Aguas Calientes

We caught a train on PeruRail to the small town of Aguas Calientes, which is the base for travelling to Machu Picchu. Aguas Calientes is the colloquial Spanish name for the town and it means "hot waters", a reference to the nearby thermal springs. It is mostly a tourist town now, with many restaurants and souvenir shops lining the river front and train tracks.

The train ride was a beautiful journey through the mountains, forests and Sacred Valley of the Urubamba Province. At one stage, the train descends very quickly on a clever system of switchback tracks.

Our blue train winding its way through the river valley

Inca ruins and farming terraces in the Sacred Valley

The town square in Aguas Calientes

The Willkanuta River runs through the small mountain town

The train tracks bisect the little town

Colourful buildings and trains

Colourful textiles and souvenirs in the craft market