I had arrived at what seemed like the top of the world or to be more exact, Machu Picchu. I have been fascinated by this lost civilization ever since I saw a documentary on Ancient Mysteries - Machu Picchu: City in the Sky . This hidden city sits on a mountain ridge, 7,700 feet above sea level and has been relatively hidden for centuries.

The indigenous Quechua who lived in the area knew about Machu Picchu, but because the Incas never developed a written language, much of its history was lost to the ages. It is guessed that Machu Picchu was used not as a city but as a retreat for the Royal Inca families. The ruins include an area that can house over 700 people as well as temples and a royal palace.

A few months ago when I first seriously considered visiting Peru to see this ancient wonder, I told everyone that I wanted to hike the famous Inca Trail. Many of my colleagues thought that I was certifiably insane. After all, I am a 40 year-old man and probably not in optimal physical condition and shouldn't I have done this years ago? Is this a recipe for disaster? Perhaps. Is this an adventure of a lifetime? Definitely.

Not wanting to be part of a large tour group bombarding the locals with flashbulbs and dumb questions and not wanting to travel alone, I asked my friend Anna to join me on my adventure. While Anna is not the most athletic person in the world either, she had a wealth of knowledge on travelling abroad. She was also the only person willing to come.

After an arduous set of flights that included a long flight from Chicago to Los Angeles, and the six-plus hour flight from LA to South America, we arrived in Lima. As the plane descended into the J. Chavez Airport, I actually couldn't believe that I was in South America! I envisioned the mountainous valleys and the coastal plains; it never occurred to me that Lima was every bit as lively and vibrant as Chicago and even New York City!

It was around 11:00 pm when we finally made it out of the airport. The streets of Lima were still busy as we raced through the death-defying traffic. Automobiles and pedestrians seemed to pay little heed to traffic rules and etiquette. It looked chaotic to me as an outsider, but I am sure everyone else was quite accustomed to it.

By the time we reached our hotel, JW Marriott Hotel Lima, I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to collapse. However, the hotel looked as if it were perched atop a large rock formation and offered an amazing coastal view that I couldn't resist. Both Anna and I sat on the terrace and sipped our chincha (Peruvian corn beer) and marvelled at the view until the wee hours of the morning.

The next day we took a short one-hour flight from Lima to Puno, Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is said to be the birthplace of the Incas and displays the reminiscences of its origin through cave paintings and spearheads.

With an altitude of 3,827 metres (12,500 feet), Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake. Here we stayed at the lovely Libertador Lago Titicaca Puno Hotel, a beautiful beachfront hotel with bright clean rooms and a view that seemed to overlook the world. Lake Titicaca's beautiful swaying trees were such a stark contrast from the red and brown Peruvian Mountains, that it seemed like a majestic oasis.

Later we visited the city centre where we delightfully stumbled into a street celebration that included native dances, musicians and locals parading around the Puno Plaza de Armas in jubilant celebration. The people of this Peruvian town were so warm, friendly, colourful and exuberant, that we had absolutely no problem joining in on the celebration.

At the street celebration Anna met Diego, a young local man with movie star looks who offered to help us navigate an overland trip to Cuzco from Puno. His quiet confidence made us feel at ease right away and we hired him to be our guide for the entire trip. The next day we took a scenic six-hour drive to the Sacred Valley in Cuzco; a U-shaped glacial valley.

Diego drove us to the famous fortress of Sacsahuaman along the Circunvalacion Road. We toured the ruined temple and walked along the zig-zagged outer walls that were erected to stop attacking forces during times of war. Along the road there were cacti growing 20 feet tall and the cattle and llamas were lazily grazing in the multi-coloured, flower-filled landscape.

After lunch Diego took us to our hotel, the Libertador Hotel Cusco. We were already having a difficult time acclimatising to the high altitude and the climb up the cobblestone steps to the hotel proved to be somewhat challenging. Diego could have easily ascended the stairs at a run but instead, he graciously walked at our pace.

As evening began to set, we were drawn to the Cusco Plaza de Armas as the lights from the Cathedrals began to illuminate the sky while the angelic sounds of the church bells began ringing in unison. In the midst of this glory and splendour was the spectacle of the White Christ statue standing high above on a hill, protecting the city with outstretched arms. It was impossible not to be humbled.

The next morning, the hotel served a very good continental breakfast. My travelling companion adjusted to the local cuisine easily. I, on the other hand, was extremely appreciative to see recognizable eggs, toast and fruit. With happy stomachs, we began the challenging task of hiking up the Pisaq Ruins Trail. This 3 mile trail was lined with elaborate Inca stonework. The high altitude once again had a dizzying affect on me and I was forced to stop and rest a couple of times. Initially, I didn't think that Anna was very athletic, but I have to say that she faired much better than I did.

Bright and early the next morning we took a short drive to San Pedro Station where we left our car and boarded a train to Manchu Picchu. The 3 and a half hour journey was a marvellous experience as the train departs Cusco and travels along the meandering Urubamba River overlooking spectacular canyons.

When we arrived in Manchu Picchu, the light had just begun to fade as the sun melted behind the snow-capped mountains. While Anna was checking into the Manchu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, I stood at the foot of the Inca Trail and was overwhelmed by a feeling of humility and awe.

That evening, we dined on white linen tablecloths and ate deliciously spicy Peruvian cuisine as we anticipated the hike. Although I was aware that each year 25,000 hikers from around the world complete this famous 43 kilometre hike, I was still somewhat daunted as I looked up at the dense forest and deep canyons. Here, the intermingling of mountains, valley and jungles seem to create a dream world that was shrouded in mystery. I felt that I had already accomplished one of my life-long goals and I hadn't even stepped foot on the trail.