Having slept in a hostel in the town at the base of Machu Picchu, we rose at 05:00 to get up to Machu Picchu to explore before the hordes of tourists descended. We were very grateful to take to bus back up the hill and were taken around around the site by our incredible passionate guide Miguel. Despite all of us barely being able to walk and some of the group suffering food poisoning, we learnt about the Inca settlement, the hypotheses on the rise and fall of the civilisation and about their incredible building techniques which produced this amazing city in the clouds. I think the 3 days prior to this had been so splendid that it was hard to focus on the history and take it all in. It is quite overwhelming. We are sure the pictures will not do it justice but here are a few snaps. It was very cloudy!!
