THE SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCASFlanked by Andean peaks and rising to an altitude of over 3000m (10,000ft), the fertile valley of the Urubamba River was the bread basket of the Inca empire as well as providing safe passage from high mountain passes to the jungles of the Amazon basin. Today it is a patchwork of farming terraces, small villages, stunning scenery and small Inca sites. Snaking high above the valley, the popular Inca Trail leads hikers to Machu Picchu - the fabled Lost City of the Incas. |