Maras

Maras serves as a useful base for two significant Inca sites: the salt pans at Salineras and the agricultural terraces at Moray. The town itself is dusty and not particularly tourist-friendly, but it offers access to these remarkable ruins that are often combined in a single day trip from nearby towns like Urubamba or Pisac.

Buses traveling between Urubamba and Chinchero (including many en route to Cusco) usually stop at the turnoff to Maras, a few kilometers outside Urubamba. You can also take a cab to the turnoff from Urubamba for a few soles. At the turnoff, cabs are usually waiting to take visitors into town or on to Moray.

The most common way to reach Moray (13 km away) is by taxi, though rates can be steep. You can also walk back from Moray in about an hour as the road is winding but the town is clearly visible by its large white church. Salineras is best visited on foot from the town center—follow the road past the church toward the turnoff, then continue straight when the road turns right until you find the dirt path descending into the canyon with the salt pans.

The town itself has little to hold a traveler's attention beyond the ruins. Salineras features terraced Inca salt fields in a valley still in production today, with around 3000 family-owned salt pans in a canyon. Moray is a fabulous depression where Incas built concentric terraces, theorized to be an agricultural laboratory for growing crops in different microclimates 600 meters above the Sacred Valley. It makes sense to visit both sites together since you drive past Salineras to reach Moray.

After climbing down into Moray and back up, climb the hill overlooking the site for the best photo of two of the concentric circles in the same shot. On this hill are the Inca water storage reservoirs. A mountain biking tour from Cusco can include a guided tour of the Moray ruins—inquiring with a reputable tour operator in Cusco is the best way to arrange this.

There are no restaurants in Maras, only small stores selling simple supplies. At the ruins, there are walking snack vendors. Near the Salt Ponds, vendors sell better options like ice cream, salted nuts, and dehydrated bananas. Bringing your own lunch is recommended. Alternatively, eat in Pisac (Ulrike's Cafe is highly recommended for vegetarian options, good value, and local experiences like Chicha Morada—three-plate meal with soup, entrée, and cheesecake for S/17) or Urubamba.

There are no accommodations in Maras itself. Sleep in Pisac (inquire at Ulrike's Cafe), Ollantaytambo, or Cusco. There are no hostels or campgrounds in Maras or at Moray.

Take a taxi to the highway turnoff and wait for a bus to Urubamba or Chinchero, or pay for a taxi to take you directly (though this will be expensive). Consider visiting Chinchero on the same trip since buses go through it. Ollantaytambo and Pisac offer more amenities and are better bases for exploring the Sacred Valley.