Carved by the Urubamba River, a huge Valley stretches out in the middle of the Peruvian highlands, in the Andes. Over the ages inhabited by huge empires and greedy invaders, the mysticism of the Cusco Region still manages to grasp many tourists. As the mind-blowing home to the Inca civilization, the Cusco Region is high on the list of many travelers and backpackers. Not only because of the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. Incredible panoramic sceneries and tons of ancient Inca sites and ruins. Add to this the spiritual retreat centers and rural jungle and mountain farmers. It is no wonder so many different types of travelers find their way to Cusco. Discover here what all the hype is about.

We find ourselves not too high up in the Andes, at an altitude of 2430 meters, 80 kilometers of Cusco. Towering above the Urubamba river lie on the back of mountain Machu Picchu, what well may be the most famous ruins in the world. Protected by an area more than 300 000 square kilometers these remains are each year visited by more and more people from all over the world. After 2018 showed a staggering 1.5 million visitors, strict rules have been set in place. For example, only 5940 people may buy a ticket each day, only allowing you to enter on one of three schedules guided with an official tour guide. These measures are only the start of an attempt to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site Machu Picchu.

Origin Machu Picchu, meaning Old Mountain, is by far the most famous remnant of the Inca empire. These breathtaking ruins are a pearl of architectural marvel. No surprise they have been chosen as one of the new 7 world wonders. They have most likely been built around 1460 by order of Pachacuti, the ninth Inca ruler of Cusco. It is thought of as a royal estate, but despite being so it has been abandoned 80 years later during the Spanish conquest. Why this happened is unclear since the Spanish did not discover the city.

Discovery The official discovery of Machu Picchu occurred in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. He was trekking through Peru and the Sacred Valley looking for the Vitcos and the lost city of the Incas. He found the name Agustin Lizarraga and the year 1902 written in charcoal on one of the walls though. This shows he was not the first to discover the ruins. According to some historians though, the documentation suggests the site may have well been found and sacked by the German businessman Augusto Berns in 1867.

Visit Machu Picchu’s ever-rising popularity has limitations set on visitor amounts. Because of this we strongly recommend buying tickets well in advance. Also, properly plan the options you want with your visit. Several of our tours offer the add-on of a Machu Picchu visit. Do not hesitate to inform us regarding your wishes. We can help you to make your Peruvian experience as smooth as possible.