New Machu Picchu airport raises damage fears Unlisted Video

The Inca designed Machu Picchu to be hard to reach and, for hundreds of years, the mountaintop citadel has been protected by the spectacular peaks and gorges which encircle its ancient fortifications. Now, however, work has begun on a new international airport, according to a Peruvian government statement, which will make the ruins more accessible than ever. And the project has sparked opposition from those concerned about the impact on the surrounding landscape, known as the Sacred Valley. The new travel facility is to be built at Chinchero, at the mouth of the Sacred Valley, between Machu Picchu and the city of Cuzco -- the current gateway to the Inca citadel.