Machu Picchu has been nominated as one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This old Inca Civilzation is located in the Andes Mountains about 2,400 
meters above sea level ouside of Cuzco, Peru. Machu Picchu is one of the best sites to visit around the world, and is the main tourist attraction in Peru! It was personally my favorite tourist site around the world!
Machu Picchu was constructed around 1450 when the Inca Empire was dominating the region. About 100 years later, around the time of the Spanish Conquiestidors, it was mysteriously abandoned by the Incas. It ws rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. Since then, thousands of people have had the chance to see this great wonder of the world.
Most travelers come to Machu Picchu through a city called Cuzco. There are two main ways to get to Cuzco from Lima (the capital of Peru). There is a bus that you can take from Lima to Cuzco that takes almost 24 hours of travel time to arrive in Cuzco. Or you can flyfrom Lima to Cuzco direct which takes about 1.5 hours. Flying is by far the best option. There is definitely a difference in the price between the bus and a plane, but I would highly recommend the flight over the bus trip!
When planning your trip to Machu Picchu make sure you give yourself one or two extra days to adjust to the altitude. If you have not been in the high altitude leading up to your trip into Cuzco then you could experience altitude sickness. The locals have a cure for the altitude sickness, and it is a from the coco plant. You put these coco leaves (a couple leaves) in your mouth with a little piece of limestone. This combination actually starts to numb your mouth and jaw after a couple of minutes, and during the same time relieves the altitude sickness.
Cuzco is a small town that has thrived, because of the tourism caused by Machu Picchu. I would suggest planning on staying about 7-14 days around Cuzco. This amount of time will allow you to get to and from Machu Picchu, and also allow you to do other activites that are offered through local tourist offices. To get to Machu Picchu from Cuzco all you have to do is talk to a local tourist company, and they will set you up with a couple of different options. Here are the following options to see and experience Machu Picchu:
- Walking the Inca Trail is the most popular option for backpackers. The Inca Trail is a 4 day hike that starts just outside Cuzco with you ending the trek at Machu Picchu. You will hike all day and then camp out at night. The 2nd day is definitely the hardest, but this hike is worth the walk! You will be lead by local tour guides who will explain different sites throughout the trek and also cook food for you throughout the day. During the summer season in Peru this trip gets booked up a month a head of time. If you are looking to do this option you need to pre-book your trip before you get to Cuzco or else you might not be able to go on the trek. You might get lucky by showing up to Cuzco, and filling in for a traveler that didn't show up on the scheduled day, but do not depend on this option. There are a lot of travel web sites to book your trip through and this is just one option: Inca Trail
- The next best option is to take a train to Aguas Caliente (literally hot springs) the night before you intend to go and see Machu Picchu. This town was built right below Machu Picchu, and has restaurants and hostels for tourist. There is no other reason to go here other than to see Machu Picchu. There are manmade hot springs that you can relax in when you arrive, but when I was there it was not that impressive. The advantage of staying in Augas Caliente is taking the first bus up to the top of Machu Picchu at about 5am. You are able to get on top of the mountain while it is still foggy, and get a guided tour while there is practically nobody there. At about 7.30am you will see the sun slowly melt the fog away from the city! That is the coolest part of the day.
- The next option is to take a train that leaves Cuzco to Machu Picchu at 8am You will probably arrive at Aguas Caliente at about 10 am, and will be able toget to the city about 30 minutes later. You will also still be able to get a guided tour and walk around for a couple of hours. You will then take the 3 pm train back to Cuzco. This option is a short day trip, but definitely worth it if you don't have that much time. The only problem with this option is that when this train arrives there are a lot of tourist walking everywhere on top of the mountain. It is hard to enjoy the site when it is so crowded.
- If you are truedly a budget traveler then there is one more option. I saw backpackers walking from Cuzco to Aguas Caliente. I don't know how long it would take you, but it is a possibility! All you have to do is follow the train tracks the whole way!
When you get to Machu Picchu you will pay an entrance fee. If you are Peruvian there is no fee. There are local guidesthat you will be albe ot hire that will explain the different parts of the city, and the significance it played hundreds of years ago. It is best to get your tour done early before the crowds show up on the the 10am train.
After your tour you will have the opportunity to climb the other mountain that is right beside Machu Picchu (Old Peak) that is called Wayna Picchu (Young Peak). Only 300 visitors per day get to climb this mountain. It is about an hour hike up and and hour back down. This will give you a 
great view of the surrounding mountains, and give you the view of Machu Picchu that is shaped like a condor!
