Having hoped for a bit of a lie-in after the Salkantay Trek, we were disappointed to be told we needed to be up in time for a quick 6am breakfast, ready to leave the hotel by 6.20. Apparently our bus tickets had been booked for a 6am time slot – there’s clearly some flexibility in the booking time to take into account time spent in the bus queue, but our guides were keen to get us moving as soon as possible.

We arrived at the back of the bus queue at 6.30 and eventually got onto a bus around 7am. By that time the queue had doubled in length but the frequency of buses appeared to have increased, too, so it was starting to move quite quickly.

It takes 25 minutes for the bus to wind its way up the hillside from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu. It was raining lightly at this stage and the cloud was low, but as we got further up the hillside we got some dramatic views across the valley to neighbouring hills.

Once off the bus we were directed to have a final visit to the loo before going in – there are no loos once inside.

We then headed in and started the climb up the many stone steps to the top viewing platform – it takes about 15 minutes, including brief stops along the way, to reach the top.

At this stage much of the mountain was still in cloud – we could see it starting to clear and our guide assured us that if we waited a bit we would get clear views. We were more than willing to wait, though did take a few pictures of the partial views just in case that was as good as it got!

There is a large grassy area next to the main viewing platform, where guides tend to gather with their groups out of the way of those taking photos, to explain some of the history of Machu Picchu and the Inca empire. Our guide, Carlos, took this opportunity to rabbit on for a good 30-45 minutes, reeling off names of various Inca rulers and warriors which I’m afraid to say went straight over my head. A few people in the group were fully engaged and asking questions but I could tell many of the others were getting as frustrated as I was – particularly as the views had cleared up and then started to cloud over again during this time! And the crowds were starting to build, too. I had been regularly wandering over to the edge to check on the views and take more photos, and was starting to get impatient to see the citadel before it got too crowded.

Eventually we managed to chivvy Carlos along and started heading down towards the citadel, taking quick pictures along the way, as everyone else was doing.

One young woman ahead of me (not in our group) kept pausing to strike a new pose and we all had to stop and wait while her boyfriend took yet another photo, against absolutely any backdrop. I was quite impressed with the array of poses she had available – if not a little annoyed at her vanity and her constantly holding up everyone else. Though to be fair, she wasn’t the only one – she was just the most noticeable.

And this is where I get to the negative part of the experience. I’m not sure how long it has been this strictly controlled but there is a clear one way system within the citadel which everyone must follow. There are points where the path opens out into small chambers or platforms but mostly it’s narrow walkways and steep steps (mostly down) which force everyone into single file. There are guards stationed throughout the area to stop people backtracking, and to chivvy everyone along – lingering is heavily discouraged and shortcuts are impossible.

Being slightly claustrophobic, I soon lost patience – particularly as Carlos was still stopping regularly to explain what we were looking at, and others would then be trying to squeeze past us as we blocked the flow of foot traffic. I eventually interrupted him to ask if I could break away from the group and just meet up with them later outside – I explained that I was really struggling with the crowds and felt I would be more comfortable going at my own pace. He agreed and gave me the name of the restaurant to meet at later for lunch in Aguas Calientes. Freedom at last!

Sadly being apart from the group didn’t really make much difference. I was still stuck in the one way system with its series of queues and bottlenecks, and soon lost all interest in exploring the citadel. I couldn’t wait to get out of there – but of course had to trudge slowly along in a queue to do so. I did at least get to admire some alpacas on the way out though!

I eventually made it out and got the bus back to Aguas Calientes, where I had a coffee and a slice of carrot cake (particularly appreciating the Inca Cross plate the cake was served on) and tried to process the whole experience.

I absolutely loved the top section where we could look out over the whole of Machu Picchu and the citadel. It felt surreal to be in this wondrous place and I could happily have stayed there longer just taking in the views. But sadly, the longer one stays up top, the more unpleasant the lower section is bound to get.

I’m not sure what the solution is – maybe if one goes in winter (the dry season) there is more chance of getting a clear view early on and then still having time to explore the citadel before it gets too crowded. But ultimately we’re always at the mercy of the weather – I am just thankful that we got the views we did, as let’s be honest, it’s the postcard view we all come for!

Prior to visiting Pisac last week, I had read a few different blogs about why it was worth visiting. One blog in particular caught my attention as the writer stated that she actually preferred Pisac to Machu Picchu because it is so much less crowded and you can explore at your leisure (and while there are clear direction markers, they are mostly advisory; you can go back and forth and up and down to your heart’s content). I wouldn’t go so far as to say I prefer Pisac to Machu Picchu – they are completely different sites, both beautiful in different ways. But I certainly preferred the experience of visiting Pisac at my own pace, to the heavily controlled experience at Machu Picchu.

After my coffee and cake I had a bit more of a wander round the town, taking photos of some of the many statues and stone carvings that proliferate throughout. I must say I loved Aguas Calientes and would happily have stayed an extra day – it’s very touristy but absolutely charming.

I met up with the group for lunch and we had a wonderful time comparing experiences. We then got the train to Ollantaytambo – with glorious views along the way – and finally a minibus from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco. It suddenly felt like a rushed goodbye after 5 days together – all now heading on to different onward adventures!