This tour introduces to some of Cusco’s most interesting sites. The tour starts with a visit of Moray, a magnificent place with circular terraces set into the ground that were used by the Inkas for investigation of many different agricultural products. The other destination are the salt mines of Maras which have been in use since Pre-Inka times. Water from a subterranean stream is channeled through pools where it evaporates and leaves behind pure salt crystals. With thousands of white pools stretching down the valley, the views are stunning.

(*) According to the last regulations of tourism authorities, it will no longer be possible to walk around the salt pools to avoid contamination. It will be only possible to observed from a lookpoint.

Category
Day Tours
Tour Code
CUS1D108
Location
Maras, Cusco, Peru
Tourism Modality
Culture, ecology
Duration
Half day / 5 hrs
Distance
Trip by bus: ↔ 5 hrs. Visit: 40 min. each site
Min. Altitude
3,000 m / 9842 ft
Max. Altitude
3,510 m / 11515 ft
Difficulty
Easy
Group Size
4 to 10 people
Gastronomy
Local, Novoandina, International
Transportation
Tourist Bus
First Aid Kit
+Emergency oxygen bottle
Student Discount
Does not apply

Day 1

Between 8 and 8:30 am, the guide will pass to pick you up from your hotel to start the tour. Our first place of visit will be the archaeological site of Moray, which is located 49 km / 30 miles from the city of Cusco, Moray is considered an Inka agricultural laboratory, showing 4 “muyus” or circles, which are concentric circular terraces; the deepest being 30 meters / 98 feet of depression. We find temperature variations on the platforms ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 ° C, which can reproduce 20 different types of microclimates.

Then we will visit the Salineras de Maras, as their name indicates, they are salt mines made up of thousands of small pools, each producing between 50 and 80 kl for season. These pools are watered by an underground salt water spring, this process is completely natural. Maras Salt is in great demand for the consumption of the local population, and the most requested variety is the pink salt. After the visit, we return to Cusco city at 2:00 p.m.

INCLUDED