An excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba (also called Vilcanota) River is a "must" for anyone visiting Cuzco. Here the wealthier Inca families had their country estates, a first experiment with private property in the Inca Empire. The circuit has excellent highways to most sites and can easily be made in one day. However, this does not leave much time for lingering, seeing some of the off-road archeological sites, or simply for taking in the view. The towns...

In the afternoon, the city tour includes a visit to the Cathedral, considered the best repository of colonial art from the Cusco school. We'll continue the circuit to Qoricancha ("court of gold", also known as the temple of the sun), the religious and political center of Cusco during the Inca era. Just outside the city is Sacsayhuaman ("speckled falcon"), the fortress above Cusco whose precise zigzags of massive stone remain unmoved by the centuries. This is the center of the...

After a marvelous train ride through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, arrive at the spectacular citadel of Machu Picchu for a never to be forgotten guided-tour of this architectural marvel. Hidden under the dense foliage of a highland jungle, forgotten by the Incas themselves, Machu Picchu escaped the conquistadors and eluded treasure hunters until Hiram Bingham brought the "Lost City of the Incas" to the world's attention in 1911. The intricate stonework of these enigmatic site is one of...