A nail-biting video has captured the ascent of a daredevil climber up a set of 600-year-old steps known as the ‘stairs of death’ on a mountain in Peru.

Heart-stopping footage shows Brian Degenhardt, from San Diego, US, making his way up the stone steps which jut out of a near-vertical mountainside with a terrifying drop below.

Huayna Picchu – also known as Wanya Picchu – mountain offers incredible views of the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu.

Heart-stopping footage shows Brian Degenhardt, from San Diego, US, making his way up the stone steps which jut out of a near-vertical mountainside overlooking Machu Picchu

The mountain is steep and the pathway leading to the summit is exposed. During the rainy reason is becomes even more treacherous due to slipperiness

Degenhardt can be heard breathing deeply as he gingerly makes his way up, even once letting out a small yelp of terror

The Incas built a trail up the side of the Huayna Picchu and even built temples and terraces on its top.

However, the mountain is steep and the pathway leading to the summit is exposed. During the rainy reason is becomes even more treacherous due to slipperiness.

Degenhardt can be heard breathing deeply as he gingerly makes his way up, even once letting out a small yelp of terror.

His relief when he reaches the top of the steps is audible – although he is now shockingly high up.

His relief when he reaches the top of the steps is audible – although he is now terrifyingly high up

Once he has reached safer ground he goes over the edge to look down onto the spectacle sight of Machu Picchu, zooming with his camera closer to the ruined 15th century UNESCO World Heritage Site below

He wrote on YouTube: ‘Me climbing some 600-year-old stairs over a cliff on my way up Wanya Picchu, the small mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, Peru.

‘It actually looks safer than it is because the bush below me is growing out of the side of the mountain.’

Once he has reached safer ground he goes over the edge to look down onto the spectacle sight of Machu Picchu, zooming with his camera closer to the ruined 15th century UNESCO World Heritage Site below.

Huayna Picchu is 8,835ft tall, which is roughly 850ft higher than Machu Picchu.