Maras

Maras is reached by a paved road that branches from the main route threading the Sacred Valley between Cusco and surrounding communities. The road leads past the town centre toward a canyon that drops toward the Rio Vilcanota, the upper stretch of the Urubamba River, before opening onto the valley floor. The surrounding scenery mixes cultivated terraces with the stark white of the salt basins, offering a contrast that frames the town’s modest streets.

Visitors can walk among the salt ponds, watching workers spread brine and collect crystals that later dry in the high desert sun. Some ponds are owned by individual families, whose methods echo ancient practices, while other basins lie dormant, hinting at the scale of the operation. The colonial church, built during the Spanish period, stands as a stone reminder of the town’s later history, and the Moray ruins, a series of concentric terraces, lie a short distance away, inviting exploration of Inca agricultural experiments. Antonio Sinchi Roca Inka, a 17th‑century Quechua painter, is among the notable residents linked to Maras. The enduring presence of thousands of active salt ponds, harvested with techniques that trace back to the Incas, defines the character of Maras.