Maras Salt Pools

Nestled in the Sacred Valley of the Incas is the remote town of Maras, known throughout Peru for its thousands of worked salt pans.

Salt has been collected here since before the time of the Inca, rising to the surface from a subterranean stream and evaporating in the Andean sunshine.

You can gather your own handful of salt or buy some packaged to take home from Maras’ gift store.

The terraced saltwork pools dotting the Andean hillsides look quite stunning, glittering like bright white snow in the sunshine, so bring your camera.

The town of Maras was quite important in colonial times, and you’ll see some out-of-place ornate Spanish homes and the mud-brick colonial church.

Practical Info

The town of Maras lies off the 28B Highway, between Cusco and Ollantaytambo in Urabamba province. Cusco is 40km (25 miles) away. The saltworks are northwest of Maras along a dusty road.