Machu Picchu, Peru

 
After their visit to Cusco (see Cusco, Peru) and before they went to Lima (see Lima, Peru), Ernesto “Che” Guevara and Alberto Granada made a trip to Machu Picchu on 5 April 1952. This day was depicted in the film THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (original title Diarios de Motocicleta), based on the diaries of Che Guevara.

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

In the early 1950s Machu Picchu, located at 7,217 feet (2200 meters) in the Andean Mountains, was not the tourist attraction it is today. During the Spanish Conquests of the Inca Empire in the first half of the sixteenth century the old Inca city had not been discovered. Contrary to many other Inca buildings, Machu Picchu was not destructed. It was not until 1911 that the American explorer Hiram Bingham accidentally ‘discovered’ the citadel.

In the film Ernesto Guevara (Gael García Bernal) and Alberto Granada (Rodrigo de la Serna) are by themselves, nowadays more than one and a half million people visit Machu Picchu each year. Most visitors arrive with a shuttle bus from the tourist town of Aguas Caliente, a journey with 13 hairpin bends. In the film, the way up is made on foot via the Inca trail, a walking path paved by the Incas.

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:04:53

Inca trail, Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

When you visit Machu Picchu by walking the Inca trail, you will see the famous view of the city upon arrival. This scene was not rehearsed to capture the spontaneous reaction of the actors who encounter the monument for the first time. In the background the Huayna Picchu ('Young mountain top') can be seen. For an experienced walker it is possible to walk up to the top in about one hour.

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:05:01

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:05:15

Main entrance, Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:05:27

Intihuatana, Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:06:38

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:06:43

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:06:46

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

Che Guevara and Albert Granada took a photo camera with them during their trip. In this scene, Guevara poses in a doorway while being photographed by Granada. This section of Machu Picchu is known as the Royal Sector.

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:05:31

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:05:35

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

The Motorcycle Diaries, 1:05:38

Machu Picchu, 30 June 2018

Ollantaytambo, 29 June 2018

The above scene was based on a photo of Guevara made by Granada in Ollantaytambo, located in the Sacred Valley. The Inca buildings in this town are less known than Machu Picchu but are certainly worth a visit. From Ollantaytambo the train leaves for Aguas Caliente, during our stay in the afternoon so we could visit these ruins in the morning. The terraces are built against a mountain slope. The climb up can be difficult, also due to the thin air.

When you walk upstairs following the path, you will pass the entrance where Che Guevara stood in 1952.


Che Guevara in Ollantaytambo, 1952

Ollantaytambo, 29 June 2018

Screenshots © Focus Features/FilmFour