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Welcome to Peru's Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World! Machu Picchu, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rises up more than 2,400 meters above sea level where the Amazon Basin meets the Andes. The Inca chose this site above their Sacred Valley and completed the masterpiece in the mid-15th century. It is widely held that Machu Picchu, with its iconic stone walls, emerald green terraces and dazzling structures, was gifted to Emperor Pachacuti as a royal estate..
Overlook #1
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Machu Picchu's architecture, which has gradually been restored, blends seamlessly with its natural setting. Though the sanctuary is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, it's incredible to think that it was abandoned during the Spanish Conquest and re-discovered as recently as 1911. If you look to the left you can see the Urubamba River down below.
Overlook #2
Tour stop audio transcript
Machu Picchu's engineering is a marvel to those who study and visit it. The Inca used nothing more than the stones themselves, painstakingly shaped and fitted. As a result the site has survived significant quakes that have toppled major buildings in the nearby city of Cusco and elsewhere.
Through the front door
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Machu Picchu means "Old Peak" in Quechua, and the site is often referred to as the "The Citadel." You can't leave without visiting The Citadel's Sacred District with its Temple of Three Windows, Temple of the Sun and Hitching Post of the Sun. Take a deep breath! The sights are well worth the inclines.
The heart of Machu Picchu
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The heart of Machu Picchu provides views of the city's slopes and ruins. The city was divided into agricultural and residential levels. Here in the city's heart you can take in some of the royal residences and burial grounds.
Looking out over the edge
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The views from the Citadel are some of the world's most prized. But the Inca had more in mind than valley views; the location was strategically chosen to provide astronomical observation and proximity to The Gods.
Walking up to the top
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We're now headed up to Machu Picchu'a highest point. If you're feeling adventurous, you can hike to the far side of the peak and explore the Temple of the Moon.
Machu Picchu's highest point
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Machu Picchu's location up in the clouds holds great religious and cultural significance. But in order to ascend to the summit, Huayna Picchu, you have to be one of the first 400 visitors in line on any given day. The enormous popularity of the site has necessitated comprehensive measures to its preserve it. The site's less frequented peak, Machu Picchu Mountain, provides even more dramatic views at nearly
twice the elevation.
Courtyard #1
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The site's intricate pathways consist of approximately 3,000 stone steps and feed into central courtyards, grassy plazas where the Inca likely gathered.
Courtyard #2
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The Inca were brilliant planners; the Citadel's multi-level design provides stability against landslides and other natural disasters. The neatly clipped lawns of Machu Picchu are generously maintained by alpacas and llamas.
Alpacas
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One of Machu Picchu's oldest residents remains onsite to this day: the alpaca. Both alpacas and their larger cousins, llamas, graze on these slopes, greeting visitors and gracefully scaling stone. These gentle creatures were first domesticated by the Inca, transporting goods and providing meat, medicines and warm fibers for clothing and blankets.
