Machu Picchu is the most impressive and spectacular accomplishment of the Inca Empire. It is possibly one of the greatest accomplishments to visit in Peru. It is tucked away on a small hilltop between two Andean peaks at 7,000 feet above sea level. The fact that it lay hidden to all but a few peasants for hundreds of years adds to its mystery and intrigue. Never discovered by the Spanish or mentioned in their chronicles, Machu Picchu is the most popular, yet least well-known of the Inca monuments - the pre-Colonial cultures of Peru left no written records. Yale professor Hiram Bingham discovered the ruins buried beneath dense undergrowth in 1911,

The first sight of Machu Picchu is fascinating and almost magical. The temples, fields, terraces, and baths appear to be part of the hillside itself . . . an imposing, elegant green, lush paradise carved into its natural surroundings. The agricultural terracing and aqueducts take advantage of the natural slopes; the lower areas contain buildings occupied by farmers and teachers, and the most important religious areas are located at the crest of the hill, overlooking the lush Urubamba Valley thousands of feet below.

To actually explore the ruins you enter through the "House of the Terrace Caretakers" which flank the Agricultural Sector. This great area of terracing made the city self-sufficient in crops. The terraces end in a dry moat, beyond which lies the city itself. If you continue straight ahead you come to the Fountains, which are actually small waterfalls, in a chain of 16 little "baths." These were probably used for religious rituals. Here, too, is the Temple of the Sun. this round tapering tower features the most perfect stonework found in Machu Picchu. Next to the Sun Temple is a three-walled house, which has been restored and its roof thatched as an example of how these structures looked in Inca times. It is usually called the Fountain Caretaker's House. Opposite the Sun Temple, are the structures call the Royal Sector. They can be identified by the roominess of the buildings, and also for the huge rock lintels (weighing up to 3 tons) which generally characterized the homes of the mighty in Inca architecture. Following, the Temple of the Three Windows, is one of the most interesting areas of the city. Its east wall is built on a single huge rock; the trapezoidal windows are partly cut into it. Next to this site stands the Principal Temple, another three-walled building with immense foundation rocks and artfully-cut masonry. The more adventurous visitor may like to climb Huayna Picchu, the towering granite peak that overlooks Machu Picchu for the north. The path is very steep; it's the original Inca path and must be approached with caution.