Mount Salkantay or Sallqantay (in Quechua) is an iconic mountain for modern day Cusquenos; standing at 6,271 meters above sea level it is the highest mountain in the Willkapampa range and the 13 highest in Peru. Ancient Incan’s however, held its importance at a higher level, attributing it as a deity and as such it obtained the title of ‘Apu’. An Apu is believed to be a mountain which hosts the spirit of an ancient God. They believed that God that resided within Salkantay controlled the weather. Their belief originated from the fact that from Machu Picchu’s sun-dial, the Southern Cross constellation during the rainy season, presided directly over the top of Salkantay’s peak. The mountains name in Quechua has the meaning of savage or wild due to its difficulty in conquest for mountaineers.