The ruins of Ollantaytambo, in Peru’s Sacred Valley, are among the most impressive surviving examples of Inca architecture. Perhaps the most immediately recognizable feature is the huge series of stone agricultural terraces rising up the mountainside. These terraces were not merely decorative. They allowed the Incas to cultivate steep terrain while controlling drainage, erosion, and temperature. The engineering is especially impressive because the terraces extend dramatically across the landscape, creating a visual transition between the cultivated valley and the mountains above. Ancient irrigation canals, reservoirs, and drainage systems remain part of the area’s landscape, some of them still functioning. All photos created using the Nikon Z8 with the Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 or 24-200mm f/4 lens. Processed using Photoshop CC and Nik Collection’s Color Efex Pro.

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