Huayna Picchu

Once upon a time, before mass tourism reached this remote corner of the Peruvian Andes, reaching Machu Picchu along the famous Inca Trail was the country’s real challenge. Nowadays, thanks to a luxury tourist train, one can reach the citadel with minimal effort. The challenge of climbing its sister mountain peaks of Huayna Picchu, however, is still very much on offer. Machu Picchu’s lesser-known sister (standing tall behind the famed Inca site in the pic above), is a bit of a challenge, although mostly only for those who suffer vertigo. The climb is a bit on the hairy side, with a steep trail, eye-watering drops, and some scrambling which requires light finesse, but no technical climbing experience. Given the altitude, climbing Huayna Picchu does require a bit of fitness. Nevertheless, if you have nerves of steel and plenty of determination, there’s no reason why nearly everyone can’t bag this one. Climbing up to the 2717m-high relatively easy mountain peaks of Huayna Picchu is one of the most underrated highlights in this neck of the woods, so if you can’t stomach a multi-day hike along the original Inca Trail to reach Machu Picchu, you can at least feel like you’ve earned your visit. The trick to successfully conquering this peak in just a couple of hours (one way) is to take it easy. Step aside (to let others through) and take plenty of rests and you should be just fine.

Offering some of the most gorgeous views of Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu is a rugged mountain that towers behind the historic sight. Any intense hikers already have this dizzying destination on the top of their list, a famously adventurous journey that features awe-inspiring imagery at every turn, and temple remnants of civilization's past.