Machu Picchu: You Owe it to Yourself!

Sitting at an altitude of 2,430 meters above sea level, Machu Picchu is one of the few places in the world where you’ll get to see the ancient Inca ruins and experience grand beauty through mountaintops, cultures, and ages.

The first thing that will immediately impress you is the stunning ancient architecture built amongst the clouds. The Incas used special stone-cutting techniques to create seamless blocks of stone built at such a level of mastery that will leave you eerily mesmerized. But there’s so much more than architecture, as any direction you’ll look at, especially at 2,430 meters above sea level, will show you a breathtaking view of the “Apus”, or sacred peaks around the valley.

As you travel through the area, you’ll marvel at the Incas and their culture. This ancient empire spanned Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, leaving its mark on most of Southern America. The more you think about it, the more you’ll realize why archeologists have such a debate around the origin and purpose of Machu Picchu. Most scholars agree that it was used as a pilgrimage site for the Incas, as a means of paying respect their leaders. However, when looking around, you’re bound to come up with thoughts of your own regarding this ancient mystery. To get a better idea of what this place meant for the Incas, you can always take the pilgrimage route, which is now called the Inca Trail.

If you’re a fan of ancient civilizations and want to catch a glimpse of a difference era in human history, Machu Picchu should be high on your priority list. The views, the architecture and the intoxicating height make this an absolute “must”!