17 Unusual Urban Legends Behind the World’s Most Iconic Landmarks
7. The Vanishing Tourists of Machu Picchu
High in the Andes, Machu Picchu holds secrets beyond its Incan origins. Locals speak of tourists who have mysteriously disappeared, only for their belongings to be found untouched. Some believe these vanishings are linked to the spirits of the Incas, who guard their sacred city from intruders. A particularly strange case occurred in 2011 when a backpacker was found wandering the ruins in a daze, unable to explain how he got there. He later recalled visions of ancient priests conducting rituals—and being part of them. Was he merely dehydrated, or did he glimpse a past that still lingers in the stones?
