The Temple of the Condor is a fascinating piece of Incan stonemasonry. A natural rock formation began to take shape millions of years ago and the Inca skillfully shaped the rock into the outspread wings of a condor in flight. On the floor of the temple is a rock carved in the shape of the condor’s head and neck feathers, completing the figure of a three-dimensional bird. Historians speculate that the head of the condor was used as a sacrificial altar.

After wandering around the main site, our group split up between people who wanted to hike to the Sun Gate, and people who wanted to go to the Inca Bridge. Dad and the Farbers went with the Sun Gate group, and Mom and I decided to walk to the Bridge.

The Bridge was, in the time of the Incas, a “secret” back entrance to the Machu Picchu citadel. Built into a spectacular path along the sheer mountain side, the simple plank drawbridge could quickly be pulled up to stop the progress of any unwanted enemies.

The trail takes you around the back of Machu Picchu, offering a whole different panoramic view of the area. After about 25 minutes of a fairly uphill walk you get to the “Warden’s Hut” where you have to sign in with your passport before you trek. (I think this is for safety reasons in case you don’t return!) Then it’s a 15 minute walk to the remains of the original Inca Bridge. It’s a relatively easy walk, though with totally sheer drop-offs in parts which makes your heart beat a little fast! The drawbridge itself is fully degraded and therefore not walkable, so you just enjoy the view of it from the end of the safe part of the trail.

After taking the Inca Rail from Machu Picchu back to Ollantaytambo, we drove to Cusco and checked into our hotel, where we stayed for two nights.

A storied mansion dating back nearly five centuries, Palacio del Inka stands in the historic center of Cusco, directly across from the Qorikancha temple that we visited on Day 2. The 203 rooms combine Peruvian art and handcrafted furnishings with modern amenities.