ATV riding in Sacred Valley: Moray and Salineras from Cusco

Operate your own ATV through Inca agricultural terraces and Quechua villages

Ride an ATV through the Sacred Valley's archaeological sites and Andean towns from Cusco, operating the vehicle yourself with a professional bilingual guide leading the route. The tour departs at 7am with hotel pickup, covers Moray's circular agricultural platforms and the Salineras salt mines over a half-day, and includes ATV rental with fuel, helmet, gloves and safety instruction before you ride. Minimum age is 16; moderate fitness is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

ATV tour of Sacred Valley sites

• Guide picks up at 7:00 am
• Travel to Cruzpata town
• Receive ATV instructions and safety briefing
• Ride ATV to Moray archaeological site
• Explore Moray agricultural terraces
• Travel to Maras Salt Mines by vehicle
• Return to Cusco, arrive at Plaza Regocijo

The Experience

The day starts with pickup at your Cusco accommodation at 7am, then a 50-minute drive to Cruzpata where the guide briefs you on ATV operation, safety equipment and basic maneuvers before you mount the bike. This instruction block matters — it's where you get comfortable with the machine and the guide assesses your handling before the route begins.

From there you ride for two hours toward Moray, the archaeological site that shows the Inca's circular terraced platforms built for agricultural experimentation and astronomy. You're operating the ATV yourself through the Sacred Valley landscape, following the guide's route rather than sitting in a vehicle watching it pass. The terrain and the pace are steady enough that riders with moderate fitness can manage it, though the altitude — you're at elevation in the Andes — and the physical engagement of controlling the bike matter for how you feel by midday.

After Moray, the route continues by vehicle to the Salineras salt mines to prevent road risks on that stretch. You visit a Quechua village as part of the circuit through the Sacred Valley's working communities and agricultural spaces. The return to Cusco takes you back to Plaza Regocijo by around 1pm, so the whole outing — instruction, riding, stops and return drive — fits a half-day window.

What’s included

• Bilingual professional guide in English and Spanish.
• ATV with fuel.
• helmet and gloves.
• air-conditioned vehicle for sections where road risks require it.
• first aid box.
• hotel pickup in Cusco at 7am.
• safety instruction and practice before the ride begins.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by ATV CUSCO ADVENTURES ON WHEELS

Is this one for you?The early 7am start and two-hour riding block mean this suits a traveler with a free morning and moderate fitness who wants to operate the bike themselves rather than watch from a seat — the altitude and physical engagement of controlling an ATV at elevation are real, so it's built for someone ready for that, not a passive sightseeing pace.

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Top questions

What's the Moray archaeological site, and what do I actually see when I ride there?

Moray is a series of circular terraced platforms built by the Inca as an agricultural laboratory and astronomical observatory. When you ride there, you're moving through concentric rings of stone platforms descending into the earth — the Inca used the different levels to test crops at varying temperatures and altitudes, a visionary system of agro-technology that still stands intact.

Do I need ATV experience to book this, or is the instruction enough?

No prior ATV experience is required. The guide gives you safety instruction and practice with basic maneuvers at Cruzpata before the ride begins, so you learn on the ground before you operate the bike on the route. You do need to be at least 16 years old and in moderate physical fitness.

How much of the tour is actual riding versus driving in a vehicle?

You ride the ATV for approximately two hours toward Moray, which is the main activity block. The route to the Salineras salt mines continues by air-conditioned vehicle to avoid road risks on that section, and the return to Cusco is also by vehicle, so the full six-hour outing mixes riding time with transport and stops.

What's included in the ATV rental, and what do I need to bring?

The ATV rental includes the bike with fuel, a helmet, gloves and a first aid box. The guide is bilingual in English and Spanish. You should bring sun protection, water and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants; the guide will brief you on gear at the start.

Does this tour go to the salt mines, and what do I do there?

Yes, the Salineras salt mines (also called Maras) are part of the route. You visit the site as part of the Sacred Valley circuit; the exact time spent there depends on the day's flow, but it's one of the key stops alongside Moray and the Quechua village.