Machu Picchu became a deeply personal bucket list journey, a place my dad always wanted to see, and one I finally visited for both of us.
Machu Picchu was always one of those places my dad dreamed of visiting but never managed to reach because of his health. After he died, I found myself looking into it, reading about its history, its location high in the Peruvian Andes, and trying to understand what had captured his imagination so strongly. The more I learned, the more I realised I wanted to go too. In a way, it became a journey for both of us: me in person, and him carried along in my memories.
What Is Machu Picchu?
Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca citadel perched on a 2,430‑metre mountain ridge in southern Peru. It’s one of the few major pre‑Columbian sites found almost completely intact, which is why it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. The ruins contain around 200 structures, temples, terraces, ceremonial areas, astronomical points, and agricultural zones, all built entirely from stone with astonishing precision.
For years, historians believed Machu Picchu was built in the 1450s, but a 2021 radiocarbon study suggests it may have been occupied from around 1420 to 1530 AD. Its construction is linked to two major Inca rulers: Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui and Túpac Inca Yupanqui, whose reigns shaped much of the Inca Empire’s golden age.
How Machu Picchu Was “Discovered”.
In 1911, American historian Hiram Bingham travelled through the region searching for the lost capital of the Neo‑Inca state. A local villager, Melchor Arteaga, led him to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Bingham found the name Agustín Lizárraga and the date 1902 written on a wall, suggesting others had reached the site before him. Although Bingham initially acknowledged Lizárraga as the discoverer, he later downplayed that fact and eventually claimed the discovery for himself.
Despite not being the first to set foot there, Bingham is credited with bringing Machu Picchu to international attention. His 1912 expedition cleared and documented much of the site, opening the door for the world to see it.
My Visit to Machu Picchu.
After researching the place and knowing how much it meant to my dad, I decided I would go before my own health stopped me. It felt like something I needed to do, for him and for myself. When the day finally came, I was excited in a way that’s hard to describe.
Our group left the coach far from the site and travelled by train to the base station. From there, we boarded a small coach that wound its way up the steep, twisting road to the visitor centre. The journey alone was an adventure. Once at the top, we joined a guided tour and were later given time to explore on our own.
The moment that stayed with me most was reaching the viewpoint you always see on postcards and travel documentaries, the classic image of Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu rising behind it. I stood there, posed for a photo, and thought of my dad. I hoped he was looking down, and in that moment, I felt like he finally got to see the place he’d always dreamed of.
A Place Everyone Should Experience.
Machu Picchu is one of those rare places that feels spiritual, powerful, and deeply human all at once. It’s a place that stays with you long after you’ve left. I’m grateful I went when I did, because I don’t think I could manage the journey now. But I’m glad I made it, and glad I carried my dad with me in the only way I could.
It’s a bucket list item I’m proud to have completed, and one I think everyone should experience if they ever get the chance.
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