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A Bucket List Adventure to Machu Picchu – One Day Trip to the Ruins | Peru PE

  • LoriKat
  • Oct 28
  • 4 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

📅 Jun 2024 | 🗺️ Machu Picchu, Peru PE


Machu Picchu rises 7,970 feet above sea level in the Andes of southern Peru, an ancient 15th century Inca citadel perched highed above the Urubamba River Valley. Built as a royal estate for Emperor Pachacuti, its finely crafted stone temples, terraces, and plazas remain remarkably intact. Today, reaching Machu Picchu means winding through steep mountain trails or riding the train to Aguas Calientes, then climbing to a site that tests your legs and rewards your spirit with one of the world’s most iconic views.


We did Machu Picchu as a one-day blitz from Cusco. Absolutely unforgettable. We thought we had it all dialed in — every ticket booked, every step planned, guide secured, alarms set, coca tea chugged.


We were ready.


Train rides, bus rides, llamas, ruins, jaw-drops — this is about our journey.


Machu Picchu ruins with stone terraces and lush green mountains in the background. Overcast sky, creating a serene, ancient atmosphere.

📚Journal Spill


Cusco Wake-Up Call


4:00 a.m. alarm. Why do we do this to ourselves?


Sleepy eyes. Day bags packed. Tickets triple-checked. Chug coca tea to keep the altitude headache away? ✅ And it was delicious.


We stepped out into dark, quiet Cusco — cobblestone streets, lamplight glow, just a few cars. A random dog joined our walk and stuck with us the whole way like he’d been assigned the job. 10/10 good boy.


We arrived to the train station at sunrise — and boom — all the people. Tour groups with matching hats, backpackers, laminated itineraries everywhere. Everyone chasing the same dream.


Boarding time. Seats found. Deep breath. Let’s go.


Man with a backpack stands on a dimly lit street at night, near litter and stone walls. Warm street lamps glow in the background.

Train to Machu Picchu Town


The train was a vibe — panoramic windows overhead and all around. Mountains towering over the valley. A river racing alongside us.


We passed porters lined up with backpacks bigger than my torso — superheroes in hiking boots.


Then…an unexpected stop. No announcement. Just sitting. Probably for another train. Which meant: late arrival → cue chaos later.


Four people sit around a train table with a colorful runner, smiling. One wears a red cap. The window shows a blurred building.
Three people in red shirts and bags lean on a wall beside train tracks, with a green building in the background. The mood is relaxed.

Carlos, Our Guide (MVP of Peru)


We found Carlos online from a YouTube recommendation and decided to take a chance. Best gamble ever.


He was tracking our delayed train, texting us directions, holding our place in the bus line, and basically preventing meltdown mode.


People everywhere. Lines forming in every direction. Loud. Confusing. Overwhelming.Then — white hat spotted. CARLOS!


We checked in for our timed bus ride and he waved us on like he owned the place. Total legend.


Mountain stream flows through a lush green valley with a bridge and small town nearby. Misty mountains rise in the cloudy background.

Bus Ride to the Entrance


We jumped on the bus like it was the last helicopter out. Carlos told us which seats had the best views.


Switchbacks. No guardrails. A whoooooole lot of cliffs. The views were straight-up insane.


Seats comfy. Ride…not so much if motion sickness is your thing.


Green buses lined up at a station in a hilly area. The lead bus displays "Machu" on its sign. The setting is urban with green hills.

Arrival at Machu Picchu


We stepped off the bus and humidity punched us in the face. No one warned us about THAT part.


Flowers everywhere. Bright greens. A lizard darting by like, “Welcome to the jungle.”


We started toward the Sun Gate trail — pausing every five feet for another photo we definitely needed.


Wide-eyed. Grateful. In awe already.


People stand at a foggy entrance with a "Peru Ministerio de Cultura" sign. Stone steps, lush greenery, and wooden posts are visible.
Stone path leads to mountain with green slopes under blue sky. Wooden sign reads "Sun Gate Intipunku" with an arrow pointing ahead.

