The seven wonders you must see at Machu Picchu

World wonder Machu Picchu.Credit: iStock

Enter via the Sun Gate

There are several ways to get to Machu Picchu, Peru’s iconic Incan ruin, including a train trip from Cusco, travelling by car or bus or hiking one of the alternative treks we will list below. The most famous is walking the Inca Trail, a four-day, 43-kilometre trek through the Andes along a pathway cut by ancient Incans, finishing at Machu Picchu. The entry to the ruins from the Inca Trail is via Inti Punku, or the Sun Gate, which provides the first glimpse of Machu Picchu as the sun rises. A word of warning: morning clouds often hang low over the Andes, which means the Sun Gate may be the Mist Gate on your visit.

See the Sacred Stone

Intihuatana, or the ritual stone associated with the Inca calendar.Credit: iStock

Though Machu Picchu as a whole is spectacular, there are certain sites in particular you will want to visit. One is the Intihuatana, or Sacred Stone, a ritual stone that relates to the astronomic clock, and the Incan worship of the sun god. This is a huge granite boulder, thought to have been carved around the year 1450, featuring a complex series of planes and angles that researchers have been unable to properly explain. What is known is that it aligns perfectly with the sun’s position at the winter solstice, and that the Incas believed the stone held the sun in place on its path.

Visit the Temple of the Sun

Temple of the Sun.Credit: iStock

This is another of the citadel’s more notable sites, the semicircular Temple of the Sun, unique at Machu Picchu, though similar to temples in Cusco and Pisac. The windows here align with various movements of the sun but even if your visit doesn’t coincide with a solstice or an equinox, this is an impressive work of ancient architecture.

Climb Huayna Picchu

Huayna Picchu, the tallest peak overlooking Machu Picchu, and the most difficult climb offered in the area.Credit: iStock

Feeling sprightly, despite being almost 2500 metres above sea level? Then you will want to buy a ticket for the hour-long hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, the tallest peak overlooking Machu Picchu, and the most difficult climb offered in the area. Those with vertigo need not apply. Scramble to the top here and you will find a few scattered ruins from the time of the Incas as well as a unique and stunning view over Machu Picchu and the surrounding Andes.

See Inti Mach’ay

Inti Mach’ay cave was a festive site used to celebrate the Feast of the Sun.Credit: iStock

This cave is widely considered the most impressive feat of engineering and construction at Machu Picchu. Inti Mach’ay was a festive site used to celebrate the Feast of the Sun. It is highlighted by two pools thought to be used to view the sky’s reflection. There’s also a tunnel-like window here positioned to allow natural light into the cave only during the December solstice, when the feast would be held.

Go to “the spot”

‘The spot’, where all those photos of Machu Picchu get taken. Credit: iStock

You know the spot, even if you don’t realise it. There’s a place in Machu Picchu where all the best photos are taken, a position that commands the ideal view over the ruins, with spectacular Huayna Picchu looming in the background. Getting to the spot is fairly simple: just look for the queue of visitors waiting to get their photo. It is outside what is known as the Guardian House, a short walk north of the main entrance, above the section of terraces.

Take an alternative hike

An alternative to beat the crowds is the Salkantay Trek.Credit: iStock

One thing about Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail: it’s busy – almost too busy, with concerns of damage due to overtourism. A good way to mitigate that is to choose an alternative destination. If you’re up for a walk similar to the Inca Trail, try the five-day Salkantay Trek, passing through the incredible Cordillera Vilcabamba, or the three-day Inka Jungle Trek, which includes part of the classic Inca Trail. Both finish close to Machu Picchu. For something different, try visiting Choquequirao, billed as the “alternative Machu Picchu”, an Incan ruin also accessible via a hike from Cusco.