I am shown at the Overlook of the Birds on the formidable Choquequirao trail in Peru. Thousands of feet below, the Apurímac River carves its way through the Andes Mountains. The trail system is rated as a Class 5 and is considered one of the most difficult treks in South America. It makes its way through several indigenous Quechua villages, eventually leading to Inca ruins high in the cloud forests. Click the above image to enlarge, click to view my high-resolution photo gallery, or click to read my feature article “Peruvian Andes: The Violent Reckoning of Pax Americana.”