Terraced slopes used for drainage and farming



Machu Picchu, located in the Cuzco area of Peru, is arguably the world’s most impressive pre-Columbian site. The citadel, situated 2,430m (7,970ft) above sea level, is widely thought to have been built as an exclusive estate for Inca emperors.

Construction started in around 1450 and was inhabited until 1572 as a result of the Spanish Conquest. Fortunately, the Spanish never found and ruined the citadel as they did with many other Inca sites. Instead, Machu Picchu was mysteriously abandoned, possibly because its inhabitants died from smallpox brought in by the conquistadors.

The site was first brought to international attention in 1911 when historian Hiram Bingham announced the discovery of the citadel to foreigners. It remains disputed whether he was the first westerner to find the site, for evidence of Machu Picchu has appeared on maps since 1874 when it was discovered by German businessman, Augusto Berns.

The quality of Inca stonemasonry is evident throughout the site

A small tourist town called Aguas Calientes (literally ‘warm waters’ in Spanish) is situated at the base of the mountain. Tourists then take busses to the top – the entrance to the citadel. The only way to enter the town is via train (4 hours) or on foot (about 3 days) through the Inca Trail. Both are an 80km (50 miles) journey that start in Cuzco, the Inca civilisation’s capital, and end at the entrance to Machu Picchu.

Entry is limited to Machu Picchu. No more than 3,000 people may enter the site on a single day and no more than 500 people can take the 2 hour hike to Huayna Picchu. The temple of the moon is situated there, high above Machu Picchu, and boasts magnificent views of the whole complex.

There is a strict no-fly zone above the area and helicopter flights in the area are completely forbidden. Like the quota on visitors, this is to protect the fragile stone walls of the site.