Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary

This Historical Sanctuary, established in January 1981, covers an area of more than 35,000 hectares. Its strategic geographical location, on the eastern slope of the Andes, allows to protect ecosystems varying from the year-round snow found at 6,000 m.a.s.l., to the steamy tropical jungles to be found at just above 1,700 m.a.s.l.

Photo Courtesy: PromPerú

One of the best ways to enjoy the Sanctuary is following the Inca Trail, which passes through several eco-systems and archaeological sites. During the route is possible to observe a large variety of flora and fauna, before arriving to the walk’s end of the line, Machu Picchu.

Flora and fauna at the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu are defined by several factors, mainly due to altitude and climate. In the high zones there are high-Andean gramineous plants such as different types of ichu, (shulla and chilla) and clematis. Lower zones have a larger abundance of vegetation: pisonay, queña, alders, and ferns, palm trees and puyas. Around the archaeological complex there are about 90 varieties of orchids.

This sanctuary is home to a number of spectacular animal species, such as the Peruvian Cock-of-the-rocks (national bird); the spectacled Andean bear (also called the ucumari), which is the only bear species in South America; the small deer, or sachacabra; the tanka taruca; and over 300 species of birds. Other species that inhabit the Sanctuary include the wild cats, vizcacha (a rodent similar to a rabbit), and a wide range of hummingbirds, butterflies and insects.

Seen from the air, the sanctuary is shaped like a half-open book, with the mighty Urubamba River flowing in a north-westerly direction through the middle, and two giant mountain ranges, the Urubamba and Vilcanota, forming a deep valley covered with tropical vegetation. The two most important peaks in this valley are the Wekey Willka, or Veronica (5,750 masl) and the majestic Salkantay (6,271 masl), which are considered to be the Apus, or guardians spirits of the region.