Duration half day (morning departure only)
Difficulty accessible and family-friendly
Schedule pickup between 8:00 and 8:20 a.m.
Starting point hotel in Cusco
On this half-day excursion from Cusco we visit two of the most exciting places in the Sacred Valley: Moray and the Salt Mines.
Known for its circular terraces, Moray was used as an agricultural laboratory by the Incas to test and experiment with different seeds and farming techniques, and it remains today an object of study and research into how the Incas developed their agricultural skills and simulated different types of climates using the height of each terrace level.
After this visit, we continue to the incredible salt mines in Maras that to this day are controlled by hundreds of local families dedicated to the production and export of salt to the local and international market. There are more than 3,000 natural salt pools, each owned by a local family. This is a half-day excursion with departure in the morning only.
The tour begins with hotel pickup between 8:00 and 8:20 in the morning and we head to Moray. The journey lasts approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes and is absolutely beautiful. We pass by the Chinchero craft market, lush yellow wheat fields, and traditional Andean villages. Finally you arrive at the fascinating Moray terraces.
Moray is made up of three amphitheater-shaped terraces built by the Incas. These terraces are dug into the earth in the shape of a bowl and have been used as an agricultural laboratory to determine optimal growing conditions. After exploring Moray, you head to the Maras salt mines, located only 3 kilometers away. Maras, which dates from the colonial era, was considered a salt-producing center. Carved into the mountainside are more than 3,000 salt pools, which fill daily with a small stream of water. Once the water evaporates, it leaves behind a gleaming mosaic of salt. The salt mines are an ideal place to take photographs and capture the astonishing beauty of both the Andes and the spectacular Salinas. Then we return to Cusco.
The Tourist Ticket is a personal ticket and is not sold in advance. It must be purchased in Cusco or at the entrance of the places visited where this ticket is required. We will help you know where that ticket is purchased.
Yes, it is possible to combine the two tours on the same day. After the Maras, Moray and Salt Mines tour we connect to the 4-ruins City Tour in the afternoon.
Yes. It is an accessible, family-friendly route because it does not require long or physically demanding hikes compared with other extreme-altitude circuits in the region.
No. All group tours depart from Cusco. If you wish to start from your hotel in the Sacred Valley you will need to book a private tour.
