Maras

Get back to nature in the dramatic landscapes of the Andes Mountains and experience the amazing scenery of the Sacred Valley by Quad Bike. Benefit from pick-up at your hotel in Cusco, and then journey through typical villages to reach the colonial town of Maras. Admire the pretty church and rustic buildings of the pretty town center and watch the locals going about their everyday lives farming the surroundings. Visit the archaeological site of Moray to see the incredible terraced holes that form an amphitheater-like depression on the surface of the land. Learn how the holes were used by the Incas in ancient times to acclimatize seeds from the Andes Mountains. Next, visit the salt ponds that the locals continue to work to obtain salt at the mines, just as their ancestors did in the days of the Inca Empire.

During this Sacred Valley day tour, go to the must-visit sites of Cusco and have a chance to try traditional Incan beer. Get picked up from your hotel in Cusco's city center and head to your first stop, Mirador Taray.  Take in the spectacular views of the Andes and the Sacred Valley to prepare for your day of discovery.  Continue to the town of Pisac, the site of a popular market. See how locals dye alpaca wool with natural plants of the region. Visit the archaeological site and see its terraces, Incan cemeteries, and royal buildings.  Afterward, move on to Moray to learn about the history of the Incas and wonder at their mysterious circular terraces. Head to the nearby village of Maras and learn about its history as a center for salt production at the Maras Salt Mines. Admire the unique quilt work of over 3,000 salt ponds spilling into the Sacred Valley. From here, go to Urubamba and enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant. Continue with a drive along the Urubamba River towards the town of Ollantaytambo to visit the ruins. Marvel at the remarkable Incan architecture built during the Incan Empire's heyday. In addition to the ruins, see an amazing rock formation that represents the Incan god of Wiracocha. After your time at the ruins, choose to return to Cusco with your guide or to stay in Ollantaytambo so you can continue your personal travels to Machu Picchu.

Head out on a drive along the Andean plateau in Chinchero to take in fantastic views of the Chicon Mountain as your 6-hour tour begins. Stop in Moray for a guided visit of the deep circular terraces of Moray. The purpose of the terraces is uncertain, but their depth, design and orientation with respect to wind and sun create a temperature difference of up to 15C/27 F from the top to the bottom. It is thought that the temperature difference was used to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops. Continue to the Maras salt mines, comprising around 3,000 small wells of about 5 square meters. They have been used since Incan times for economic exchange.

Meet with your group at Plaza de Armas in the historical center of Cusco. Travel first to Chinchero, a small rustic town with a long tradition of textile weaving. See various textiles woven with traditional Incan techniques.  Next, you will visit Moray and see the agricultural terraces built along the hillsides. These terraces were built by the Incas to grow an abundance of crops on less-than-ideal mountain terrain. Right next to this area, at Moras, there are over 5000 salt ponds which were used by the Incas for salt extraction. This helped preserve their foods for long periods. After learning about Incan agricultural techniques, make your way to Urubamba, the capital of the Sacred Valley, for some lunch. After lunch, make your way to two historical towns, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq. At Ollantaytambo, you will climb over 200 steps to reach the top of the ancient terraced fortress that overlooks the town. This was an important defensive location during Incan times. At Pisaq, you can discover the local market selling all sorts of souvenirs and local crafts, before returning to Cusco.

Discover the best of Cusco's Sacred Valley on this full-day tour. After getting picked up from your hotel in Cusco in the morning, head to an archaeological zone and textile center located in Chinchero. Later, visit the archaeological park of Moray, before passing through the town of Maras and visiting the Salineras salt mines. Stop for lunch in the village of Urubamba before traveling to the archaeological sites of Ollantaytambo. Finally, visit the archaeological park of Pisaq, after which you will visit the nearby town to explore the craft market. At the end of the day, get dropped off in downtown Cusco.

