photos from

Last rays of the sun catch the citadel at Machu Picchu

The temple of the Sun, Machu Picchu

Children playing, above Cusco's central square

A llama along the Inca trail, at Machu Picchu

Terraces and ruins at Pisac, near Cusco in Peru's Sacred Valley

First view of Machu Picchu from the Inca trail, at the Gate of the Sun

Storm clouds above Santo Domingo, in Cusco

OVER THANKSGIVING 2011, I joined a good friend from grad school days on a trip to Machu Picchu. Work committments meant that we had only a week in Peru - enough time to see the world heritage site at Machu Picchu itself and get the briefest glimpse of the region around the ancient Incan capital of Cusco. We flew to Cusco, where we stayed for a few days both to acclimatize to the altitude (Cusco's elevation is 3400m or 11,000 feet) and to see some of the other Incan sites near the city (Sacsayhuaman, which is a short but steep walk from central Cusco, and Pisac, which can very easily be seen by taking an excursion or hiring a driver for half a day). Late November is past the end of the peak tourist season, and although Cusco was busy it was by no means as crazy or overun with tourists as our guidebook implied. Both our hotel (Andean Wings) and Cicciolina's restaurant are highly recommended. From Cusco we took the train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway town for Machu Picchu, and spent a couple of great days visiting the ruins. Machu Picchu itself is a spectacular and inspiring place - its splendor diminished not in the least by the countless photos I'd seen before - and unquestionably well worth the journey. Aguas Calientes has less going on to recommend it, though dinner at Cafe Inkaterra was memorable and a visit to the small museum at the base of the road leading up to the ruins interesting. If you're planning a similar Machu Picchu trip, it's pretty easy to organize everything independently, though hiring local guides for tours of the various Inca sites is inevitably hit or miss. If you want an in depth archaeological narrative you'll need to organize that in advance or go with a group. Both Machu Picchu permits and train tickets with Peru Rail need to be booked in advance (don't make the mistake of thinking permits will be available on short notice in Aguas Calientes), and although it can be done online be prepared for some frustration.