Machu PicchuThe day I have been waiting for has finally come! Today I fulfilled a dream that I have had since high school, which was to visit Machu Picchu, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. And let me tell you, this site did not disappoint. I was absolutely awe-struck when I saw it, almost in disbelief. It is seriously one of the most beautiful and incredible places I have ever visited, and everything about the trip went perfectly. Our group woke up very early to get on the first bus to go up the mountain, which took about 30 minutes, plus waiting in line for about another 20 minutes at 5 in the morning. When everyone gets off, people usually immediately start hiking up the mountain to get a view of the sunrise over it. Our tour guide, however, decided to go on a different path to start off, which allowed us to get a view right in the heart of this fortress built into the side of the mountain with literally nobody else there with us. Our small group got to experience the beauty of this place without a single other soul there with us. It was unbelievable!! Here is our group posing with a llama! Fun fact: llamas have longer faces with banana-shaped ears, while alpacas have straight, pointed ears with a more smushed in face. Also, alpacas look fluffier and have much more fur (which is the soft wool that is used for sweaters, blankets, and more). So if you have trouble telling the difference just know that alpaca are much fluffier and have a shorter face! After looking at Machu Picchu and getting the tour close up, we hiked up "Montaña Machupicchu" (or Machu Picchu Mountain). It is a 1.25 mile hike, but all ascending straight up so it gets pretty difficult. The elevation gain is about 2,000 ft, and the approximate walking time is 3 and 1/2 hours round trip. It was a demanding hike, but absolutely worth it once you get to the top! Here is a picture of some of us once we reached the top!
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Ashley KoboldMy amazing experience studying abroad in Ecuador. ¡Qué chévere! Archives
December 2019
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