Maras Moray Salt Mines Tour with Tickets – Private Cusco Day Trip

Summary

Visit Moray Agricultural Terraces & Maras Salt Pools from Cusco

You’ll walk among ancient Inca ruins and see real salt harvesting in action on this Maras Moray tour from Cusco. Perfect if you want history, scenery, and something hands-on—all in one easy day trip.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing that hit me at Maras was the sharp, salty tang in the air—almost metallic, like you’re standing by the sea but surrounded by mountains instead. Our driver wound up a dusty road, and suddenly, the hillside opened up to reveal hundreds of shallow salt pools, all glinting white under the sun. A few women in wide-brimmed hats were tending their pools, scraping up crystals with wooden rakes. It’s been done this way for centuries—our guide, Rosa, explained how families still own individual pans and harvest salt by hand. If you get close enough, you’ll hear the crunch of salt underfoot and maybe catch a whiff of something earthy from the wet clay.

After wandering through the maze of salt pans (and picking up a small bag of pinkish salt from a vendor named Don Julio), we drove just fifteen minutes to Moray. The landscape changed fast—suddenly it was all rolling green hills and deep circular terraces carved into the earth. Standing at the edge of one of those giant depressions felt a bit dizzying; it’s hard to believe these were once Inca agricultural labs. Rosa pointed out how each level has its own microclimate—she even showed us where wild mint grows along the path. The wind picked up as we walked down; you could feel how much cooler it got near the bottom. I snapped a photo just as a flock of sheep wandered past—classic Sacred Valley moment.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Visit Maras Salt Mines and Moray Ruins

• Explore Maras Salt Pools
• Tour Agricultural Terraces of Moray

Top questions

Is entrance to Maras and Moray included?

Yes, your entrance fees for both sites are covered in this tour.

How long does this tour take?

The whole experience usually takes half a day, including travel time from Cusco.

Is this suitable for kids or older travelers?

It’s pretty accessible for most people—just some uneven ground at both sites. Infant seats are available if needed.

What’s included

Your private transport picks you up in Cusco and brings you right to both sites—no crowded buses or waiting around. Entrance tickets are sorted ahead of time so you can just enjoy exploring Maras and Moray without any hassle.