Moray and Salt mines of Moras. The Sacred valley Tour! Peru Sacred Valley Tour. Cusco Sacred Valley Tour.
Located just an hour away from Cusco, hidden in the Sacred Valley, lie these surreal salt ponds, known as Maras Salt Mines, or locally as Salineras de Maras.
Over 3,000 ponds, locally owned by 600 local families, make up the picturesque Maras, all connected through an impressive underground network of canals that fill these pools with salt water. Over time, the intense sun will slowly evaporate the water leaving behind the salt that is later extracted through ancestral techniques by local family members.
The salt mines were built somewhere between 500 to 1100 AD by the Wari civilization. When the Inca gained control of the territory, they saw great opportunity in the mines.
Salt was an important mineral for the Inca empire. All that was extracted from the salt mines were used for human consumption, livestock and were also given other uses such as for
food storage and even human mummifications.
The breathtaking scenery of the Sacred Valley in Peru is a sight to behold in itself, but witness something even more magnificent as you peer down into the Incan ruins of Moray.
Moray is one of the famous Inca ruins near Cusco. It is composed of three groups of circular terraces that descend 490 feet from the highest terrace to the lowest. Each terrace has 12 levels of terraces with the largest depression having a diameter of 600-feet.
Having no written language, the purpose of this stunning place is shrouded in mystery.
It is widely believed that the Moray ruins were used as an experimental farm by the Incas over 500 years ago. Much like the Machu Picchu terraces, the Moray site has steps carved out from the slope of a mountain. These steps have been reinforced with stones and soil and allow for water drainage. Excavations of the site have shown that the Inca Empire imported soil from varying regions of Peru to Moray, furthering the theory of crop experimentation.
Moray as an agricultural research site isn’t the only theory kicking around, though. Locals from the nearby communities tell stories that date back to Inca times of celebrations and ceremonies being held at Moray. Even today, locals gather once a year in October to celebrate Moray Raymi at the archaeological site.
One theory about the site is that it was once an open pit mine used by Incan or pre-Incan cultures.
After the mine had been depleted, it was then covered by terraces and repurposed for Incan farming and ceremonial uses.
Another popular theory about the Moray ruins is that the circular depressions in the earth are crop circles, or marks left behind by aliens from a UFO landing.
Moray and Salt Mines of Maras tour are unique Journey into Cusco’s History and Traditions, embark on an unforgettable adventure to explore two of Cusco’s most distinctive and
fascinating sites: The agricultural marvel of Moray and the ancient salt mines of Maras.
This enriching tour offers a rare glimpse into the Inca civilization’s ingenuity and the region’s enduring traditions.
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Chapters
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0:00 Intro
0:38 Moras Salt Mines
4:15 Moray Inca Ruins
Inca trail to Machu Picchu
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• [4K] The Classic Inca ...
Rainbow Mountain Hike
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• The colorful mountain ...
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