( CNN ) -- It 's a hold-your-breath kind of place . Machu Picchu , one of the world 's greatest treasures , this weekend marks the 100th anniversary of its rediscovery by explorer Hiram Bingham . This majestic and mysterious ancient Inca settlement sits in splendid repose high on an Andean mountaintop . The well-preserved site is the leading tourist attraction in Peru , the third-largest country in South America . If you are planning to experience its magic , here are some things you 'll need to know : . Getting within range . Most visitors fly to Lima , Peru 's capital , then fly southeast to Cusco , located in a deep Andes valley . You 'll need to spend a few days there to get acclimated to the higher elevation , nearly 11,000 feet above sea level . Cusco was once the capital of the Inca world , but today it 's a city that comfortably caters to the hordes of visitors who stop over . After catching your breath , it 's time to travel to Machu Picchu . Most tourists take the train and there are different classes of service , from inexpensive to luxury . If you 're taking the train , make your reservations early , particularly in the high season from May to September . Hardy folks will hike the Inca Trail , which can take three or four grueling days to complete and is no walk in the park . The number of people allowed on the trail each day is limited , so you 'll need to book with an Inca Trail outfitter months in advance and arrange for permits . Reaching the mountain . Trains take explorers to Aguas Calientes , a neat and tidy town at the base of the mountain where Machu Picchu rests . You buy two important tickets in the town center : bus tickets to Machu Picchu and entrance tickets for the ruins themselves ( you ca n't buy tickets to the ruins at the entrance ) . Purchase Machu Picchu tickets at the Machu Picchu Cultural Center in Aguas Calientes . It 's best to bring cash for the tickets , although there is an ATM in town . You can also buy advance tickets to Machu Picchu in Cusco at the Institute of National Culture . Tickets cost about $ 44 . Buy tickets for the bus before you get on at the ticket office near the departure point . The ticket office opens and the first buses head to Machu Picchu around 5 a.m . The bus ride up the mountain takes 20 minutes but seems like forever , negotiating the stomach-churning switchback road to the top . Seeing Machu Picchu . It is also called the Citadel , imperious and fortresslike on the mountain summit . Machu Picchu means `` Old Mountain '' in Quechua , the language of the Incas . This old mountain is often covered in clouds , and the sheer drop at the edges of the ruins can be unsettling . There are two very distinct sections . The agricultural area leads to the impressive urban sector , where the religious , astronomical and residential structures still stand . The entire site is about two square miles . The Incas worshipped what they knew and built an impressive Temple of the Sun high above the residential zone . The days of the solstice were deeply special and spiritual to them . But there are also impressive places where the residents lived and worked , even spent time in prison for offenses committed . What 's the mystery ? The Citadel is not only enshrouded in mist but also in mystery . No one knows precisely its genesis , intended purpose , how many lived there or why they left . It appears to date from the period of the two great Incas , Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui ( 1438-71 ) and Tupac Inca Yupanqui ( 1472-93 ) , according to the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization . Bingham found Machu Picchu -- purely by accident -- on July 24 , 1911 , while heading a Yale University expedition to Peru . He was camping along the river near Aguas Calientes when he met a local campesino , or farmer , named Melchor Arteaga . He led Bingham up from the river to what were then jungle-covered ruins atop the Old Mountain . And the rest , as they say , is history . Bingham was actually looking for the famed ruins of Vilcabamba , some 60 miles away , known as the last stronghold of the Incas . The Incas were chased relentlessly by Spanish conquistadors , who began subjugating Peru in 1533 . The Spanish probably never knew about Machu Picchu , either , because they pursued the Incas in the opposite direction . The best way to experience the Citadel . Machu Picchu is too important to rush . Most tourists spend part of just one day at the site . They arrive in Aguas Calientes in midmorning by train , visit the Citadel for a few hours , then catch the late afternoon trains back to Cuzco . I think it 's worth staying over in the town known for its hot springs and cold-running rivers . Aguas Calientes offers plenty of shops , restaurants and hotels . Begin your visit early in the day and stay late , when crowds thin and you 'll feel you have Machu Picchu all to yourself . The ruins are open from dawn to dusk every day . A stay of two days is optimal . On the first you can see every nook and cranny of the ancient settlement . Then on the second day , you can attempt to climb the mountains adjoining Machu Picchu . One is Huayna Picchu , which means `` Young Mountain . '' Healthy hikers can make the trip in about an hour , but the path is very steep . If you ca n't make that trek , there are two smaller peaks : Huchu Picchu , which is the smallest , and Wychu Picchu . Machu Picchu is unquestionably a popular place . In fact , many scientists worry that the relentless crush of crowds is harming the ruins and could cause the Citadel to fall down the side of the mountain as soils shift . But for now the crowds still come . Every day is unique and mystical at Machu Picchu . Take your time and see it in all its glory . George Bauer works at CNN and is also the creator and host of `` The Seasoned Traveler , '' which airs on U.S. public television stations and Travel Channel International . CNN 's Katherine Dorsett contributed to this report .
Make train reservations early , especially from June to September . Inca Trail hikers need supplies and should book with an airline months in advance . Hit the Lost City early in the morning or late in the afternoon for smaller crowds .