Fly into La Paz or Lima, Peru, then get a flight to Cusco, Peru. Sit near the window to see the Andes mountains.
From Cusco take a train to Aguas Calientes. The train ride takes about four hours, but goes through several photo-worthy villages and hills. Trains also go to Machu Picchu from Ollantaytambo, which also has lodging options. Bus and car rides are also available from Aguas Calientes.
Hikers can take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The trail is a 28-mile hike that takes about four days to complete. Reservations are required.
Enter Machu Picchu through the main gate. The stone doorway has a stunning view of Huayna Picchu Mountain, and reveals how the ancient Incans constructed their buildings in harmony with their environment.
Other attractions within Machu Picchu are the semicircular Temple of the Sun where solar observations were performed, and the Intiwatana Pyramid. Discoverer Hiram Bingham named it Intiwatana, which means "the place to which the sun is tied." He believed, mistakenly, that the pyramid was used as a sundial.
