The salt mines of Maras are directly related to the town of Maras, which is located in the city of Cusco. This is a small town that is located on the Chinchero plateau, at an altitude of 3,300 meters above sea level. It was founded by Pedro Martin de Orué in 1556, however, it began to be officially inhabited, probably after the indigenous reductions plan, around the year 1575, although it is clear that its mineral resources were used during the period of the Incas since salt played a role preponderant in food preservation, daily use and finally ritual use for the mummification of bodies.
The salt mines of Maras itself are a set of approximately 3,000 wells dug in the Kachiraqay area, whose dimensions are approximately 5 square meters by 30 centimeters deep, in which the salt naturally extracted from the subsoil of the place is dried by a eye of water or natural hypersaline spring located in the Qoripujio mountain that was probably formed 100 million years ago during the formation of the entire Andes mountain range, each one of them belongs to a family or inhabitant of the place and the extraction process is It is done by filling these pools, every 3 or 4 days, with salt water containing 260.0 gr/L of NaCl, with a flow rate of 16,200 L/h. The water evaporates in about a month and then the salt is extracted and treated for human consumption. With a total production capacity of approximately two tons per year, this place represents the main economic engine of the Place, not only for the export of natural salt whose quality and mineral composition has led it to the most exclusive markets, and for being part of a therapeutic treatment in one of the most exclusive hotels in the sacred valley, but also because of the tourist flow that it receives daily thanks to these aforementioned natural salt pools.
The legend of Ayar cachi
Among the legends that have been transmitted to this day, there is a variant of the founding of the Inca empire, which narrates the adventure of the well-known group of mythical brothers called Manco Cápac, Ayar Cachi, Ayar Auca and Ayar Uchu, who upon arriving to the top of the snowy Waqay wilque, they knew immediately that only Manco Qapaq would come to found the empire of the Incas and that one of the brothers, Ayar cachi, began to cry with sadness, becoming a mountain whose bases were filled with salt for these abundant tears. Probably in this legend it represents a human group known as the Maras who possessed this territory before the Incas, represented in the character of Ayar Cachi, which would date back the importance of this territory to the pre-Inca period, which was probably used by the Waris. that dominated these territories between the year 500 and 1500 of our era. On the other hand, it is interesting to know that this town was very prosperous at some point in history, as it was an obligatory crossing point for the muleteers who transported products from the jungle of Cusco, despite the fact that today it is only a small town that lives from the drying of salt from the salineras of the same name, and the tourism that this place attracts.
Location:
The town of Maras and its salt mines belong to the province of Urubamba in the department of Cusco, located approximately 41 kilometers from the imperial city of Cusco, which translates into approximately one hour of travel.
How to get to the salt mines of Maras:
On your own:
To get to maras on your own, what you have to do is take the collective buses that leave from the Grau bridge, which is located on Avenida del Ejercito, or if you wish, you can also take the buses that go in the direction of Urubamba and stop at Chinchero, from where you can take another public transport to reach the same town and consequently if you want to go to the salt mines take another transport from the town center, or get off at the detour where you will also find the necessary transport to go directly to this place without the need to stop in the same town.
With a travel agency:
The tour to Maras (which is generally accompanied by the archaeological center of Moray) offers you multiple possibilities of travel, since it can be done on ATVs, on bicycles, and finally in a group tour, with mobility available.
Other nearby tourist attractions.
Tiobamba Sanctuary:
The Tiobamba sanctuary is a colonial church adorned with paintings from the Cusco school.
The natural landscape:
This town has been privileged with dream landscapes that are worth mentioning, since this is the main reason why this route has diversified so much, either in the direction of Maras or Moray. Doing this tour will give you a privileged view of the sacred valley of the Incas, as well as the Vilcanota mountain range and all its snow-capped peaks, to which the locals hold an ancestral respect as Tutelary apus or sacred spirits, among them we have the Pitusiray Sawasiray, Puma Huanca and Veronica. This is not to mention that, being on a plateau, the route to reach the place is not only adorned with carpets of crops dotted with small groups of houses distributed throughout the entire place.
Gates:
During your visit to the town of maras pay attention to the road, among its streets you will find old houses in which it is still possible to see old carved gates, in the upper part family shields that denote the economic importance that the place had at some point.
Some frequently asked questions:
What are the opening hours of the Maras salt mine?
The salt mines of Maras are open to the public between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
How to visit the salt mines of Maras?
To visit the salt mines of Maras you must pay an entrance fee of 10.00 nuevos soles in cash, remember that it is not possible to pay with a credit card.
To do?
In the place you can buy natural pink salt, contributing to the local economy, while carrying an excellent and healthy product.
What are the benefits that Maras salt has for health?
Due to its properties, Maras salt is recommended for people who suffer from high blood pressure and those with low sodium levels in the blood, in addition, due to its composition of iron, zinc and magnesium, it is used for the treatment of skin conditions and swelling in general.
What is the best time to visit it?
The salt mines of maras work all year round, and in the same way they are open to the public all year round, the only thing that should be taken into account is the general seasonality of the Cusco region, which is in the rainy season between the months from November to April and in the dry and cold period between the period from May to October.
What to take to the salt mines of Maras?
Depending on the seasonality and the type of service you take, you must carry the following elements:
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- rain poncho
- documents
- Snacks: Water, Cookies, dried fruit
- Cash
- Comfortable shoes and preferably non-slip.
Is it possible to get to Maras and its salt mines from Urubamba?
If you are staying in the Sacred Valley, simply ask at the reception of your hotel to be able to take a private vehicle that allows you to tour not only the salt mines of Maras, but also Moray.
On the other hand, if you also want, you can get to the Urubamba bus terminal and take the buses that go to Cusco and stop the detour that bears the same name and take one of the buses that you will find in the place to finally take you to the aforementioned salt mines.
Recommendations for visiting the salt mines.
Generally, the visit to Maras will not last more than half a day, this time will be enough, even to visit Moray, being able to easily carry out this activity on the way to or from Machupicchu.
Remember that due to recent provisions it is no longer possible to enter the salt deposits, as was the custom before, and that you will only be able to appreciate the place from a pre-established viewpoint.
The best destinations in Perú
Once you decide to visit Palccoyo Mountain, you could add the best destinations to combine the history and experience for your trip to Peru. Peru offers the most beautiful destinations, culture and naturals. we recommend to extend your holidays and choose these best destinations and prepare your itinerary:
- Inca Trail
- Machu Picchu
- Amazon Rainforest Peru
- Cusco
- Lake Titicaca
- Colca Canyon – Arequipa
Best Peru Treks
- Inca Trail 4 days
- Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
- Short Inca Trail
- Short Inca Trail with Camping
