Published by Team Tunupa / August 20, 2026
On the plateau between Cusco and the Sacred Valley lie two places that seem out of this world. One is a set of circular terraces that step down into the earth like an amphitheater. The other is a hillside covered in thousands of salt pools shining in the sun.
Moray and Maras are just a few kilometers apart and are visited together on one of the most photogenic trips in the region.
Moray: a laboratory in the earth
Moray is made up of large natural depressions that the Incas turned into concentric terraces. Because of their shape, each level gets a different amount of sun and wind, and the temperature changes by several degrees between the top and the bottom.
That is why many researchers believe Moray worked as an agricultural experimentation center, where crops were tested and adapted to different conditions. A glimpse of the knowledge that fed an entire empire.
The Maras salt pans
In the neighboring ravine, a spring of very salty water flows out of the mountain. Since before the Incas, that water has been channeled into thousands of terraced pools. In the sun, the water evaporates and leaves salt crystals behind.
The pools belong to local families, who work them by hand as their ancestors did. Maras salt, including pink salt, is sold at the entrance and in Cusco’s markets.
When to go
The dry season, from May to November, is the best time: skies are clear and the salt pans are in full production. In the rainy months many pools flood and the harvest stops, although the landscape turns very green.
Getting there and what to know
- They are roughly an hour and a half from Cusco by road, and closer from Urubamba.
- You can go on a half-day tour, by taxi or combine the visit with Chinchero and the Sacred Valley.
- Moray is covered by the Cusco Tourist Ticket; the salt pans have their own entrance fee.
- Both sites are above 3,000 meters: bring water, sunscreen and a hat.
- At the salt pans, stay on the marked paths so you do not damage the pools.
A break at Tunupa Sacred Valley
After Moray and Maras, the road descends toward Urubamba. It is the perfect time for lunch at Tunupa Sacred Valley, surrounded by gardens and mountains, tasting Andean dishes made with produce from the valley.
Conclusion: ingenuity and landscape
Moray and Maras show two sides of Andean ingenuity: the farming science of the Incas and a salt-making tradition that is still alive centuries later. Unique landscapes that also tell stories.
A trip worth every minute.
