May 2016 - Machu Picchu

We took the Inca Trail (Part 1 and Part 2) to Machu Picchu. The site is enormous and the setting is incredible. We also hiked the adjacent Huayna Picchu mountain, which gave incredible views of the ruins and the valley.

The postcard view of Machu Picchu
The postcard view of Machu Picchu
	The sun temple	Inside the sun temple
	The sun temple	Inside the sun temple
Built right into the rock	A pretty serious doorway	Catching a break in the shade
Built right into the rock	A pretty serious doorway	Catching a break in the shade
A city in the mountains	Temple of the three windows (third window not shown)	A bit of wall with a damaged foundation
A city in the mountains	Temple of the three windows (third window not shown)	A bit of wall with a damaged foundation
All three windows of the temple	The Inti Watana sun dial of sorts, except a type of religious sundial that the Spanish hunted down and destroyed	The pyramid that the Inti Watana is on top of
All three windows of the temple	The Inti Watana sun dial of sorts, except a type of religious sundial that the Spanish hunted down and destroyed	The pyramid that the Inti Watana is on top of
The terraces on the back side of Machu Picchu, which never makes it into the photos		Much exploring to be done
The terraces on the back side of Machu Picchu, which never makes it into the photos		Much exploring to be done
Architecture inspired by the mountain
Architecture inspired by the mountain
The sprawling ruins
The sprawling ruins
The condor temple, built around a giant rock that looks like a condor
The condor temple, built around a giant rock that looks like a condor
The sacred rock, which matches the mountain behind it	Part of a long sequence of fountains	A tiny reflecting pool
The sacred rock, which matches the mountain behind it	Part of a long sequence of fountains	A tiny reflecting pool
Excavators hard at work	The sun setting on Machu Picchu
Excavators hard at work	The sun setting on Machu Picchu
An absolutely terrifying animal that seems to be a cross between a rabbit and a squirrel	An Andean motmot	Welcome!
An absolutely terrifying animal that seems to be a cross between a rabbit and a squirrel	An Andean motmot	Welcome!
The sign back in town	Machu Picchu in the early morning	The morning mist rolling out
The sign back in town	Machu Picchu in the early morning	The morning mist rolling out
Getting started up Huayna Picchu	Some pretty steep stairs	_Very_ steep, narrow stairs alongside the terraces at near the top of the mountain
Getting started up Huayna Picchu	Some pretty steep stairs	_Very_ steep, narrow stairs alongside the terraces at near the top of the mountain
The top!	Huayna Picchu ruins	The ruins from Huayna Picchu, as the mist clears
The top!	Huayna Picchu ruins	The ruins from Huayna Picchu, as the mist clears
Ruins on Huayna Picchu	A bit of a tight fit on the hike down from the top of Huayna Picchu
Ruins on Huayna Picchu	A bit of a tight fit on the hike down from the top of Huayna Picchu
	Huayna Picchu terraces	Machu Picchu, and the road leading up to it
	Huayna Picchu terraces	Machu Picchu, and the road leading up to it
	Llama!
	Llama!