The Inca Trail

Peru is rapidly becoming a more attractive tourist destination, drawing visitors from around the world interested in the natural beauty of the nation's cloud forests, mountain ranges, art, cuisine and ancient ruins. The Inca Trail in particular draws thousands of backpackers and tourists every year who flock to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Whether they hike the trail itself or take the train to see the famed lost city of the Incas, it's an unforgettable journey into the heart of the history of that massive South American empire.

The Incan road system ran up and down the west coast of the South American continent, going the southern reaches of modern Chilé up to northern Ecuador. They were used chiefly for postal runners that kept the far reaches of the empire in close communication. The most popular section of the trail for hikers is the Capaq Nan, which runs from the small town of Ollantaytambo all the way to Machu Picchu. Guides are recommended, particularly during the rainy season when conditions on the trail can be dangerous due to mudslides. The steep climbs are made worth it by the spectacular views of the rugged Andes mountains, decorated by the cloud forests and fascinating terraced ruins. Many of the people that live along the trail are subsistence farmers, living much the same way and using similar farming techniques as their Ican ancestors.

Although the political situation from about 1980-2000 was quite violent as rebel groups like the Túpac Amaru revolutionaries and the Shining Path vied for power against the government in Lima, it has calmed down sufficiently for tourists to be reasonably safe. High-end hotels catering to Western tourists have opened in recent years in the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco and at Macchu Piccu itself.