Will Tours become Mandatory at Machu Picchu?
Hurry up and travel to Machu Picchu before it becomes like Tulum, Mexico.
I was devastated to learn that Peru is considering establishing routes and timetables for tourist visits to Machu Picchu.
I expect in the near future, Machu Picchu will be similar to the ruins of Tulum, Mexico. Today, Tulum tourists follow roped off paths and can no longer climb up to spectacular views. Tulum is still a wonderful place, but has lost some of its charm. Will the same become true of Machu Picchu?
The call for routes and timetables comes from Peruvian Trade and Tourism Minister, Jose Luis Silva. Evidently the idea is tourists would visit Machu Picchu ruins either on the morning (am) or afternoon (pm) shift, and each group must travel with a guide walking through designated routes.
While it is common for some tourists to zip into Machu Picchu on the Peru Rail Train, dash up the switchback road to the ruins for a quick tour, and then hasten back to Cusco, all in one day, this is not my preferred or recommended schedule. This timetable is appropriate for the traveler with limited time, but your visit to Machu Picchu can be so much more than a four-hour tour.
Ten (10) Reasons to Oppose Machu Picchu Tour Routes and Timetables
There is simply not enough time to:
- Breathe — Have they forgotten this is high altitude?
- Explore the entire ruins
- Sit, meditate, and enjoy the vast beauty
- Stroll to the Inca Bridge
- Hike to the Sun Gate
- Climb Huayna Picchu Mountain
- Trek to the Temple of the Moon
- Ascend Machu Picchu Mountain
- Wait for the opportunity to take a photograph without a tourist
- Take Photographs in different lighting (sunrise & sunset)
Shop other Machu Picchu Gifts
Peru May Require Group Tours, Assigned Routes, Specific Timetables
- Has Peru forgotten the Photographers?
— Will my group tour patiently wait while I pursue a llama in my quest for a perfect silhouette photo? - Has Peru forgotten the elderly traveler?
— Will group tours accommodate elderly trekkers who need additional hours to reach the Sun Gate? - Has Peru forgotten what makes Machu Picchu a true experience?
— Will my guide hasten me along, rushing me out of my solitude moment where I was both captivated and humbled, as a mere speck engulfed by ruins and misty cloaked mountain peaks?
Tourists are Not Herds of Cattle to be Shuffled in and out
It is a shame the world is constantly changing, invariably finding more ways to confine us with rules and regulations. There is a reason I avoid tour groups.
- What will you miss most about Machu Picchu if specific routes and timetables are implemented?
- Where can travelers express opposition to Machu Picchu designated routes and timetables?
News Source: Andina.com Machu Picchu Designated Routes, Timetables
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