Wandering what Machu Picchu looks like? Have a glimpse at the incredible Machu Picchu, alongside a bit of Peru's jungle and Andes.
This is really a bucket list destination. There is truly nothing else like the Incan Palace of Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983. It is located 80 kilometers northwest of Cusco and close to the urban area of Aguas Calientes, from where tourists get up by bus.
The city is thought to have been built by incarnate Pachacuti around 1440 and was inhabited until the Spanish conquest of Peru in 1532. However, the Spaniards never came to Machu Picchu and had no knowledge of the city's existence.
Archaeological finds show that this was not an ordinary town, but rather a kind of country site for the Incan and the court, with a large palace and temple.
It is estimated that a maximum of only 750 people could have lived in the city and probably only a very small part of it during the rainy season when none of the mighty were visiting.
The town, which over the years was camouflaged by vegetation, was rediscovered by some local farmers when a forest fire broke out and uncovered parts of the mountain July 24, 1911.
The inaccessibility and vegetation have kept the city relatively intact for this long period of time, something that even today contributes somewhat to keeping tourism in check.
UNESCO has expressed concern that the approximately 400,000 tourists who visit Machu Picchu each year cause world heritage damage, but Peruvian authorities say mass tourism is avoided as it is so demanding to get there.
The connection with Cusco is only a narrow-gauge railway. The last stop with a road connection from Cusco is Ollantaytambo, about two and a half hours train ride from Machu Picchu. Ollantaytambo can be reached by car or bus from Cusco.
A popular alternative to trains is to hike along the Inca Trail. Nowadays, permission is required to hike the trail, which is done with the guidance of a special guide. It is also possible to rent a helicopter in Cusco and fly to Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu is now chosen as one of the world's seven new wonders.
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