Peru travel Insight #3: Why Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish.

Aracari’s Weekly Insight

It is thought that the Spanish conquistadores did not track down Machu Picchu because it had actually been abandoned by the Incas shortly before the arrival of Spanish soldiers to the Cusco area during their conquest of the Incas in the 1530’s. With no word from the Incas about the site, they had no reason to look for it as their conquest went on.

As to why it was abandoned, we’re still not sure. Some theories suggest that the population was decimated by the Smallpox disease that was introduced to the Americas by Europeans, and had likely spread through Central and South America to the Cusco region before the Spanish had even arrived.

Peru travel Insight #3: Why Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish., Aracari Travel

It was not until 1911 that Hiram Bingham first came across Machu Picchu, and 100 years later we are celebrating with our Trip of the Century.

As the Peru luxury travel specialists we also organise a whole host of Machu Picchu luxury tours.

Related Post
Happy Chinese New Year! An Introduction to Chinese Culture in Peru In honor of the recent celebration of Chinese New Year, we thought we'd put together a brief introduction to Chinese culture in Peru, one of the many ...
Aracari Launches New Peru Family Itineraries Aracari launches new Peru Family Itineraries 18 April 2013, Immediate Release Aracari Travel, an award winning travel agency based in Lima, Peru, ...
Looking for your own “Mr. Fredricksen” South American adve... Venezuela's Mt. Roraima through the Pixar lens Did you see Pixar's fantastic South American adventure "Up" and wonder where could discover your ow...
Casa Gangotena Hotel in Quito Quito is a common stopover point en route to the Galapagos Islands, but the city itself also has a lot to offer. When searching for a place to stay in...
The Secrets of a Sabbatical At Aracari, we are big believers in the transformative power of travel, especially the kind that spans several months. So, when our friend Mirjam Pete...
Lisy Kuon Specialist Guide in Cusco Aracari offers guests unparalleled insight into Peru's rich history and culture with our specialists guides - experts in their fields offering unique ...