Machu Picchu, Llama, Peru

        Countless stories about lost mystical cities have enchanted explorers for centuries. In  1911, Hiram Bingham, a Harvard professor, investigated a tall tale told by a Peruvian farmer. With the help of a young Peruvian boy, he discovered the lost kingdom of  Machu Picchu, the Incas' hidden sanctuary. Dense jungles, cloud forests, and the rugged Andes mountains camouflaged it. After four arduous years, they cleared the site & found 108 tombs with mummies; 80% were female, who had been offered to the Inti-sun god.

     Cruel Spanish conquistadors pillaged Peru in 1533 to uncover untold fortunes of gold & silver. They never found the lost city. The old peak, Huayna Picchu, is 9k tall & overlooks the timeless Urubamba River and the Sacred Valley. Anyone who climbs it may sense another dimension of time as condors glide through turquoise skies at stealth speed. It was vacated in 1572. Although

 It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, scores of  Peruvians have never visited the birthplace of their homeland due to the high cost of travel.