Peru / Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu (southern high valleys)
The "Lost City of the Incas" sits hidden atop a mountain ridge in the cloud forest, surrounded by deep valleys and the towering peaks the Inca revered as Apus, or mountain gods. Its name comes from Quechua and means "old mountain" — though whether it served as a royal retreat, a citadel or a ceremonial site remains unclear.
