The four-hour rail journey to Machu Picchu is nothing short of spectacular. On either ...... of the tracks you will see steep mountains towering above. As the outlines of the ancient site loom out of the mist, you will .... your first glimpse of the silent ruins of the "lost city", which stand on a high ridge with a great ...... of the Andes Mountains. ..... opposite sides of the ruins, you will be able to .... straight down at different river valleys. You can follow an ancient stone road, .... leaves the site to climb to a gap .... as the "Gate of the Sun". .... the climb is exhausting, the astonishing scenery ..... an unforgettable experience. Even though the Incas left ..... clues behind when they abandoned Machu Picchu some 500 years ago, it's believed to have been one of the homes of the royal .... . A walking ..... of the site will take you about four and a half hours, but the experience will be well worth the effort.