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Huayna Picchu
Huayna Picchu or Wayna Picchu is a mountain in Peru around which the Urubamba River bends. It rises over Machu Picchu, the so-called "lost city of the Incas" and divides it into sections. The Incas built a trail up the side of the Huayna Picchu and built temples and terraces on its top. The peak of Huayna Picchu is about 2720m above sea level, or about 360m higher than Machu Picchu.
According to local guides, the top of the mountain was the residence for the high priest and the local virgins. Every morning before sunrise, the high priest with a small group would walk to Machu Picchu to signal the coming of the new day. The Temple of the Moon, one of the three major temples in the Machu Picchu area, is nestled on the side of the mountain and is situated at an elevation lower than Machu Picchu. The other major local temples are the Temple of the Condor and the Temple of the Sun.
Visiting
As of November 2006, visitors must sign in by 1 p.m. to start the trail. Only 400 visitors are allowed to enter this trail each day. The trail itself forks to several points of interest. The climb is steep and takes about 1 hour, one way. Some portions are slippery and steel ropes provide some support. Decent footwear is important. There is an extremely narrow passage near the summit.
At times during the rainy season, the tours are closed.
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Huayna Picchu
