This is a lovely, one day excursion that combines visits to two of the most interesting and unusual Cusco sights: Maras and Moray. With an easy hike through the Sacred Valley over pretty farmland, this is a great way to slowly acclimatize in preparation for a longer hike. You can also choose to swap the hike for mountain bikes for a more thrilling experience!
High quality personalized experience
Unique, off-the-beaten track routes
Experienced staff
Verified sustainability practices
$20 of every trek donated to Threads of Peru
Get ready for a packed and fun-filled day visiting Maras and Moray! We leave Cusco at around 8 am, taking private transport to nearby Chinchero where we will visit the famous market, the Colonial Church and Incan ruins, as well as a quick stop at an awana wasi, a weaving house.
From here, we continue on by vehicle until we reach the archaeological site at Moray, one of the most unusual and interesting in the area. A pre-Incan site believed to have been used by the Incas, Moray is a series of circular agricultural terraces which are believed to be an experimental agricultural station for different crop strains.
We spend about 1.5 to 2 hours exploring these huge amphitheaters. Then, we continue by vehicle about 40 minutes until we reach the charming village of Maras for a quick walk around its quaint plaza. Alternatively, we may continue on to the Maras salt flats themselves and visit the town on the way back.
Reaching the Maras salineras, or Cusco salt flats, we have about 40 minutes to spend taking in this fascinating sight from the lookout point. The Maras salt flats are a collection of watered terraces that take salt from an underground salty stream. Locals collect the salt through a fascinating process of evaporation. The pools and salt embankments are an incredible sight against the stunning mountain backdrop. Warning: it can get really hot in the salineras on a sunny day!
From Maras, we can either walk or drive about 30 minutes down to nearby Urubamba, where we will enjoy a late lunch at around 2 pm.
After lunch, our private transport collects us and returns us to Cusco, returning around 5 pm, after a 1.5-hr drive, thus ending our Maras and Moray tour.
Very memorable, incredibly rich history and great stories to tell!
