Sights

Maras: Maras is a district of the Urubamba province, possible to be reached through a paved road from kilometer 50 on the road Qosqo - Chinchero - Urubamba. It is located towards the west of Qosqo at an altitude of 3300 mts. (10824 feet); over a plain that in prehistoric times was a huge plateau, from which it is possible to observe the range of mountains of Urubamba including the snow capped mountains of Weqey Willka (today "La Veronica", 5682 mts., 18641 ft.) and " Chikon" (5530 mts., 18143 ft.).

Moray: About 7 kms. (4.3 miles) away southwest from Maras is Moray, a very unique archaeological site in the region. It is possible to reach it by car through the dusty road and the path departing from the town. Those are enormous natural depressions or hollows in the ground surface that Inkas used for constructing irrigated farming terraces around them. What is surprising is that the difference of average annual temperature between the top and the bottom reaches even about 15°C (59°F) in the main depression that is about 30 mts (100 feet) deep

Towards the northwest of the Maras village is the famous "Salt Works".  The Maras "salt works" to which some people call "salt mines" are constituted by about 3000 small pools with an average area of 5 m² (53.8 ft²), constructed in a slope of the "Qaqawiñay" mountain. People fill up or "irrigate" the pools during the dry season every 3 days, with salty water emanating from a natural spring located on the top of the complex, so that when water evaporates the salt contained in it will slowly solidify.

Biking Maras, Moray, Salineras Itinerary:

We leave at 9:00AM in the morning and get back around 4:00PM in the afternoon. We get to Chinchero by bus, which takes 30 minutes. This is a big climb by bike, and the bus leaves us fresh for roaming the tablelands. We visit Lake Huaypo, Maras-Moray, Salineras Salt Mines, and finally enjoy a downhill roll to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley.

Maras is an Incan settlement, and Salineras are extensive salt mines that have been terraced, controled, and used since before Incan days. We have moderate ascents, easy descents, and finally technical descents.

Included:

• English speaking guide for the archaeological sites.
• Gloves, helmet, bike, box lunch, round trip transportation.

Not Included:

• Not included the ticket entrance for the archaeological sites..

DEPARTURES: Every day from 9:00 am untill 5:00 pm.

If you are interested in this tour or do you have any questions about it. Please Contact us .....  CLICK HERE.