Hiking To Machu Picchu | Calming Bedtime Story For Sleep | Rewind
Night Falls: Bedtime Story, Sleep Story, Sleep Podcast
This episode follows a meditative journey along the Inca Trail toward the ancient, cloud-shrouded city of Machu Picchu. The narrator describ
Key takeaways
- The Sun Gate (Inti) was historically a restricted entrance reserved for the Inca elite.
- Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu in 1911 after it had been hidden by jungle for centuries.
Main topics
- The Inca Trail hike
- Machu Picchu history
Notable quotes
I've pushed my body to the limit, and I'm ready to reap the rewards.
Conclusion
A soothing and educational exploration of one of the world's most icon
Transcript preview
Speaker 1 (0:00) Tonight's episode of Nightfalls is sponsored by Vinted. I'm quite conscious of not wanting good things to go to waste, but even so, I can look through my wardrobe and find a jacket or a pair of walking boots that I bought with the best intentions, yet haven't reached for in a very long time. Vinted gives those clothes the opportunity to be used and enjoyed again. It's a second-hand marketplace app that makes it easy for everyday sellers to list pre-loved fashion and earn a little extra money in the process. Listing on Vinted is quick and simple, so finally tackling that wardrobe clear-out needn't become a project in itself. There are no seller fees, which means you keep everything you earn, and once an item sells, Vinted creates the prepaid shipping label for you. I think there's something rather satisfying about knowing that a... perfectly good coat can go on a new adventure instead of just gathering dust. Give your clothes a second life with Vinted. Download the Vinted app for free to start selling with no seller fees. So you keep everything you earn. Plus for a limited time, enjoy free shipping in the US on Vinted. Here on Nightfalls, we know how helpful an immersive bedtime story can be when your mind needs somewhere else to go. But perhaps there are nights when you need something a little different. A story with less plot to follow, fewer characters to connect with, and nothing much to keep track of at all. That's exactly what Catherine Nicolai offers on her podcast, Nothing Much Happens. Each episode is a cozy, calming bedtime story where, as the name suggests, nothing much happens. Catherine uses soothing narration, repetition, and comforting sensory details to give a busy mind somewhere quiet to rest. Millions of listeners around the world turn to Nothing Much Happens to quiet their thoughts and make the journey into sleep feel a little easier. So if you love our stories here but are curious about a different kind of bedtime listening, you might like to give it a try. You can listen to Nothing Much Happens wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday. If you've ever wanted to lose yourself in a land of wizards, goblins, and creatures that really shouldn't be able to talk, somewhere between the tales we tell here and somewhere entirely new, Hello from the Magic Tavern is waiting for you. It's an improvised comedy podcast set in the fantastical land of Foon, hosted by Arnie Niekamp alongside his co-hosts Udysaur the Wizard and Chunt the Talking Badger. Each episode, they interview the creatures, spellcasters, and adventurers that wander through from throughout the land. A mix of storytelling, improv comedy, and pure absurdity. Find Hello from the Magic Tavern wherever you listen to your podcasts. Speaker 1 (3:16) Welcome back to Nightfalls, the bedtime show of classic and original stories designed to guide you into a calm and peaceful sleep. I'm Geoffrey, and in Speaker 2 (3:27) tonight's story, we join a hiker on the Inca Trail as he climbs to Machu Picchu, the lost city in the clouds, and one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Speaker 2 (3:39) Before we begin, here's a quick ad break that keeps this free content possible. To go completely ad-free, subscribe via the link in the show notes. Alright, now back to Nightfalls. My head feels light. The humidity warms my skin and I take deep inhales of cool oxygen to fuel my steps. For days, I've focused on simply putting one foot in front of the other. Pushing my way through exhaustion, muscle aches, and changes in altitude. I've pushed my body to the limit, and I'm ready to reap the rewards. And then sleep for a week. I've wanted to hike this trail for as long as I can remember. Since I first learnt about Machu Picchu. The ancient city hidden within the Andes mountains of Peru. Speaker 2 (4:49) This lost city was built by the Incas and lay untouched for 400 years until rediscovered by explorers just over a century ago. For 400 years the impressive structure lay dormant, sleeping peacefully amongst the clouds. Speaker 2 (5:12) Now, explorers make the journey to wander around its spectacular ruins every day, wondering why this city was so remote and so easily abandoned. I, and the dozen strangers traveling with me, will be the next to see it. Having chosen to make the 43-kilometer journey along the Inca Trail, I could have caught the train to Aguas Calientes and then reached Machu Picchu the easy way. but I want it as authentic an experience as possible, at least as authentic as you can get, being 500 years in the future. It's a trail that the Incas were forced to take once upon a time, risking their lives to do so. Now, in the 21st century, the path is much less treacherous. Speaker 2 (6:12) Before I embarked on this hike, I spent two days in the city of Cusco, enjoying the colorful sights and delicious Peruvian food, Speaker 1 (6:23) not to Speaker 2 (6:24) mention chewing copious amounts of cocoa leaves to avoid altitude sickness. The city of Cusco's elevation is over 11,000 feet above sea level, and the Inca Trail only leads you higher. So since my arrival there, I have felt like I'm living above the rest of the world. I regularly feel a little woozy, but it's worth it for the views of the Andes and the promise of Machu Picchu. The original creation of the Inca