No postcard can prepare you for the reality of Machu Picchu, writes Sandip Hor.
Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrived in Peru in 1528, overpowered the reigning Inca Empire and soon laid claim to the entire territory, but could never trace the natives' most valued treasure, their fabled city of Machu Picchu.
Magically set against the forested Andean mountain peaks and distant glacial summits, it lay mysteriously hidden from Pizarro's fortune-hunting Spanish cronies for centuries.
In fact the settlement, which was uninhabited from soon after the Spaniards became established in Peru, remained veiled from the rest of the world until Yale University Professor Hiram Bingham discovered it in 1911, while tramping through the jungle-enveloped terrain in South-Central Peru.
Struck by the awesome harmony of nature and human civilisation he declared: ''In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no other place in the weld which can compare with it''.
Later visitors expressed similar feelings, though at first sight I only manage to utter one word, ''wow'', as the raw beauty of the scene renders me almost speechless for a while.
Known as the ''Lost city of the Incas'', Machu Picchu was in 2007 declared one of the new ''Seven Wonders of the World'' following an internet poll.
Images of the place are everywhere but nothing matches the dramatic experience of seeing the mountainous cluster through your own eyes.
Swathed in curling mists from the Urubamba River valley below, the natural panorama inspires awe.
The ancient stone architecture sprawls across the mountain sides as if engraved upon them.
A lonely alpaca or a llama on a grassy plain overlooking the tooth-shaped mountain peak of Huayna Picchu in front adds life to the scene.
Mysteries around the site's origin, purpose and desertion after only a century are central to its enduring appeal.
Archaeologists and historians still wonder why 15th century Inca king Pachacuti built such a settlement at 2400m above sea level, almost 110km away from his capital Cusco.
Its purpose still evokes argument among the experts.
The ruins suggest it could have been developed for anything from a citadel, to a religious site, agricultural centre or an astronomical observatory, or perhaps as a ceremonial refuge or a sacred retreat for the emperor.
And hardly anyone knows why it was abandoned so soon, some guess wide spread deaths from smallpox to be a possible reason.
• Ushered by an omniscient guide, my journey through the relics can be described as an insight into a well-spread open-air museum.
With imagination wide open, a lost society comes alive before me.
I visualise sentries guarding royal quarters, priests praying in the temples, men planting seeds in the fields, women collecting water from the fountains, children playing with their pet alpacas while elders leisurely watch the sun go past.
During its heyday there were about 150 buildings - temples, palaces, baths, storerooms and ordinary houses - all made of hand-carved grey-white granite and interconnected by a series of stairways and footholds carved into underlying rocks.
No roofs exist today but most of the walls are largely intact, despite the location being in an earthquake zone.
There was no cement or mortar at the time, so how such large boulders were held together remains as an engineering enigma.
They appear like puzzle pieces put together, though the excellence of stonework finish varies from uneven, on commoners' houses, to absolutely perfect, inside temples and palaces.
Some of the blocks weighed 50 tonnes or more, yet were so precisely sculpted that a credit card can't be inserted between the stonework seams.
The terraced fields on the edges of the settlement were used to grow maize and potatoes.
A network of canals were built for irrigating, turning the harsh environment into a sustainable one.
Some of these water-channels still exist, carrying streams of water from natural springs the same way they have done for centuries.
Displaying the best of Inca masonry skills, the Temple of the Sun is the prized piece of the domain.
Enclosed by a semicircular wall, the room symbolically dedicated to the sun god has windows strategically placed to allow the sun's rays to fall on a stone altar to signal the winter and summer solstices.
One window facing southeast provides a view of the constellation Pleiades, which helped people calculate changes in season, so they could make decisions about the times for planting and harvest.
It demonstrates the scientific knowledge of the Inca people, which is reinforced when viewing a giant rock called Intihuatana.
Consisting of a wide pillar and pedestal, both carved from a single piece, it's believed to have functioned as a ceremonial solar clock.
The other quarters that demand attention are the Temple of Three Windows inside the Sacred Plaza complex, the Principal Temple, with its three high walls, and the Temple of the Condor, which is carved in the shape of the giant bird.
All of them display extraordinary technical skills that surely surprise modern day engineers.
IT'S possible to climb the tall Huayna Picchu peak for a complete vista of the landscape currently listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
For safety reasons only 400 people per day are allowed to take the hike.
I give it a miss but negotiate another steep climb to the Caretaker's Hut to capture the classic view of Machu Picchu as seen in countless holiday brochures.
I come across visitors from around the globe as if we are at a United Nations carnival, but what surprises me are the people in wheel chairs. The appeal of Machu Picchu is such that they have overcome any extra difficulties to tick off another item from their bucket lists.
The charms of the Incas extend beyond Machu Picchu to the basin below, called the Sacred Valley, where the surrounding natural scenery is a visual detox for urbanised eyes.
Edging the Urubamba River, this fertile alluvial land, which is regarded as the region's breadbasket, growing maize, fruit and vegetable abundantly, is home to a collection of small settlements, such as Pisac, Chinchero Calca and Ollantaytambo.
Spending some time there offers visitors a glimpse into rural Peruvian life, which hasn't changed much from the Inca period and grants a more holistic view of Inca civilisation.
There are Inca leftovers scattered all around the valley, reflecting domestic, religious and defensive styles of the time.
The massive stone fortress at Ollantaytambo is of pronounced significance because it was there the Incas fought their greatest battle against the conquistadores.
Time spent at the Sacred Valley acts as a nice preamble for Machu Pichu.
If you go
Getting there: Fly Lan Airlines (www.lan.com) from Auckland via Santiago and Lima to Cusco, from where there are road and rail links to the town of Machu Picchu Pueblo, which is connected to the site by regular bus services. Adventure-minded folk can trek, following the 43km Inca Trail through the mountains.
Accommodation: The Inkaterra Hotel (www.inkaterra.com) at Machu Picchu Pueblo and Aranwa Hotel, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, (www.aranwahotels.com) at Sacred Valley.
Entry tickets: Check www.machupicchu.gob.pe for details. You need to present your passports when entering.
