The Machu Picchu altitude is in fact one of the most amazing facts about the sacred site of Incas. With an altitude of 8,040 feet or 2,450 meters, it is one of the highest in the world. But it is not widely-known that other cities in Peru are even way higher than Machu Picchu. Yes, while everybody else thinks that Machu Picchu is the tallest, check again. Machu Picchu is only popular because of the history it carries, but height wise, it is a midget compared to other cities in Peru. The taller cities are Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Puno, and Lake Titicaca.
Compared to the Machu Picchu altitude, Cusco is taller by 2,000 feet. Cusco has an altitude of 10,800 feet or 3,300 meters. Cusco, or sometimes spelled as Cuzco was first called and spelled as Qusqu or Qosqo. It is located in the southeast area of Peru, a few meters from Urubamba Valley and near the mountain range of the Andes hills. This city is actually Cuzco Province’s or Cusco Region’s capital. While the Machu Picchu is the holy sanctuary of the Incas, Cusco, on the other hand is Inca Empire’s capital. Because of this, tourists are also encouraged to check out the city—apart from touring the Machu Picchu.
Another Peruvian city that will put the Machu Picchu altitude to shame is Ollantaytambo. It has an altitude of 9,150 feet or 2,790 meters. While Cusco is the capital of the great empire of the Incas, Ollantaytambo is the place of rich archaeology in Peru. It is south of the country at around 60 kilometers to the north of Cusco. In Inca time, this city was Emperor Pachacuti’s royal estate. He was the one who conquered the place, so there he built a center for ceremonies and a town for the people.
Puno is a city whose altitude is way more than the Machu Picchu altitude. Puno has a height of 12,420 feet or 3,860 meters. The city of Puno is located at the southeastern part of Peru, at the shores of another skyscraper which is Lake Titicaca. Like Cusco, Puno is the capital of Puno Province and Puno Region. Unlike Machu Picchu, the Spanish conquistadors reached Puno they were responsible for its establishment. Puno was named after San Juan Bautista de Puno in 1668. But after some time they changed the name to San Carlos de Puno to pay tribute to the Spanish King Charles II.
Lastly, the other city that towers above the Machu Picchu altitude is Lake Titicaca. With an altitude the same as Puno, Machu Picchu will surely bow to Lake Titicaca. As said, it is a lake that is on Peru’s border and Bolivia. It separates the two countries and has served the two to identify the distinction between the two lands. It boasts of being the biggest lake in Latin America. It has often competed with Lake Maracaibo but the latter has been frequently neglected because its tail is attached to the sea—while Lake Titicaca is a solo lake.