The Maras Salt Mines are a must-do visit on any trip to Peru’s Sacred Valley. With a rich history, beautiful colors, and just an all-around unique experience, be sure you visit Maras Salt Mines. Though you can visit with a guide, visiting on your own is a great way to truly experience the mines inexpensively and on your own time.

Visit Maras Salt Mines: How to do it on your own

The Maras Salt Mines are a must-see stop on any trip to Peru’s Sacred Valley. With a rich history, beautiful colors, and just an all-around unique experience, you won’t regret a visit to the Maras Salt Mines. Though you can tour the site with a guide, visiting on your own is a great way to truly experience the mines inexpensively — and on your own time.

What are the Maras Salt Mines?

The Maras Salt Mines (also known as the maras salt ponds and maras salt pans) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its production of salt through an ancient evaporation process in the salt pools.

In operation for more than 500 years, the Maras salt mines work today much as they did hundreds of years ago. Tthe archaeological site predates the Inca empire. As simple salt evaporation ponds.

Strategically dug into the mountainside, thousands of terraced pools are continuously filled with salt water from a natural underground spring. During the day, the sun evaporates the salt water, leaving behind large amounts of dry salt crystals. Salt production peaks in the dry season when water evaporates faster due to the abundance of sunny days.

The concentration of salt is so high in the salt ponds, they are said to resemble a snow layer from a distance. Although salt pools’ color ranges from earthy brown to pink depending on the season and weather.

Harvesting salt is done by local families who work using ancient methods, custom tools, and even their bare feet. The natural spring provides a continuous flow of water to the shallow pools that keeps up with the evaporation process, making the salt mines naturally sustainable.

The mines are a collection of small family plots worked and owned by individual local families. These locals make their living harvesting salt and selling it to tourists and companies alike. The salt produced by the salt mines is used for health and wellness, commercial use, and as cooking salt; including the popular Peruvian pink table salt prized for its complex flavor

How much are the Maras Salt Mines to visit?

The mines are located within Peru’s Sacred Valley, just 50 km from Cusco. How you visit the Maras Salt Mines will largely determine the cost you’ll pay. If you are staying in Cusco you can take a guided tour to the Salt Mines and surrounding Sacred Valley. These tours can be costly. But they are a great way to experience a full-day in the Sacred Valley with a guide and driver.

If you opt to drive yourself to the Maras Salt Flats, which you are totally capable of doing, you can gain entry for just $2.50 USD. The entrance fee is really reasonable, and a fraction of the price of joining a guided group tour.

Best way to visit the Maras Salt Mines

The Maras Salt Mines are best visited by yourself in a rental car, rather than in group tours. It’s the cheapest, quickest, and easiest way to visit. I recommend spending a few nights in the Sacred Valley on your trip to Peru, too. Though Cusco is worth visiting – staying and driving around the exciting route of the Sacred Valley is a different type of experience entirely.

You can find some amazing boutique hotel options within the Sacred Valley.

Depending on where you’re staying in the Sacred Valley, visiting the Maras Salt Mines can take you as little as 15 minutes to more than an hour. Once there, you’ll pay the $2.50 USD per person entry fee. Then, you’ll be guided to follow the road to the Salt Mines.

The road to the Maras Salt Mines can be narrow, especially with the larger group tour busses and public transportation driving past. Don’t worry! They are experienced drivers, so just pull to the side as need be.

As you continue your descent, you’ll come to a pull-off opportunity. Stop to take some stellar photos of the salt pools from above. Once down to the parking lot, follow signage showing you the way around the salt ponds and to the larger viewing platform.

When to visit the Maras Salt Mines

The Maras Salt Mines change vibrancy throughout the seasons. This is largely due to the huge amount of rain the ancient sites receive during rainy season. All that rain washes out much of the unique colors with it. Visiting the salt pans is a memorable experience any time of year. But the best time to visit maras is during dry season to get the full effect. Peruvian dry season is from May through September.

Travel Tip! Be sure to combine your trip to the Maras Salt Mines with other area attractions, such as the Moray ruins.

Other things to do in the Sacred Valley

There is just so much to see in the Sacred Valley, which is why I highly recommend you stay in the Valley during a portion of your trip to Peru. A few highlights I’d recommend include:

Visiting Machu Picchu

A trip to the Sacred Valley isn’t complete without visiting Machu Picchu. Like the Maras Salt Flats, you don’t need a guide and can save hundreds doing on your own.

Seeing the ancient ruins

You’ll see many ruins in the local community, next to farmland and modern homes driving along the Sacred Valley’s main roads. But taking a day or two to explore the area’s other well-known Incan ruins can make your trip exceptional.

Explore the small towns

The local communities offer plenty of opportunities to grab a bite to eat, see the local markets, and just enjoy small town everyday life. It’s worth spending time within towns like Urubamba, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo.

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