Things to do in Peru

Everyone who emerges through the Sun Gate is just as awestruck as the explorer who rediscovered this mountaintop treasure a century ago. Few - if any - world attractions can boast such a dramatic setting, as it clings atop a ridge surrounded by lush humid valleys and rugged Andean peaks. Even the sheer number of tourists fails to dull the impact of Machu Picchu, and the Inca stonework - cut to perfection and requiring no cement - is mind-blowing, especially when you ponder how it was achieved in such a precarious spot by a civilization which never invented wheels or metal tools.

What's more, those who hike the four-day Inca Trail have a special chance to get really immersed in the Lost City, as Tim Winkworth, from our supplier Intrepid Travel, explains: "The difference is that by hiking the Inca Trail, you get involved in it. Instead of flitting from one sight to the other, you're in it for four days. You're so immersed, it's just going to resonate much more and give you much richer, longer lasting memories." Read our Inca Trail guide to find out more.