Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is famous.  The ruins are stunning in their mountain setting, but just as amazing are the mountains that you have to go through to get there.  It was, apparently, a royal palace.

My pics.

Self-explanatory.  We were in groups of 6 going through the ruins. We chose a slow group

One of the many possible pics of the mountain, taken in either direction from our hotel balcony.

You can't see the top - it is in cloud

And if you didn't look up

It is a strenuous destination.  There is the altitude to manage, and the town of MP is not near the ruins.  They are a 45 minute shuttle bus journeyaway,  made up of a sequence of hair-pin turns (the Americans call them switchbacks).

There are no roads to the town, just a railway or a hiking track, so there are no cars.  The  train journey takes one and half hours.  There are hotels in the town, and we stayed there for the night, but could only bring an overnight bag with us.  I think there is a helipad though.

But it is stunning.