Santuario Natural de Mandor

This guide to the Santuario Natural de Mandor, reached on foot along the tracks out of Aguas Calientes, covers the waterfall reserve almost none of the crowds heading up to Machu Picchu ever see. It follows the cock of the rock, Peru's flame-orange national bird, and the hummingbirds working the orchids in a valley that holds an outsized share of the sanctuary's hundreds of orchid and butterfly species. You'll hear about the local family running it as a conservation project rather than a polished attraction. Take the marked trail uphill from the entrance and listen for the roar building before the falls come into view.