The trip at a glance

Start: Cusco around 8AM                     Duration: One full day
Finish: Cusco around 1PM                    Group size: Max 16
Difficulty Rating: 1/5  Highest altitude: 3,765m

Inclusions

• Activities: Exploring Maras, Moray and Chincheros with private, expert, English-speaking guide.

• Transport: Private transport throughout.

Itinerary

8:00 AM: You will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco to visit the salt ponds of Maras. The first pans were created here by pre-inca civilizations who discovered the underground flow of salt water, were taken over by the Incas as they needed salt for own use and trade, then passed down to local families through generations which continues today using the same salt harvesting process. You’ll learn all about this and more from your expert guide and will have the opportunity to taste some different flavored salt.

9:30 AM: Next we visit the fascinating archaeological Inca site in Moray with its large and striking circular terraces that look like amphitheaters – one large and two smaller – beautifully carved and engineered by the Incas. Though we don’t fully understand its purpose, we believe that this site was used by them for experimental agriculture, with each terrace having its own micro-climate to test different crops.

11:00 AM: Get fully immersed in Andean culture with the local community in Chincheros, a beautiful colonial-era village. It offers an intimate look into daily life for rural residents, and teaches you about local traditions such as the famous Peruvian weaving.

1:00 PM: Expected return to Cusco, where you are free to continue your exploration though we’re more than happy to advise on additional activities and trips.