While Machu Picchu is one of 7 wonders of the world and is an undeniably uber-popular tourist destination, I think I could argue that it personally has had an extra special place in my heart.
My almost irrational obsession with Machu Picchu dates back to middle school, where I recall stumbling upon a Buzzfeed article through mere happenstance and then commencing an almost irritating fixation with Peru and of course its most popular destination. Whenever presented with the chance to make a presentation about some historical artifact, I would invariably pick Machu Picchu. For example my final project for the Spanish advanced conversation class at Vanderbilt was about Qhapac ñan, the web of Incan trails that passed through Machu Picchu.
Thus of course I was numb with anticipation waiting for May 26th, 2024, the day I would finally be able to witness the wonder first hand. The process was unsurprisingly long, laden with long lines, passport checks, and very cranky foreigners. My highly idealistic visit to Machu Picchu also involved hiking the Inca trail to arrive, whereas (understandably due to liability issues for the university) we ended up just riding the bus from Aguas Calientes to the summit.
The view on the bus ride was nothing short of breath taking, especially given the time of day and our luck with the weather. Our short but precarious hike up Huayna Picchu, a neighboring mountain that offered arguably the best view of the ruins, scratched my hiking itch and was by far my favorite aspect of the trip.
However, after the sun began to hide behind the clouds and the group collectively realized that our guide had spun his own outlandishly incorrect narrative about the purpose of the ruins, I came to the realization that perhaps my expectations had not been met to the extent I had hoped for.
I truly do not mean for this to come from a place of entitlement, as I recognize that I am wildly lucky to have had so many experiences on this Maymester that can put visiting a bucket-list item for most in perspective. Yet I would be lying if I did not wonder if there were other factors that contributed to Machu Picchu's incredible levels of popularity that did not relate to its cultural significance or sheer physical beauty.
For one, Machu Picchu's purpose within the ancient Incan empire is surrounded by misconceptions and disagreement. In class, we were assigned the documentary "Ghosts of Machu Picchu" where we learned that it served as somewhat of a royal estate, offering a much less glamorous explanation than what our tour guide Wilson wanted us to believe. He described it as a university, embedding his explanations with tales of giants and virgins of the sun, all of which are concepts disputed and even disproved by archeologists. To our dismay, Wilson is a licensed guide which shows that there is no regulation regarding what narrative official Machu Picchu guides offer to tourists.
Also, while Machu Picchu boasts a gorgeous, mountainous scenery which is absolutely worth seeing in one's lifetime, I found that it was incredibly equal to other ruins and hikes we were fortunate enough to have experienced beforehand. For example, our hike down the mountain where the ancient town of Pisac resided was arguably just as picturesque, if not more so.
I believe that Machu Picchu's popularity is heightened largely by its accessibility (paved road alternatives to hiking) and its novelty, as it had been undiscovered until very recently and was never conquered by the Spanish. The experience helped me realize that there is always an element of arbitrariness with what we choose to fixate on as a collective. And perhaps nothing could have lived up to the idyllic fairytale I though would be my visit to Machu Picchu, which had been far too many years in the making. Nonetheless, it is absolutely and undeniably something worth seeing, but perhaps along with the many other marvels of physical and manmade beauty that Peru has to offer.
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