We head towards the north-east to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, for about one and half hours. We will pass though farming villages along the way and our tour guide will explain about the products and the traditions related. We arrive at the salt mines in Maras and have a guided visit. Then we explore the amazing circular terraces of Moray, which was believed to be an experimental center to grow different seeds.
Features: Half a day tour – Dialy departures – 12 people max
Inclusions:
- Tour guide
- Tourist van
- Tickets
From $70
Itinerary
Description
08.00 am We pick you up from your hotel in Cusco in our tourist van and drive towards the north-east to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, for about 1 hour and a half. We will pass though farming villages along the way and our tour guide will explain about the products and the traditions related. We arrive at the salt mines in Maras and have a guided visit. You can buy this natural salt there too.
After a rewarding experience we get in the van and drive towards Moray. These farming terraces are one of the most peculiar in the world. A series of circular terraces resembling an old Greek amphitheater are built in a wide bowl-like depression. The greatest of these terraces is in the center; it is immense in size and descends to a depth of around 150m, leading to a circular bottom that is so perfectly drained that it never totally floods, no matter how much rain falls. After the tours we drive back to Cusco city before lunch time.
Included:
Prices:
Packing list
Booking terms
Highlights
- Explore the ancient salt mines of the Incas located in Maras village. They are one of the greatest prehistoric salt extraction centers in the Cusco region. Moray circular farming terraces served as an agricultural laboratory for testing and controlling technology for large terrace systems.
- Places to visit: Maras salt mines and Moray farming terraces.
- Departures: Everyday 8 am
- From: Your hotel in Cusco and back.
- Duration: 4 hours approx.
- Transport: Tourist van or minibus
- Note: Save $20 if you already have the general tourist ticket which should include the entrance to Moray.
Maras salt mines:
The salt mines are made up of approximately 4,500 salt wells placed in the form of stepped terraces in the middle slope of the hill Qaqawiay, which has slopes of 20 degrees of inclination to the bottom of the gorge on the left bank of the Salineras stream, with dimensions varying between 5 linear meters and occupying a total area of approximately 1.5 to 2 hectares. The terraces are formed by irregular stone retaining walls seated with mud mortar, forming dikes that delimit the wells as small reservoirs of approximately 5m2.
Moray circular farming terraces:
It is thought that Incan priest-scientists used the Moray terraces to experiment with vegetable crops to decide which should be spread for domestic production to farmers with fields all over the Andean region. Experts believe that the different terrace levels provided a unique microclimate in which they could grow different crops. It allowed them to see which crop worked best in which terrace level.
