Cusco
Price $349
Min age 2
Rating 4.45 / 5 [1391 ratings]
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Travel bucket list idea:
Aguas Calientes, Cusco Region, Peru
Even if you’ve seen the view in a thousand pictures, you will be blown away: clouds drifting up the lush valley, the newly-risen sun burning them away and drawing the veil from the face of Huayna Picchu mountain and the cascade of ruin-strewn terraces below.
Welcome to one of South America’s most iconic sights: the remarkable Inca citadel that lay undisturbed for centuries, only to come to international attention after a National Geographic expedition in 1911.
This Inca City was lost for centuries in the cloud forest, until it was romantically ‘re-discovered’ by explorer Hiram Bingham (with the help of locals who always knew it was there). Straddling a high mountain ridge, it was famously bult as the Inca’s secret final refuge – but you can’t help thinking they chose the location for the view.
It was abandoned around the time of the Spanish Conquest, and remains relatively intact because it was never discovered by the Conquistadors.
Covering ten hectares of cloud forest mountaintop, its outstanding architecture is made up of elaborate ceremonial centres – including a sun temple – as well as residential areas and agricultural terraces. At the north end is Wayna Picchu, the cone-shaped mountain that stands majestically over the site.
Built in two stages during the 1400s and made using natural raw materials, the site is one of the world’s great examples of architecture that blends into its environment: set on the steep pinnacle of a granite mountain, the vast walls and terraces appear as if they are a continuous part of the rock escarpment.
Machu Picchu sits above the riverside village of Aguas Calientes. Arrive the night before and stay overnight to ensure catching the first bus up to the ruins (at 5.30am); for those dawn, crowd-free views.
Many people rely on tour operators to book tickets (train and entrance packages), but it’s also possible to buy tickets independently via the government website.
The most adventurous way to arrive in Machu Picchu is on the Inca Trail: a glorious Inca Road that winds 43km through the misty mountains past a string of spectacularly-located Inca ruins.
The site is open all year round, seven days a week.
People visit Machu Picchu all year, but the peak dry season months (June to August) are best. Going in the shoulder season (April to May, September to October) means fewer crowds. Expect plenty of rain from November to March, so avoid if possible.
When it’s time to visit the site, go early. Magical Machu Picchu is at its best near dawn.
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