Huayna Picchu Mountain

Tourists climbing the Machu Picchu Mountains near Hotel Sumaq

Many of the quintessential photos that you have seen looking down on Machu Picchu from above will have been taken from the top of Huayna Picchu Mountain. The view is indeed impressive from the top, located more than 1000ft above where you start your climb. But this is definitely a case where it’s not the distance but the journey. The peak is reached by hiking up steep Inca steps, giving you the opportunity to take a journey on a veritable Inca trail.

Making it to the highest point will take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, and the satisfaction you get from the task, as well as the incredible view, makes it well worthwhile. In addition to the Inca structures you’ll find there, it’s also possible to walk back around the other side to visit the Temple of the Moon.

The full circuit can take 4 hours and, once you’ve committed, it’s pretty much a case of continuing is going to be just as long as going back the other way.