Salt mines of Maras Peru

When you arrive to Cuzco to visit Machu Picchu, you should take some time to know and take some pictures of the landscapes that can be seen in the salt mines of Maras. That is why when you visit the salt mines, you should take advantage of the trip to visit the archaeological complex of Moray, as this is one of the most visited attractions when visiting the Sacred Valley.

Also, after visiting the salt mines of Maras you can visit the famous town of Urubamba, which is located in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

There are people who choose to do the tour with a tour agency and thus make a fabulous tour. If you want to do it, you can learn more on our website.

What are the salt mines of Maras?

The salt mines of Maras are a series of wells characterized by being of “natural salt”. They are located near the town of Maras. Each of these wells has a dimension of about 5 square meters.

The wells are also known as pools: the 3,000 available pools are fed by a subway hypersaline spring.

This originated approximately 110 million years ago, when the Andes Mountains were formed. Today, these natural salt pools are a center of attraction for a large number of tourists.

One of the aspects that attract people is the view of this wonderful landscape. In this way, the inhabitants of the town of Maras dedicate themselves to the commercialization of salt, just as the Incas did many years ago.

Where to find the salt mines of Maras?

These are located at a distance of about 46 kilometers from the city of Cuzco, within the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

The thousands of pools found in this site are characterized by being shallow and it is possible to find salt in its natural state.

These are filled with salt water and are excavated inside the slope of the Qaqawiñay mountain at approximately 3,380 meters above sea level, making it possible for people to be in contact with the salt pans without any problems.

Route to follow to get to the salt mines of Maras

The route to follow to get to the salt mines of Maras is quite simple, since they are located about 10 kilometers away from the town of Maras. For this reason, we will detail it below:

Starting from Cuzco to the salt mines of Maras, there is a total of 50 kilometers of distance in an approximate way. To get there, it is necessary to take a bus to Uramba and stop at a detour that leads to this area.
When you are in Uramba, you must take a collective cab to the Salineras de Maras, in order to cover the remaining 16 kilometers of distance.
Although, most of the people who travel to the Maras Salt Mines do it through a tour organized by an agency dedicated to tourism. This type of service includes full transportation.

Plans to do in the salt mines of Maras

Some of the plans that you can organize once you are in the salt mines of Maras are detailed below:

You can buy natural salt whose color is pink. This color is obtained from the natural elements in the spring water, which include silicon, magnesium, potassium and calcium.
Another aspect of great interest that can be done in this place is that you can collect your own handful of salt or buy it in jars through the Maras gift store.
People can also take wonderful pictures in the landscapes of this site, as it is considered as one of the most incredible sites in Cuzco and Peru.
At a distance of 10 kilometers from this site is the archeological complex of Moray, which is considered another of the most interesting tourist attractions located in the Sacred Valley.
Maras also has a very popular colonial town, due to its traditional adobe houses, its typical festivities and all its traditions.
Recommendations for the visit to the salt mines of Maras
Some of the items that all the people who visit the salt mines of Maras should bring are the following:

• Cap or hat.
• Cash.
• Sports clothes.
• Rain poncho.
• Snacks.
• Sun block.
• Camera or cell phone.
• Sunglasses.
• Personal documents.
• Non-skid shoes.
• If among your plans is to visit Cusco or Machu Picchu recently, don’t forget to write down in the list the salt mines of Maras!

Book with us if you want a tour to Inca Trail or any destination in Peru, we are a travel agency with a lot of recognition in the city of Cusco.

Book with us if you want a tour to Inca Trail or any destination in Peru, we are a travel agency with a lot of recognition in the city of Cusco.