HUAYNA
PICCHU
Huayna Picchu is the pinnacle to the south of Machu Picchu, the
famous archaeological site in Peru, visible in the background of the
traditional postcard view of Machu Picchu. "Machu Picchu" means "Old
Mountain" or "Old Peak" in the local dialect, while "Huayna Picchu"
is "New" or "Young Peak".
The overnight in town allowes an early start the second morning,
avoiding the hordes of tourists who invade after the late-morning
arrival of the daily train from the city of Cuzco. Taking the 6:30
a.m. bus from Aguas Calientes allows starting the climb up Huayna Picchu at the 7:00 a.m.
opening of the trail. Jaime, our tour guide, played up the
difficulty of the climb and encouraged extreme caution, stating that
it was done purely at the individual's choosing and responsibility.
Not a technically challenging climb, by any means, but well worth
the effort both for the views back to Machu Picchu and down to the
Urubamba river as it makes a U-turn around the base of Huayna Picchu.
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Huayna Picchu |