The Peruvian authorities have completed the evacuation of thousands of tourists who had been stranded for days in the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu following mudslides and flooding.

Some 4,000 tourists had been trapped there since Monday after torrential rains washed away the only rail link and road leading to the 15th-century site. The only remaining way out was a 45 kilometre path across steep mountain slopes. The tourists, including a number of Dutch nationals, have been evacuated by helicopter. Many rucksack tourists decided to sleep out in the open after hotels had sharply increased their rates. It's expected it may take up to two months to repair the railway.

Tourists waiting to be evacuated from Machu Picchu (Photo: EPA)