Nothing you may have read, no photographs or films you may have seen, can prepare you for the awe-inspiring moment when you visit Machu Picchu for the first time. It is a miraculous place, charged with the grandeur of more than six centuries of history and the legend of the Incas.

We spend parts of three days on site, walking ancient pathways, surrounded by an astonishing visual landscape. We journey through the Sacred Valley, where we visit a grammar school set against a backdrop of the snow-capped Andes. In the nearby village of Willoq, we observe local craftswomen weaving their colorful textiles. We photograph in traditional outdoor markets and visit a private home to celebrate the festival of Mother Earth. Before sharing lunch with a local family, we participate in a sacred blessing conducted by a shaman.

This travel workshop with John Weiss is a rare opportunity to witness Peruvian traditions from the inside. We photograph a wide array of locations—outdoor markets full of life and color, an Andean school, a women’s weaving cooperative, and more. The spirit of the Incans remains palpable and alluring. Machu Picchu cannot be described; it is beyond magical.