spent an hour up there, just relaxing and taking it all in. It’s a hike I’m very proud of, to say the least!

After making it back down to the main site, I spent the next few hours exploring Machu Picchu. I regret not taking a guided tour, but alas, I was a poor student then. I followed my guidebook and tried to imagine what the city would have looked like all those years ago.

It unfortunately got pretty busy in the afternoon after all the big tour groups arrived midday. It also got VERY hot, since it was late August and there’s very little shade. I ended up leaving around 3pm, but it felt like I had been there much longer. I hopped on the shuttle bus, thoroughly exhausted, and grabbed a bite to eat back in Aguas Calientes.

The mystical Incan city and new wonder of the world certainly lived up to the hype – it was a magical day I’ll never forget!