About Machu Picchu 

Machu Pechu (correct spelling is Machu Picchu) is a Inca ruin located on a mountain top on Peru's Andes mountain range.

The ruins date back to as early as 1440 and was built by the Sapa Inca Pachacuti. Machu Picchu was most likely a resort town, of sorts, for about 750 incan people. Machu Picchu was inhabited until the Spanish conquest of Peru in 1532. It was rediscovered in 1924 by Hiram Bingham.

Machu Picchu is located about 120 miles northwest of Cusco in Peru.  It's right about here (link goes to Google Maps).

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Getting to Machu Picchu:

Traveling to Machu Picchu is a bit like planes, trains and automobiles. You start out with a flight from Lima to Cusco. (Online ticket sellers, like Orbitz, don't deal with flights in/out of Lima so it's necessary to use a travel agent.)

Then there's a drive from Cusco through the Urubamba Valley (the Sacred Valley of the Incas) to the San Pedro Train Station, operated by Peru Rail.

The train trip to Aguas Calientes takes about 1.5 hours and then finally a short bus trip up the mountain to the edge of the ruins. Aguas Calientes is the city closest to Machu Picchu, province of Urubamba, department of Cusco. Altitude will now be 7,900 ft. (2,400 meters) above sea level.

Staying in Machu Picchu:

Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is located at Machu Picchu. The Sanctuary is noted as being a wonderful hotel.

You can also stay in San Pedro, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo which are near the Peru Rail train station. The Sol y Luna Hotel, in Urubamba, is a relaxing hotel with flowers everywhere. Many folks travel from Lima to Urubama, stay the night, and then go to Machu Picchu the following morning. A great map is located here.