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The second day ascends over Dead Woman's pass- the highest point on the trail at 4,200 metres. This is the most dangerous point for altitude sickness, though little time is spent at this elevation and the trail descends again to 3,600 metres. From here, the trail only descends until arriving at Machu Picchu at 2,430 metres.
Altitude sickness, the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is a harmful effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] People's bodies can respond to high altitude in different ways.
Two high-altitude routes from Machu Picchu cross the mountains back to Cusco, one through the Sun Gate, and the other across the Inca bridge. Both could have been blocked easily, should invaders have approached along them. Machu Picchu and other sites in the area are built over earthquake faults. According to research conducted in 2019, this ...
The Incas are renowned for their precision in stone masonry. The architecture was a means of bringing order to untamed areas and the people of the Andes region. Machu Picchu, located in the Sacred Valley, is an example of the Incas adapting building strategies that acknowledge the topography of the area.
High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a life-threatening form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema that occurs in otherwise healthy people at altitudes typically above 2,500 meters (8,200 ft). [2] HAPE is a severe presentation of altitude sickness. Cases have also been reported between 1,500–2,500 metres or 4,900–8,200 feet in people who ...
The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu [2] is a protected area in Peru covering over 35,000 hectares. It includes the natural environment surrounding the Machu Picchu archaeological site, located in the rugged cloud forest of the Yungas on the eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes and along both banks of the Urubamba River, which flows northwest in this section.
Market in Urubamba. There is a popular market selling fresh fruit and vegetables and also pots, pans, and other essential items. As social workers/volunteers visit the city often, the main market does cater to tourists, although locally produced alpaca garments or ornaments are usually for sale in small stores within the town.
It is the closest access point to the historical site of Machu Picchu which is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) away or about a 90-minute walk. There are many hotels and restaurants for tourists, as well as natural hot baths which gave the town its colloquial Spanish name, Aguas Calientes or hot water.