Huayna Picchu
Click on an image below to see it in its original size.
What many people don't realize is that in the "typical" pictures of Machu Picchu that most of us have seen the mountain in the background is not Machu Picchu. It's called Hauyna Picchu (young peak in Quechua) and its summit is 2,700 meters above sea level. The citadel of Machu Picchu is 2,400 meters above sea level, making the hike up this mountain 300 meters, or 900 feet...and we climbed it!
Huayna Picchu...if we only knew what we were getting ourselves into!
So far, so good. (Though we haven't even started the real climb yet).
If you look in the top half of this picture you can see a few of our energetic youngsters making a mad dash for the top.
A few of the girls take a breather before the next steep climb.
Views of the citadel and of the mountain known as Machu Picchu (old peak in Quechua) as we make our climb.
A few of the steep inclines we traversed during our climb (looking back down at them).
Machu Picchu as we approach the summit.
We could have taken the "easy" trail (left) to finish our climb to the summit but we chose the path less traveled by (right).
Members of our group at the summit.
A view of Machu Picchu, the citadel,the "Bingham Highway" and me from atop the summit.
Carlos and Sara at the top.
