Maras & Moray – Half Day
Half day
Duration
Moderate
Easy
Cultural / Scenic
Tour Type
1 or more
Group Size
Trip Overview
The landscapes surrounding Cusco hide some of the most remarkable engineering and agricultural achievements of the Andean world—and the sites of Maras and Moray are perfect examples of this legacy.
Moray, often described as one of the most intriguing Inca sites in the Sacred Valley, consists of a series of deep, circular depressions lined with terraces. More than a striking visual design, these concentric rings functioned as an advanced agricultural research center. Each level creates a distinct microclimate, with temperature variations of up to 15°C (59°F) from top to bottom. This allowed Inca agronomists to simulate different ecological zones and experiment with crop adaptation, helping develop resilient varieties of potatoes, maize, quinoa, and other Andean staples. The precision of its construction demonstrates the Incas’ sophisticated understanding of climate, soil science, and botanical engineering.
Just a short distance away sits Maras, home to one of the oldest salt-producing systems in the Andes. The Maras Salt Ponds, numbering more than 3,000, cascade down a hillside like a patchwork of ivory-colored tiles. These pools have been worked continuously since pre-Inca times. A natural underground spring rich in saline minerals feeds each pond, and as the water evaporates under the sun, crystallized salt is collected by local families who inherit and maintain the ponds through communal tradition. Today, the famous pink Maras salt remains an important local product and a symbol of the region’s ancestral techniques.
Together, Maras and Moray offer an exceptional glimpse into the ingenuity of Andean civilization: one site revealing mastery of agricultural science, the other showcasing centuries-old resource management still alive today.
This half-day outing perfectly complements a visit to Cusco and the Sacred Valley, combining dramatic landscapes, living culture, and remarkable archaeological heritage.
✔️Included
❌Not Included
Your Day-by-Day Adventure
Your guide picks you up from your hotel in Cusco around 8:00 a.m., and the adventure begins as you travel through golden fields, small agricultural villages, and sweeping mountain views dominated by the snowcapped peaks of the Andes.
Visit to Moray
After approximately 1.5 hours, you arrive at the circular terraces of Moray. Your guide will explain how each platform creates a unique growing environment, allowing the Incas to study altitude, temperature, and sunlight to optimize agricultural production. Walking around the terraces offers a deeper appreciation for the scale and innovation behind this ancient laboratory.
Visit to Maras Salt Ponds
A short drive then brings you to Maras, where the hillside is carved into thousands of gleaming salt pools fed by a single mineral spring. From above, the salt pans look like a mosaic of white rectangles stretching across the mountain slope. Here, you learn about the traditional salt-harvesting process and the communal system that has governed these ponds for centuries.
After taking photos and exploring the viewpoints, you return to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
Altitude
Lowest Point: 3,380 m (11,086 ft)
Highest Point: 3,500 m (11,483 ft)
What’s included
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