Visit Machu Picchu in Peru
Step through the entrance and watch the terraces, stone walls and surrounding peaks line up into the view you have seen in photographs for years. Machu Picchu sits more than 2,400 metres above sea level on a ridge between the Andes and the upper Amazon basin, with steep green mountains enclosing the site on almost every side. The scale is not enormous, but the setting makes it feel isolated and improbable, especially when cloud moves through the valley below. The Inca built Machu Picchu in the 15th century, combining agricultural terraces, ceremonial spaces, residences and precisely fitted stone structures across a difficult mountain site. UNESCO recognises the wider Historic Sanctuary for both its cultural and natural importance, covering more than 32,000 hectares around the citadel. Visiting now is tightly managed to protect the site: the Peruvian Ministry of Culture uses three main visitor circuits divided into ten routes, so the ticket you choose determines which sections and viewpoints you can access. Book well ahead if Machu Picchu is central to your Peru trip. Official tickets are sold through the Peruvian government system, with date, entry time and route selected when booking; a limited allocation is also sold in person in Machupicchu Pueblo. Most visitors arrive by train via the Sacred Valley and Machupicchu Pueblo, while the Inca Trail turns the approach itself into a multi-day trek. Give the site several hours rather than trying to squeeze it between transport connections. Add this to your list and see why an Inca settlement hidden among these mountains became one of the defining sights of South America.