A Walking Tour of Machu Picchu, Peru

Three thousand feet above the Urubamba Valley of Peru, stretch two mountains, Machu Picchu (Old Mountain) and Huayna (also spelled Wayna and Wina) Picchu (Young Mountain). On a cloud-draped ridge connecting the two peaks lies the magnificent site of Machu Picchu, one of the architectural wonders of the world. Machu Picchu was a part of the estate of the unifying king of the Inca civilization, Pachacuti (also spelled Pachakuteq). Pachacuti lived from AD 1438-1471, and in addition to being the first king of the Inca empire, he and his architects are responsible for the architectural style commonly identified with the Inca civilization.