First Sight of the Ruins


Then — we saw IT. You think you know Machu Picchu from photos… but when it hits your eyeballs in real life? Whole different dimension.


Blue skies. Terraces layered into the mountains. Peaks hugging the ruins like a secret.


I didn’t cry.

I didn’t meditate.

I just stood there thinking:

How did they build this?

How is it still here?

Who carried these stones?

Aliens??


Absolutely breathtaking.


Stone walls frame a grassy landscape with a thatched hut and mountains in the background. Clouds hover over the lush green valley.

Inca Bridge Detour


We took a detour to the Inca Bridge — butterflies everywhere, and a narrow trail hugging the cliffside.


The bridge itself? Smaller than expected — stones + wood tucked into the mountain wall. Could be removed like a drawbridge for defense. Smart. Steve nerded out about the engineering.


I nodded…while fully thinking aliens.


Hikers traverse a narrow stone path along a rugged cliff, surrounded by lush greenery. The setting is adventurous and serene.
Stone pathway along a rugged cliff with lush greenery. Small structure embedded in the rock face. Sunny, with shadows and textures.
Bright orange and black butterflies rest on mossy rocks, showcasing vibrant patterns in a serene, natural setting.

Citadel Exploration


Back to the main ruins with Carlos leading the charge.


We took our classic Machu Picchu glam shots.


Up close, the stonework was mind-blowing — gaps so tight you couldn’t wedge a piece of paper in there. Curved walls, perfect lines, everything planned with purpose.


Llamas strutted around like they owned Machu Picchu — because they do. One posed. We thanked them.


We clapped inside the sacred structures — hearing the echo come right back. We were weirdly into that.


Carlos showed us the Temple of the Sun and explained the star alignments and solstice magic. He knew EVERYTHING.


We tried to soak in every detail while also trying not to wheeze from the altitude.


Machu Picchu was not just a “ruin.” It was a living, breathing miracle.


Ancient stone ruins of Machu Picchu with green terraces, surrounded by lush mountains and cloudy sky. Tourists explore the site.
Ancient stone ruins of Machu Picchu with lush green mountains and cloudy sky in the background. Few tourists are walking around.
Smiling person in a yellow shirt in the foreground at Machu Picchu. Terraced hills with a crowd of tourists. Misty mountains in the background.
A couple smiling at Machu Picchu, with stone ruins and green mountains in the background. They're wearing casual outdoor clothing.
Stone ruins with terraced steps on a mountainside, featuring a llama and two young animals. Greenery and large rocks in the backdrop.
Llama stands on ancient stone ruins with a backdrop of lush green mountains and clouds, evoking a serene and majestic atmosphere.
Group of six smiling tourists pose with a scenic mountain backdrop. One wears a white hat and sunglasses. A child sports a red cap.

Return to Cusco


We didn’t want to leave.


We boarded the bus — twists, turns, stomach flips.


Carlos waved us goodbye with that iconic white hat.


We wandered Machu Picchu Town back to the train station and let the day sink in. The ride back felt slower — quieter — full of “did that really happen?” thoughts.


How lucky are we?


🔚 Final Spin


We came for the bucket-list check mark. We left with a sense of wonder. We expected it to be touristy. We didn’t expect it to feel so sacred and alive.


The humidity.

The flowers.

The lizards.

The llamas running the show.

The mountains holding everything together.

The stones that defy logic and time.


One perfect day. One ancient city that absolutely delivered. We’ll be talking about Machu Picchu forever.


🍬Echoes, Keepsakes, & Oddities


  • The dog that adopted us for the morning walk

  • G's epic poo on the train - and the line it caused

  • The first view of Machu Picchu...the jaw-drop moment

  • The mystery and wonder of the Inca Bridge

  • Conversations about aliens, obviously

  • Orange butterflies dancing everywhere


🎞️ Tag & Snag



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©2025 by Steve and Lori Kat. 

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