Where Is Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu is located in Peru, South America.
It is the lost city of the Inca people and is built on a ridge between two massive peaks. Machu Picchu was built over 700 years ago, but it was hidden by jungle until it 's rediscovery in 1911. It contains about 200 buildings, including temples and homes, a town centre and a royal palace.
It is not known why Machu Picchu was built in such a bizarre and remote location at a high altitude, but it has been thought that perhaps it was a religious or royal retreat for one of the Inca rulers.
Nowadays, backpackers hike on the notorious Inca trail which takes about 3 days. The less adventurous can opt to take a train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, which is a town in the river valley below Machu Picchu. There are regular bus transfers between Aguas Calientes and the ruins throughout the day. The best times to visit are early morning or at the end of the day when there are less crowds.

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The fabled "lost city" of the Incas is a must-see on any South American traveler's itinerary. The national park atop terraces above the Urubamba River gets thousands of tourist every year.
Because of its remoteness and rocky "road" that was prohibitive to horses, the Spanish never discovered Machu Picchu. In 1911, A Yale University team of archaeologists lead by Hiram Bingham (who later became a U.S. senator from Connecticut) happened upon and excavated the ruins.
Perched above the river with the twin towers of Machu (Old) and Huayna (Young) Picchu (peak), the site exudes an unforgettable air of mystery.
Researchers believe that Machu Picchu was primarily a ceremonial site, perhaps a getaway for the Inca himself (the king) with his retinue of sacred virgins. There was clearly a sizeable settlement, but no burial sites have thus been found.
Gigantic stones were hauled up steep slopes on rollers to build the temple complex. There is no mortar in the masonry, and one block has 12 sides, fitted precisely into the wall. In the earthquake-prone Andes, stone structures had trapezoidal doorways for stability.
The Tomb of the Condor is a small enclosure in which the head of a condor, complete with neck ring, is carved into the "living rock."
Llamas wander the park for tourists to photograph. Keep an eye out for the rabbit-like vizcacha. If you are lucky, you may see blackbird-sized hummingbirds or an Andean condor, soaring high overhead.
You can reach Machu Picchu in two ways: by train from Cuzco then on a minibus or via a four-day backpack on the Inca Trail, starting at kilometer 88 of the railway.

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