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In the year that Peru is trying
to get Machu Picchu voted one of the
new Seven
Wonders of the World, there are growing tensions
over the country's greatest tourist attraction.
Machu Picchu is located high in the Andes Mountains
A former mayor has built a bridge which creates a
new route to the World Heritage site, threatening to
bring more tourists and, some say, open up a new
route for drug traffickers.
The 80-metre long Carilluchayoc bridge, which
crosses the Vilcanota river near the base of the
15th-Century Inca citadel, is to be inaugurated in
February, despite a court order prohibiting its
construction and protests from the government and
environmentalists.
There is concern that - with around 2,500 visitors a
day - there are already too many tourists tramping
around the ruins. The UN's cultural division, Unesco,
is due to inspect the site this year to decide
whether it should be classed as an endangered
heritage site.
But the former mayor of La Convencion province,
Fedia Castro, whose term ended recently, says the
village of Santa Teresa needs the bridge to end its
isolation and bring commerce and tourism.
The villagers currently have to undertake a 15-hour
journey along treacherous roads to take their
agricultural produce to market in the regional
capital, Cusco. The bridge will allow them to take
it by lorry in just three hours. by BBC news . |
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Machu Picchu
Highlights:
Accomodation in Machu Picchu
From 5-star hotels to backpacker hostals, the finest
spots in the former
Inca Capital to lay your bones after a day-long
hike.
Be Safe: Travel Insurance
Learn why taking out travel insurance before
travelling to Peru is a good idea.
Train or Hike?
If you are not the
Inca Trail type, consider
Rail Transport to
Machu Picchu. Trains are the best transport
mean to get to the Lost City of the Incas (besides
your own legs, that is). Check the different rail
ruotes, departures, prices, and carriage
qualities.
Restaurants & Pubs
Search
for a Peruvian restaurant near you.
Tours in Machu Picchu
Find good option to take a tours in Machu Picchu
Facts about Machu Picchu
Everything tips before to arrive to Machu Picchu.
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