Maras & Moray Tour from Cusco, Peru | Salt Mines & Inca Terraces
Description
This half day Maras & Moray tour from Cusco offers a perfect combination of stunning landscapes, Inca history, and living local traditions, all in a well organized, stress free experience. Unlike other tours, we provide guided visits with enough time to explore the circular terraces of Moray and the Maras Salt Mines, understanding their agricultural and cultural significance while capturing incredible photos. The route passes through the Sacred Valley, showcasing panoramic views of Andean mountains, traditional villages, and farmland. A visit to Maras town adds an authentic glimpse into everyday Andean life, something many tours skip. With a duration of 4.5–5 hours, this tour is perfect for travelers with limited time who want to experience two of Cusco’s most iconic sites without rushing, combining comfort, culture, and breathtaking scenery.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Departure from Cusco & Scenic Sacred Valley Drive: Our Maras & Moray half day tour from Cusco begins at 8:30 AM with hotel pickup. We travel through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, enjoying panoramic views of the Urubamba Valley, traditional Andean villages, cultivated fields, and snow capped mountains. This scenic journey sets the stage for discovering the highlights of Maras Moray, Peru.
Moray Archaeological Site – Inca Agricultural Terraces: Our first stop is the impressive Moray archaeological site in Cusco. Here, we explore the famous circular Inca terraces, descending nearly 150 meters. These unique formations created different microclimates, used by the Incas for advanced agricultural experimentation with crops such as potatoes, corn, and quinoa. We will have time for photos, guided explanations, and quiet moments to appreciate this remarkable Inca engineering achievement.
Maras Salt Mines – Ancient Salt Ponds: Next, we head to the iconic Maras Salt Mines (Salineras de Maras), one of the most photographed landscapes in Peru’s Sacred Valley. More than 3,000 salt ponds, each approximately 4 m², are still managed by local families using traditional ancestral techniques. The bright white salt terraces contrast beautifully with the surrounding mountains, offering excellent photo opportunities and insight into this living cultural tradition.
Maras Village & Return to Cusco: We then visit the charming town of Maras, where we stroll through narrow streets and admire colonial era houses. This short walk provides an authentic glimpse into Andean daily life and local culture. After the visit, we return to Cusco, arriving at approximately 2:30 PM, concluding this enriching Maras and Moray tour from Cusco, Peru.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We offer a pick up and transfer service to hotels in the historic center of Cusco. If you are staying outside this area, we will inform you of the pick up location and time. It is your responsibility to get there.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Service is provided in Shared Mode (with more passengers in the group).
- Service is subject to variation without prior notice, due to weather issues (rain, mudslides, overflows, etc), strikes and / or any other event that does not allow the normal development of the itinerary.
- It is recommended to bring with you: Sun hat, Sunscreen, Waterproof jacket
Reviews(6)
We had a great experience on this tour. They picked us up as stated. Communication was excellent. Raul was a wonderful bilingual guide and we spent just enough time at each location with 2 short additional stops. I recommend this tour .
I can totally reccomend this trip. Was quite an unique and an interesting tour to the last Incan bridge off the city of Cusco. The community were very welcoming and friendly and we also had the chance to interact with them and get an idea about their traditions and culture and how well they have preservedthe bridge. This a well worth tour and it was one of the best things i did on my trip to Peru.
Dear Rehana, Thank you very much for your comment and for recommending our tour to Q'eswachaka, the last Inca bridge. We are very happy to know that our staff made your experience enjoyable. It is an honor for us to provide you with a great service in Cusco. Once again, thank you for trusting in our team, we hope you will visit us again very soon! Best regards, Machu Picchu Peru Tours
Qeswachaka is not so popular. We read and heard a lot about this attraction from many fellow travellers and decided to give it a go. It was well worth the visit. The community was very nice and friendly. It was a bit adreanline filled to walk on top of the bridge but was a very wonderful experience. A must do!
I met a few guys in the hostel I was at and went on this tour with Jorge as our tour guide. The sites were amazing along the way to the bridge. Peru is a beautiful country with friendly people. Jorge was a great guide he had lots of knowledge and was always upbeat. It was a pleasure to go on a tour with him. He even convinced me that aliens might not be the architects of these ancient Peruvian sites.
