11. PERU: Cusco & Machu Picchu

Cusco is the former capital of the Inca Empire of the Sun. There and in the Sacred Valley (Peru) magnificent ruins await the adventurous traveler. The most famous of all is the lost city of the Incas, also known as the Old Mountain (Machu Picchu). This is a 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 meters above sea level.

Why don't you take the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with us? 

The long-lost Inca bastion was uncovered from the jungle in 1911. It remains a mystery how the Incas managed to stack the heavy granite blocks that make up the city’s buildings so precisely, at high altitude.

Little is also known about how the Incas turned a multi-lingual tribal region in an empire that is now known as one of the greatest civilizations in history.

Sam and Audrie are visiting Machu Picchu again for a second time, and is a reconfirmation of its ability to impress all over again. They toured the site with a guide, on the first day with rainy conditions in the morning and overcast by the afternoon. On the second day, it was just gorgeous and sunny outside. So their biggest tip for anyone visiting Machu Picchu is to budget several days to visit the site because of its sheer size and how unpredictable the weather can be.