The discovery of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham

Do you know a hero, real or fictional, who went on an epic journey which you want to retrace? In this Lonely Planet series, follow in the footsteps of famous people & legends and relive their adventures, their stories that are etched in time and in our minds through popular books & journals, favorite movies & TV travel shows and real lives lived.

His story

Till July 1911, one of the 7 man-made wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, was not known to the outside world. That changed when American archaeologist, explorer and Yale University lecturer, Hiram Bingham made his way to Peru to find out the lost cities of the Incas, around 4 centuries after they were raided by the Spanish conquerors of the ‘New World’, the yet undiscovered North & South America. The dismantling of the Incan Empire of Peru in South America was lead by Francisco Pizarro of Spain, who was in search of vast gold treasures that were held by the mighty Incans.

In search of the mythical lost Incan cities, what Bingham stumbled upon was the now iconic mountain retreat of the Incan elite, the ruling class. Bingham was later funded by the National Geographic Society for further archeological work at the 500 year old site and nearby in the Sacred Valley. While there is still a mystery about why Machu Picchu was built, it is clear that it wasn’t a fort but more of a recreation center for the kings - A place above the clouds, fit for Gods.

What this ‘turn of the 20th century’ discovery by the lecturer-explorer did was also to strike the imagination of the aspiring young readers and dreamers. He was one of the last great adventure-intellectuals and his character has been recreated indirectly in Indiana Jones, Tintin and the like and has made subjects like Archeology and Paleontology, glamorous and aspirational.

Discover your inner explorer in this ancient site, half a world away. Fly into Lima, the capital of Peru, and from there take the road towards Cuzco. Finally hop onto the Peru Rail that leads all the way to the town situated near the mysterious mountain ruins.

Must See & Do:

1) The world wonder – ruins of Machu Picchu and the quaint town nearby
2) Cuzco, the capital of the Incas that houses the ‘Temple of the Sun’
3) A ride on Peru Rail
4) Sacred Valley on the Urubamba River
5) Ollantayttambo town & Incan fortress ruins
6) The alien looking ruins of Morey
7) Maras town known for its salt ponds