Salt Mines of Peru: A Complete Guide to Visiting Maras
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.
This complete guide breaks down all the ways to visit from Cusco and the Sacred Valley to help you plan your trip. You’ll find helpful tips for visiting, cost breakdown, best ways to visit, and more.
I hope you enjoy Maras as much as I did! It’s an amazing place to visit that certainly feels so unreal to see. From the colors to the mountain views and the ability to purchase some truly local items, it’s certainly a top attraction to visit while in Peru.
Happy travels to Peru!
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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. The archaeological site predates the Inca empire. As simple salt evaporation ponds.
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.
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.
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.
How to get to the Maras Salt Mines
There are two ways you can visit the salt mines in Peru. First, you can opt for a guided tour from Cusco or the Sacred Valley. Or, you can easily visit on your own with a rental car.
Because the salt mines are located in Urubamba, it makes it an easy place to visit regardless of where you start. The biggest difference is if you want to pay for a guided tour or opt for a DIY-friendly approach to visiting.
Joining a guided tour
For most people the easiest way to visit the Peru salt mines is by joining a guided tour from Cusco. There are plenty of reputable tour companies offering day trips out into the Sacred Valley that include a trip to Maras as a part of the day’s itinerary.
Most trips from Cusco are between $30-60 per person depending on what’s included and the length of the tour. However, you can find tours specifically to visit the salt mines that are less expensive, too.
Visiting the Maras Salt Mines on your own
You can also visit the Maras salt mines on your own. The cheapest and best way to do this is by renting a car in Cusco and making this a part of a larger Sacred Valley itinerary. You can easily make a day out of visiting Maras, in addition to famous places from Moray and Chinchero.
Personally, I highly recommend this way of visiting. Renting a car and exploring the Sacred Valley on my own was the highlight of my trip. It gives you freedom to explore the salt mines and other activities at your own pace and is a much more budget-friendly way to visit, too.
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.
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.
More Peru Tips + Inspiration
- Need helping packing for your trip to Peru? I’ve got you covered with my complete Peru packing list guide!
- If you really want to learn how to save money on your trip to Peru, you can’t miss this Peru on a Budget guide.