Travel through the historic Urubamba Valley on an unparalleled half-day tour from Cusco and pass the snow-capped peaks of the Peruvian Andes. Meander through lush yellow fields of wheat and sleepy little villages en route to Moray. Upon arrival, learn about the ingenuity of the Incas in their mysterious circular terraces. Continue to the nearby village of Maras to explore its history as a center for salt production. Take in the spectacular nature and admire the unique quilt work of over 3,000 salt ponds spilling into the Sacred Valley. Finish the day back in Cusco in time to explore more of the magnificent city.

Explore Cusco's Sacred Valley and see Incan Ruins, salt mines, local markets, and textile production. Make stops in Moray, Chinchero, Ollantaytambo, and Pisac on this full-day tour by van. Be picked up from your hotel in Cusco in the morning before heading to an archaeological zone and textile center located in Chinchero. See how locals dye alpaca wool with natural plants of the region. Visit the archaeological site in Chinchero and see its terraces before moving on to Moray to learn about the history of the Incas and wonder at their mysterious circular terraces. Head to the nearby village of Maras and learn about its history as a center for salt production at the Maras Salt Mines. Admire the unique quilt work of over 3,000 salt ponds spilling into the Sacred Valley. Travel to Urubamba and enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant. Stop at the ruins of Ollantaytambo and marvel at the remarkable Incan architecture built during the Incan Empire's heyday. See an amazing rock formation that represents the Incan god of Wiracocha. Arrive at the last tour stop, the archaeological park of Pisaq, after which you will visit the nearby town to explore the craft market. Return to Cusco and be dropped off in the town center after the tour is over.

Explore the Huaypoo Lagoon and Maras on this Sacred Valley quad bike tour from Cusco. Spot the snow-capped mountains of Verónica and Chicón and reach a viewpoint to see the Maras salt mine. Get trained on how to operate your bike for a safe adventure off the beaten path. The tour begins with the pickup from your hotel or chosen meeting point in Cusco. Take off on a 50-minute ride to the community of Cruz Pata in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In Cruzpata, join a 15-minute bike training, then officially start your adventure. Drive to the imposing Laguna de Huaypo, a location that has inspired many stories and legends. Feel the adventure from head to toe as you venture down the path that will take you to Riobamba, then take the bus to the salt mines of Maras. See the mines from a viewpoint and choose to buy some of the salt products that are offered there. On the tour route, you'll also see the mountains of Verónica and Chicón. Later, return from the Salineras de Maras to the city of Cusco.

Embark on an incredible experience on four wheels during this guided ATV adventure tour from Cusco through the Sacred Valley. Take in views of the Urubamba Mountains as you venture to Maras and the archeologist site of Moray. Leaving by van from Cusco, travel for approximately one hour to the community of Cruz Pata in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Get ready for the start of your adventure after approximately 15 minutes of ATV training. Once ready, drive approximately 1.5 hours to the archaeological site of Moray to closely observe the remains of the terraces built by the Incas to experiment with the adaptation of crops. Later, hop back in the van to continue to the salt mines of Maras (outside only). Enjoy beautiful views of the Urubamba Mountain range and contemplate the peaks of the Verónica and Chicón Mountains. At the historic salt mines, you'll have the opportunity to take pictures from a viewpoint as well as buy the products made from the same salt that is found there. At the end of the trip, take a different route back to the city of Cusco, ending a day full of adrenaline.

Your tour will start with your group pick-up. From there you will drive for about an hour to Chinchero, making a short stop in this town to visit one of the last traditional families. You will also learn about ancient textiles and the weaving process. After driving 30 minutes more, you will arrive to Moray, the ancient Inka agriculture laboratory located in a rare topographical depression in which the Inkas developed into unique circular terraces. You will learn how this entire area was also watered by a well-engineered irrigation system. After enjoying Moray, you will continue for another hour to the Salineras Salt Mines of Maray, your last destination on your tour. The salt mine is actually a vast collection of terraces born from a water stream high on a mountain. Over many centuries this salt spring has been channeled to 1,000 small pools. People wait for the sunny days to evaporate the water which leaves the pure salt behind, a technique of which has been used since pre-Inka times. You will finally drive approximately 1.5 hours back to Cusco, where your group will be dropped off near the Main Plaza de Armas.