The train journey from Cuzco to Machu Picchu is a highlight of
any trip to the Andes. The 3 and a half hour journey takes you
through a changing landscape. First there is a steep climb out
of Cuzco into the surrounding hillside, by means of a series of
switchback turns known locally as "the zig The train then stops
at Poroy before descending into the Sacred Valley, passing by
lush, green fields and colorful villages in the foothills of the
Andes. After departing Poroy and going through Cachimayo, the
train descends to the plateau of Anta, a patchwork landscape of
typical Andean crops and passes lush fields and colorful
villages in the foothills of the Andes. Far to the left, just
below the horizon, the massive agricultural terraces of
Jaquijahuana can be seen, close to the village of Zurite. Sadly,
these great terraces are all that remain today of what was once
a major Inca city, lost forever during the first years after the
Spanish conquest. Beyond the town of Huarocondo the great plain
narrows dramatically