1. Machu Picchu
Machu Pikchu is a 15th-century
Inca site located 2,430 metres
(7,970 ft) above sea level. It is
located in the Cusco
Region, Urubamba
Province, Machupicchu District in
Peru. It is situated on a mountain
ridge above the Sacred Valley
which is 80 kilometres (50 mi)
northwest of Cusco and through
which the Urubamba River flows.
Most archaeologists believe that
Machu Picchu was built as an
estate for the Inca emperor
Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often
mistakenly referred to as the
"Lost City of the Incas", it is
perhaps the most familiar icon of
Inca civilization.

2. Climate
It's tropical, warm and sunny days and cool nights. It's very rainy between
December and March, but it's still wonderful. Bring a rain-jacket or
umbrella, and you will be fine.

3. Landscapes
Machu Picchu is 1,000 meters (3,300
ft.) lower than Cusco city, that's why
the environment here is different.
The cloud-forest that covers the
steep mountains around the citadel
is habitat of an interesting wildlife
that includes the Andean bear and
the cock-of the rock bird. The ruins
and the surroundings are part of a
national park to protect the
archaeological remains and the
environment.

4. Geography
Machu Picchu lies in the southern
hemisphere, 13.164 degrees south
of the equator.It is 80 kilometres
(50 miles) northwest of Cusco, on
the crest of the mountain Machu
Picchu, located about 2,430 metres
(7,970 feet) above mean sea
level, over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)
lower than Cusco, which has an
elevation of 3,600 metres (11,800
ft). As such, it had a milder climate
than the Inca capital. It is one of
the most important archaeological
sites in South America, one of the
most visited tourist attractions in
all of Latin America and the most
visited tourist attraction in Peru.

5. Construction
The central buildings of
Machu Picchu use the classical
Inca architectural style of
polished dry-stone walls of
regular shape. The Incas were
masters of this
technique, called ashlar, in
which blocks of stone are cut
to fit together tightly without
mortar. Many junctions in the
central city are so perfect that
it is said not even a blade of
grass fits between the stones.

6. Threats
The 'Santa Teresa II' hydropower project proposes diverting 105
cubic metres (3,700 cubic feet) of water from the Vilcanota river
through a 14 km (9 mi) tunnel that will run underneath organic
coffee and fruit plantations.This process will drain the
plantations above the tunnel and disrupt the warm water flows
to the famous thermal baths in Cocalmayo as the tunnel runs
through the two folds that feeds the waters to the thermal
baths.