A visit to Cuzco, Peru and a travel to Machu Picchu: MUST-DO’S!

Once in your lifetime, you should definitely visit Peru, especially the city of Cuzco, and travel to Machu Picchu. Peru is a multi-ethnic country that was once the heart of the Inca Empire. It is one of the most popular countries in South America to visit and it is no wonder why. Peru offers a fascinating mix of landscapes; the Amazon Jungle, deserts, 6,000 meter-high mountains, beaches, stunning colonial towns and of course, beautiful legacies left by pre-Hispanic civilizations such as the ruins of Machu Picchu.

Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, Peru was home to many ancient civilizations with rich cultures who built monuments of great and stunning architecture. Contrary to popular belief, trips to Machu Picchu are just some of the many trips you can do to see the Inca ruins that dot the Peruvian territory. In 1821 Peru obtained independence from Spain, and nowadays it is a multi-ethnic country of Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and Asians. Although the official language is Spanish, there are many indigenous languages, most notably Quechua.

Cuzco City, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, has been inhabited for over 3,000 years and is considered the oldest living city in the Americas. Today, Cuzco is known as the archaeological capital of the Americas and trips to Machu Picchu are the most popular trips departing this city. Trips to numerous other Inca ruins are also growing in popularity. UNESCO named Cuzco a Cultural Heritage Site of Humanity in 1983 and the Peruvian government quickly added 2 more titles that same year considering Cuzco as the official "Tourist Capital of Peru" and "Cultural Heritage of the Nation". 

Cuzco is an amazing place to wander down cobblestone streets, breathe fresh mountain air and take a day trip to visit the surroundings to awe at the ancient temples of 3,000 year-old archaeological sites sprinkled throughout the Sacred Valley. It is also the departure point for various trips to Machu Picchu. Most travellers spend at least 2 or 3 days exploring Cuzco before starting a trek to the most famous archaeological site in all South America. The travel agencies provide you with different hiking Machu Picchu options like the traditional Inca Trail trek or alternative treks such as Salkantay or Lares. Don’t miss hiking Machu Picchu, it is well worth the effort!

A famous option is the original & legendary Inca Trail, in which you can see hidden Inca ruins along the trek, cross Inti Punku at sunrise and basically live a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Or you can choose another option to travel to Machu Picchu: try the higher, more beautiful and less touristy Salkantay Trail. Discover a different side of the great Andes mountain range and get the most amazing views of the mountains by taking this alternative route to travel to Machu Picchu. By experimenting one of the trips to Machu Picchu, you get into a real adventure full of emotions and come back home with awesome memories; it is a MUST-DO!

Aaron Clarke is a well known author for travel,tour and lifestyle related articles.Currently he is writing articles about Travel To Machu Picchu and Hiking Machu Picchu Visit us to get passes of your trip.

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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