Someone asked me, which mountain would you recommend to climb? Huayna or Machu Picchu?
I can't really recommend one over the other because I've only been to one, but if you're looking for amazing views of the ruins and the river, Machu Picchu is without a doubt the best choice. The hike up is also really good too.
Personally, I would say that Huayna is more popular, not because it's prettier or it's better in anyway, but because it's more well known. Probably because of these reasons:
Huayna Picchu
- It's the mountain that you can see in the background of all the pictures of the Machu Picchu Inca ruins.
- At the top it has Inca buildings and the 'Silla del Inca', both of which get a lot of 'hype'.
Here are some pictures I got from the internet so that you can get an idea what it's like. But as I haven't been, I can't back up anything with first hand experience.
This is what I do know:
Huayna is 2500m high, Machu Picchu is about 3000m. The climb up is less, in terms of height and distance, but it's much steeper. I wouldn't recommend it for people that have vertigo (although I wouldn't recommend what we did in that case either). Like I said, it's a very steep and narrow climb, with several sections where the staircases are carved into the rocks but there are ropes to help you climb up.
Machu Picchu
Here are some photos from our climb up Machu Picchu.
The climb is long, hard-work and knackering. It obviously depends on how fit you are, but because of the altitude it's very likely that you get tired much quicker than usual. The steps are also very irregular, in size and height, making the climb even more difficult. However, like I've already said quite a few times, when you reach the top it's amazing. The views are incredible: you can see beyond the ruins, views that turned us into little girls.
As did the feeling of actually being able to reach the top.
Entrada
In terms of entry, which is also another popular question, the first thing to note is that it isn't usually included in the packages you buy to get from Cuzco to Machu Picchu. Be suspicious of anyone that tries to sell you a package with the entry fee included.
To enter the mountains, not only do you need to bring your ticket, but you need to get there before 11am as they close it off after (you need to get there and sign your name and time of entry) and you can no longer get through.
There have been cases of people buying tickets but not having them on them at the time, and you need them to get in. Make sure you don't forget them.
You have to bear in mind that to be able to climb the mountains you need to book well in advance. Not so much for Machu Picchu perhaps, but for Huayna, you need to book at least 6 months in advance (mental, I know). If I remember rightly, entry to Machu Picchu cost about $8. 00.
If after reading this you still have questions or doubts about the Machu Picchu you can contact me and I'll tell you a bit more about this less popular mountain. For me though, it's just as worth visiting as Huayna Picchu.
