Access to Machu Picchu completely destroyed
January 28, 2010
Machu Picchu looks set to be out of service for quite some time as the single rail link taking tourists to the ancient Inca citadel has been completely wiped out. Peru’s over-sold main tourist attraction is an example of hyping a single site in a single small area of Peru to concentrate revenue that now looks to be backfiring.
See the amazing photos and videos of the destruction here.
Get the latest news on the disaster here
Heavy rains that trapped some two thousand foreign tourists in the town of Aguas Calientes have also caused one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the region in decades.
Perhaps as big as the personal loss felt by the individuals affected is the economic loss now set to blight Cusco.
Three days have passed since the town of Aguas Calientes was cut off from the rest of the Sacred Valley and airlifts are still occurring to get the increasingly desperate stranded tourists out of the town and back to Cusco.
The town’s connection to the rest of the world is via a set of train tracks normally used to ferry tourist to and from the ancient Inca site of Machu Picchu in trains. Only now is the extent of damage to the railway being realized.
American tourist Cole Gainer, 26, unwilling to wait any longer in Aguas Calientes, attempted to hike back along the route of the raging river. As supplies ran out and prices were hiked by local businesses to take advantage, many others decided to make the journey. As Cole’s photos show, they were confronted with this:
The hike took 10 hours to complete but he and the small group that accompanied him were able to get out safely.
Last Train Out
Just as shocking is the video taken by tourists of the last train able to make it out of Aguas Calientes, who may have just narrowly avoided a tragic disaster.
Eggs in one basket
It’s sad that a country with such a large variety of attractions, many hundreds from archaeological to natural, is only associated with one: the citadel of Machu Picchu.
Although it offers great views, it was never an important Inca site, it is not the most remote, it is not the only site undiscovered by the Spanish and is not home to the finest Inca construction work.
Machu Picchu… and Cusco for that matter… is just one attraction in a country so rich in them you’d need months to see them and all easily match it.
Unfortunately, it is more profitable to advertise a single location and concentrate foreign tourists there to more easily relieve them of their money with inflated prices.
Whether the fault of a mafia-like Cusco tourist industry, simple laziness by foreign and local tourism companies who slap and image of Machu Picchu on advertising and say “that’s Peru”, or the ignorance of cash-rich tourists happy to hand over money and be taken to where they are told – the result is the same. A Peru without Machu Picchu, despite there being dozens of equivalents across the country, is a country with a tourism industry in trouble.
The other Peru – more trips of a lifetime
In the spirit of diffusing the distribution of tourists across Peru, and in providing alternative trips of a lifetime, stay tuned for the up-coming feature:
Without Machu Picchu you’ll enjoy the Trip of a Lifetime
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I’d start walking my ass back to Cusco, con apuro huevon!
@stuenperu perhaps Machu Picchu will now receive a much needed break from tourists. Still, Waynupicchu was the most incredible experience4me
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@bradleyjoyce The damage inflicted on the site for commercial exploitation is said to be huge, but too much money is involved.
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@stuenperu That is devastating.. But like the article states, Peru is rich with culture throughout the country. http://myloc.me/show.php?id=3ij88
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@stuenperu Oh my gosh… I had no idea the damage was that bad!
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Indeed, Machu Picchu is far from being the only place of interest in Peru. There are so many more places and perhaps even more beautiful and with more history.
I think you’re quite correct in that that last train narrowly avoided disaster. In the second video at 1:00 and 1:33 it is evident that the tracks were already being undercut by the torrent.
hey who ever wrote the “cash rich” tourist comment needs to take a chill pill…machu piccu is very important to the peruvians too….cusco is beautiful city….some people dont have the luxury of 3 months off like some people…fortunately i do! But come one…let people enjoy a little glimpse!
I agree Machu Piccu is over rated and I wouldnt go back…but come on man! Dont be such a snob….Peru is awesome..and so is cusco…some people like touristy sposts…each to his own!!
I feel pity for the local residents who have been devastated by the flooding and mudsllides, but not for those individuals, corporations and government(s) that have abused the sanctuary and tourists for so many years. They are reaping the bad seeds they have sewn…Or as others might like to call it “Bad Karma.”
When things reopen, we’re going to use Karikuy, http://www.karikuy.org. They seem to handle socially conscious tourism in a very responsible way. Just my two cents!
[...] 2010-01-29 6:55pm – Machu Picchu will be out for at least 7 weeks Pre-read: Access to Machu Picchu completely destroyed. [...]
[...] The train line that provides access to the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru has been washed away, destroyed by recent flooding. This not only has devastating consequences for tourism in the [...]