Machu Picchu, Peru

The Incan ruins of Machu Picchu date back to 1450 and are one of the most majestic and important pre-Columbian sites in the world. “I compare the stonework to that of the mightiest European cathedrals,” says Carlos Fida, president of PanAmerican Travel Services, in Salt Lake City. Though there is no low season anymore, Fida avoids June and July, when tourists swarm to the site. “The best months to go are March through May,” says Fida. “I like March because everything is green rather than gray and brown.”

Average Temperature: 52 to 79 degrees.

Where to Stay: Fida loves the 85-room Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel (doubles from $396 a night; includes dinner and breakfast, a tour within the hotel grounds, and a 10 percent gratuity; www.inkaterra.com), located in Machu Picchu Village, in Aguas Calientes. “They have little cabins in the forest, each with a fireplace,” says Fida. The hotel, which is owned by the Peruvian eco-tourism company Inkaterra, also has a working organic tea plantation, a modest spa, and an orchid trail with 372 native orchid species that bloom year-round, according to the American Orchid Society.

What to Do: The first bus to the ruins leaves from Machu Picchu village at 5:30 a.m., which will get you there in time to see the sun rise. Explore the ruins at your leisure; Fida advises devoting at least two days to them. “On the first day, get up early and climb up Huayna Picchu — also called Wayna Picchu — which is steep and requires some agility. Allow two hours, round-trip, if you’re fit, more if you need to take breaks. On the second day, take it easier and hike two miles to the Gate of the Sun,” says Fida, referring to the two giant solstice stones that mark the entrance to Machu Picchu from the Inca Trail. Fida soaks his sore muscles at the hot springs just east of town. The sulphur-rich waters can look murky, but “they’re very clean,” he says. For more information: www.peru.info.