Machu Picchu

The Legendary "Lost City of Machu Picchu" is without a doubt the most important attraction in Peru and one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites. Built by the Incas on the summit of Machu Picchu (Old Peak), over- looking the deep canyon of the Urubamba river in a semi-tropical area 120 Km. (75 miles) from the city of Cuzco at 7,000 feet above sea level.



Machu Picchu is also one of the Inca's best kept secrets. They did not leave written records and Spanish chronicles make no mention of the citadel. Discovered in 1911 by the American professor Hiram Bingham. The building style is "late imperial Inca". It is thought to have been a sanctuary or temple inhabited by high priests and the "Virgins of the Sun". Excavations revealed that of the 135 skeletons found, 109 were women. No signs of post-Conquest occupation were unearthed.



GreenTracks offers several options for experiencing Cuzco and Machu Picchu: tour the area for either three, four or six days lodging in picturesque hotels, hike the Inca Trail for two to five days. You can even tack one of these trips onto one of our Amazon tours for an incredible experience of the diverse nature and cultures of Peru.

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