Machu Picchu Attractions

Venue: Machu Picchu    When: Daily

The ancient ruins of enigmatic Machu Picchu still stand, a silent legacy of the glorious past of the Inca Empire.

This site, rediscovered by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911, is said to have been constructed by the Incas in the 15th century, before they had their hands full dealing with intrepid Spanish explorers. The name of the site in Quechua means "old peak", suggesting perhaps a more ancient origin.

The mountaintop complex, which consists of 150 remarkably well-preserved houses as well as fountains, gateways, temples, shrines, castles and bulwarks, is entirely invisible from below. The integrated agricultural terraces that surround it provided enough food to feed the entire population of the city. Structures and surfaces are all masterfully elaborate and solid: the 50-ton blocks that make up the city are so tightly pressed together that it is impossible to stick even a thin penknife in-between them (not that you'd want to try, ahem).

Skeletal remains found in the city indicate a proportion of ten females to one male, which in turn suggests that it was used as a training facility for priestesses, or brides for the Incan nobility. The city was probably also an astronomical observatory, inferred from the Intihuatana stone in the middle of the city, which accurately marks the winter solstice along with other astronomical phenomena.

If you find yourself heading for Machu Picchu, make sure you try and get there early: don't miss the breathtaking experience of watching the sun rise over the Andes from a lost temple-city on the roof of the world. The nearby town of Aguas Calientes has hotels where you can stay overnight if you want to make an early start (as well as hot springs where you can relax after a hard day's exploration).

Please note: the number of trek permits is currently limited to 500 per day (about 200 tourists and 300 trekking staff), so it is important to book well in advance - up to three months in high season.