We left the hotel in Cusco at about 7:30 a.m. to catch the train from the Poroy station for the 3 hour spectacular ride into the Peruvian cloud forest to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu.   The train hugs the Urubamba river and descends from about 12,500 feet to about 7,500 feet.

We check in at the luxurious El Mapi hotel and grab some lunch.  After that, we take a guided tour up to Machu Picchu.  I don't know how to describe it when people come upon Machu Picchu.  It is absolutely, positively, and incredibly stunning.  The stone city is perched upon sheer cliffs with mountains surrounding it.   Our expert guide Armando, describes the citadel to us guiding us through the Inca Trail, to the Temple of the Sun, the Guard House, the Temple of the Condor, and the various ancient temples and building that make up Machu Picchu.

A lot of our tour is spent, with jaws dropped looking at the stunning scenery as the clouds hang over Machu Picchu.

The next day we are up at the crack of dawn to experience one of the true wonders of the world - sunrise at Machu Picchu.  We climb the majestic and steep Huaynu Picchu mountain for an experience few of us will ever forget.   Huaynu Picchu is the mountain always seen in the background of photos of Machu Picchu.  After lunch, it is a 75-minute hike along the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate.  We are above the clouds which drift away giving an awesome view of Machu Picchu, which now looks like the size of a postage stamp from our vantage point.

Whether you travel with The Traveling Professor or anyone else, anyone who does not spend at least 2 days on a tour of Machu Picchu is doing themselves a disservice.  Make sure to spend the proper amount of time when on a tour of Peru at this wonder of the world.