If you’re thinking about visiting Peru or hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you probably already know a bit about the country and the civilization responsible for both attractions. Peru is a South America country with a diverse terrain that includes coastline, deserts, mountains, and jungle. Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and the Inca Trail are all found in what is considered the Incan Heartland, in central highland Peru, along the foothills of the Andes. The Incas were a civilization that built Cuzco, their capital city, and at one point controlled all of Peru and parts of neighboring countries as well. They built Machu Picchu, just one of many sites connected by the Inca Trail. These are things you probably knew, but here are three things that maybe you didn’t.

1. The Inca civilization isn’t really all that ancient.

In fact, they were at their prime about 500 years ago, and had only been in power as a civilization for a 100 years prior to the Spaniards crossing the ocean and taking over Peru. They were politically savvy and though they did force other smaller tribes to accept them as rulers, the Incas also made sure everyone in their empire was well fed and well clothed, meaning people lived in relative security. Today many people in Peru still speak Quechua, the language of the Incas, and practice religions that are a mix of traditional Incan beliefs and Christianity.

2. Machu Picchu probably wasn’t that special. Most experts believe Machu Picchu was built as a retreat for the royal elite. Each Incan ruler tended to build his own palace, and Machu Picchu was most likely being constructed for Pachacuti. Of course, Machu Picchu does highlight the skill and complexity of Inca architecture, and it has a lovely mountaintop location, but probably why Machu Picchu is so famous today is that it was never discovered (and therefore destroyed) by the Spanish conquistadores. This means Machu Picchu, though definitely a ruin site and not complete palace, is one of the best places to admire Incan architecture.

3. There is more than one path to Machu Picchu. Although thousands of tourists flock every year to the classic 4-day Machu Picchu trek, there is not only one Inca Trail. Because the Incans connected their empire by paths, it only makes sense that of course there is more than one “Inca Trail” as well as more than one way to hike to Machu Picchu. Today you can take a luxury Inca Trail tour where all your equipment is carried by a porter, take a Machu Picchu luxury trek where you stay at lodges instead of campgrounds, or take an alternative path such as the Salkantay which can be more physically demanding. If you’re thinking about visiting Peru or hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you probably already know a bit about the country and the civilization responsible for both attractions. Peru is a South America country with a diverse terrain that includes coastline, deserts, mountains, and jungle. Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and the Inca Trail are all found in what is considered the Incan Heartland, in central highland Peru, along the foothills of the Andes. The Incas were a civilization that built Cuzco, their capital city, and at one point controlled all of Peru and parts of neighboring countries as well. They built Machu Picchu, just one of many sites connected by the Inca Trail. These are things you probably knew, but here are three things that maybe you didn’t.