Machu Picchu - Sun Gate Hike

This morning I got up early (5) to head back to Machu Picchu for a hike up to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). This served as the main entrance into the Machu Picchu compound and was also a control gate. It is where you can get a total view of the Machu Picchu compound. The hike took a little over an hour and a half to reach the gate. The majority of the trail is original from the early 1400s. It is approximately 1 mile long of laid rough stones and steps. You climb up about 1,100 feet in elevation to 9,006 feet. I didn't arrived early enough to see the sun rise but it would have been too foggy. It was still foggy when we started the climb but soon cleared off. 

This is from the gate looking down upon the compound. It was an experience that I will never forget. I hope you can enjoy the pictures and imagine the inspiring beauty that envelopes this majestic place.

There was a long line waiting for a bus up to the park. We got in line at 6:30 and caught the bus at 7:40. 

The road up to the top is very narrow and primarily dirt and rock. The buses cruise up and down the road taking people to the top. At some places the buses would have to back up to a wider spot in order to pass by each other.

Was able to get a great view of Machu Picchu on the mountain side as we went up.

Beginning of the trail.

You can see how foggy it was when we began our ascent.

There we only 3 of us from the group that made the climb. (Lucy and Phil)

This is a good view of the rounded sun temple I saw the day before.

You can see how rough and uneven the trail stones were.

At the top, they had built up terraces to level out the area for construction of the gate. Imagine all the hard manual labor that went into building the gate and the trail. The trail was one of the first things built in order to give access to the area.

The view was magnificent.

Arriving at the gate. Yes, I could still breath.

On the backside of the gate was this sign saying you had reached the end of the circuit to turn around and go back down.

I climbed up a little higher above the gate to get this shot of the structure.

Notice the curving white lines below the compound. That is the switch back road the buses traveled.

Looking through one of the windows down on the compound.

This is a shot of one of the control (guard) house along the trail.

A closer look.

Back down to the town of Aguascalientes which serves as the base for those visiting Machu Picchu. It is like a ski resort town with hundreds of shops, restaurants, and hotels. We had lunch before boarding the train for our return to Cusco.