Taste of the Incas | Maras Salt Mines, Peru

In the Andes Mountains, a river cuts through a canyon known as the "Sacred Valley" by the Incas. This canyon is also the only way to Machu Picchu. About 1.5 hours by car, before reaching the town of Urubamba, you can visit a private Inca village attraction: the Maras Salt Mines. The Maras Salt Mines are located at the bottom of a hillside. It is said that this place was once under the sea, and the changes of time have raised it to become a high mountain. The spring water in the mountains brings out the salt accumulated in the mountains and soil. The clever Incas artificially channeled the spring water to distribute it evenly into the salt ponds. The wind and sun evaporate the water, and the salt precipitates at the bottom of the pond. Because of the different heights of the salt ponds, the salt will appear in different colors such as pink, white, and brown, and sparkle in the sunlight. Address: Search for "Salt Mine of Maras" or "Salinas de Maras" in Spanish ⏳Time: About 1 hour. Before entering the salt mines, you will first pass a highland viewing platform overlooking the salt mines. After arriving at the salt mines, there is a small walking loop that takes about 30 minutes to complete. 📝Tips: There is a long dirt road before reaching the scenic area, which will be very muddy if it rains. The section near the salt mines is a cliff road, so drive slowly and pay attention to oncoming traffic. The altitude here is relatively high, and the walking route in the salt mines has a small slope, so walk slowly. There is poor cell phone signal here, but you can scan the code at the entrance to connect to the scenic area Wi-Fi. Tickets: PEN 20 for foreigners, PEN 15 for Peruvians. The ticket office only accepts cash.