Maras Moray /
Salt Mines
Maras Moray / Salt Mines Itinerary
- Starting point at Maras. Maras is a beautiful typical little pueblo in a picturesque setting. You can see that all of the houses are roofed with tiles and straw, and the entranceways are adorned with both Spanish and Quechua symbolism. Their Colonial-era church is also noteworthy.
- Continuing on our way, we will arrive at the place known as Moray soon after. The main attraction there is the peculiar circular amphitheatre type ruins. It is actually an agricultural experiment of sorts; they constructed these circular structures to have different ecological floors each with different climates. They did that to study the benefits of the different plants and also to try and introduce different food products to the Andes.
- We will keep on the downhill trail, until we arrive at the Salineras. The Salineras are some ancient salt mines that have been used in these parts for centuries. There was a time when the land surrounding the salt-mines was designated for Inca dignitaries due to the fact that salt was only procured from the ocean at that time.
- By the time we get all the way down into the valley, we will arrive to Pichingoto. That is a rather distinctive community which is known for having many cases of gout (undoubtedly due to their diet consisting of so much salt without iron). Another strange thing about Pichingoto is their way of building houses and even their cathedral into caves in the wall of the mountain. A box lunch will be provided along the way (eaten cold).
- We will be picked up in Urubamba by our transport and taken back to Cusco, where we will arrive to around the early evening time.