Must-see attractions in Machu Picchu

  • Intipunku

    Machu Picchu

    The Inca Trail ends after its final descent from the notch in the horizon called Intipunku (Sun Gate). Looking at the hill behind you as you enter the…

  • Inca Drawbridge

    Machu Picchu

    A scenic but level walk from the Hut of the Caretaker takes you right past the top of the terraces and out along a narrow, cliff-clinging trail to the…

  • Intihuatana

    Machu Picchu

    This Quechua word loosely translates as the ‘Hitching Post of the Sun’ and refers to the carved rock pillar, often mistakenly called a sundial, at the top…

  • Sacred Plaza

    Machu Picchu

    Climbing the stairs above the ceremonial baths, there is a flat area of jumbled rocks, once used as a quarry. Turn right at the top of the stairs and walk…

  • Sacristy

    Machu Picchu

    Behind and connected to the Principal Temple lies this famous small building. It has many well-carved niches, perhaps used for the storage of ceremonial…

  • Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock

    Machu Picchu

    An excellent viewpoint to take in the whole site. It’s one of a few buildings that has been restored with a thatched roof, making it a good shelter in the…

  • Principal Temple

    Machu Picchu

    The ‘temple’ derives its name from the massive solidity and perfection of its construction. The damage to the rear right corner is the result of the…

  • Ceremonial Baths

    Machu Picchu

    If you head straight into the ruins from the main entry gate, you pass through extensive terracing to a beautiful series of 16 connected ceremonial baths…

  • Royal Tomb

    Machu Picchu

    Below the Temple of the Sun, this almost hidden, natural rock cave was carefully carved by Inca stonemasons. Its use is highly debated; though known as…

  • Temple of the Sun

    Machu Picchu

    Just above and to the left of the ceremonial baths is Machu Picchu’s only round building, a curved and tapering tower of exceptional stonework. This…

  • Temple of the Condor

    Machu Picchu

    This ‘temple’ is named for a carving of the head of a condor with rock outcrops as outstretched wings. It is considered the centerpiece of the Prison…

  • Temple of the Three Windows

    Machu Picchu

    Important buildings flank the remaining three sides of the Sacred Plaza. The Temple of the Three Windows features huge trapezoidal windows that give the…

  • Prison Group

    Machu Picchu

    At the lower end of this area is the Prison Group, a labyrinthine complex of cells, niches and passageways, positioned both under and above the ground.

  • House of the High Priest

    Machu Picchu

    Little is known about these mysterious ruins, located opposite the Principal Temple.

  • Central Plaza

    Machu Picchu

    The plaza separates the ceremonial sector from the residential and industrial areas.