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Offered languages
- English
- Spanish
A full day that combines two of the Sacred Valley's most striking sites with time in the Andean countryside around Chinchero.
At Moray, the Incas carved enormous circular terraces into the earth, ring below ring. The temperature shift between the top and bottom terraces is believed to have let them test crops in different microclimates in one place.
At Maras, thousands of salt pools cascade down the mountain in shades of white and ochre. Families have harvested salt here by hand since before the Incas, and you will see how the work is still done today.
The day also includes a visit to the Ccorcco community and Chinchero, where life still follows the rhythm of the land and Andean weaving traditions are kept alive.
Hotel pickup in Cusco, a bilingual guide and the Maras salt mines entrance are included.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Itinerary
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1Maras
Our first stop is Maras, from which, we can get to the salt mines. The salt mines display a bizarre spectacle of beauty. Located on a wide-open hill above the Urubamba Valley, a natural salt water stream runs underground. In pre-Incan times, they have been evaporating the salty water from this stream in order to obtain the salt that gets left behind. How it works: The highly salty water emerges at a spring, a natural outlet of the underground stream. The flow is directed into an intricate system of tiny channels constructed so that the water runs gradually down onto the several hundred ancient terraced ponds. The water, which is exposed to the sun, leaves salt on the land. Viewed from the peak, the myriad of rectangles looks like an enormous painting designed by nature.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
2Moray
After visiting the salt mines near Maras, we continue on a short distance to the Moray ruins. The ruins are composed of three coliseums, which are thought to have been used by the Incas as a sort of open air crop laboratory. The coliseums consist of several enormous terraced circular depressions, the largest of which is about 30m/98ft deep. The purpose of these depressions is still uncertain but their depth and orientation with respect to wind and sun creates a temperature difference of as much as 15 °C/27 °F between the top and bottom. This large temperature difference was possibly used by the Incas to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops. The terraces are arranged in concentric circles and are reminiscent of an ancient Greek theatre.
1 hour • Admission ticket not included -
3Chinchero District
Afterward, visit the village of Ccorcco (Chincheros) to the northwest of Cusco. This picturesque village was an important Inca center and is known for the traditional Andean weaving techniques still used by its people. After this fantastic visit, we will drive back to Cusco.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Note: If you do not have a tourist ticket, it can be purchased at Moray
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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