The weavers of Chinchero
Moray, rings in the earth
The salt mines of MarasChinchero, Moray and Maras · One day · English-speaking Indigenous Quechua guides
The Weavers of Chinchero,Moray and theSalt Mines of Maras.
Thread, stone and salt on the high plain above the Sacred Valley.
On the high plain above the Sacred Valley, three places the Andes have kept working for centuries. Chinchero, where the weavers still spin and dye by hand. Moray, where Inca terraces descend in rings into the earth. The Salt Mines of Maras, where a spring of salt water still feeds thousands of pools, harvested by hand by local families. A day with an English-speaking Indigenous Quechua guide, with your transport and a closing meal at a very special farm-to-table restaurant in Cusco included.
Choose your dateWhy travel with us
What makes the difference.
A guide from these mountains.
Your English-speaking Indigenous Quechua guide can greet the families who work the land and the salt, and tell you what these places mean to the people who still live beside them.
Four stops, not two.
Many days on this road visit only Moray and Maras. Ours begins with the weavers of Chinchero and closes at a farm-to-table table in Cusco, and because all three places sit on the same high plain, the day is spent standing in them, not in the car between them.
Small by design.
Your own party, from one guest to twelve. One guide walks with up to eight, and a second joins beyond that, so no one is ever left at the back.
The day
Rings of stone, rivers of salt.
Chinchero, Moray and Maras sit on the plain between Cusco and the Sacred Valley, with the snow peaks of the Urubamba range on the horizon.
Onto the high plain.
Collection from your hotel, with a snack pack for the road, and the drive out of the city onto open farmland, where the fields run toward the snow peaks.
Where the weaving is still done by hand.
A high village of Inca terraces and a church built on Inca walls. At Casa Urpi, a weaving cooperative, the women show you how wool becomes cloth: spun by hand, dyed with colours from plants, minerals and insects, and woven on the loom. There is no charge to visit. The weavers will happily show you their work and may invite you to buy, but there is no pressure: if something speaks to you, what you buy goes straight to the woman who made it.
Rings in the earth.
Inca terraces descend in great circles into a natural hollow, about thirty metres from rim to floor. The temperature changes from one ring to the next, and many believe Inca farmers used Moray to learn how crops grow in different conditions. Your guide will show you what the stones suggest.
Salt from the mountain.
A warm spring of salt water rises from the mountain and is guided, channel by channel, into thousands of shallow pools stepped down the canyon. Families from the local community have harvested this salt for generations, since before the Inca. You walk the path along the edge of the pools, and you can buy salt directly from the people who make it.
Farm to table, back in Cusco.
The road home across the plain ends at a very special farm-to-table restaurant in Cusco, cooked from what the fields of the Andes grow. Leave in the morning and the day closes with a late lunch; leave later and it closes with dinner. A place to sit together and talk through what you have seen.
Your start time sets the order of the stops and whether your closing meal is a late lunch or dinner. We confirm the shape of your day after you book.
The harvest, by hand
“A spring of salt water, guided into thousands of pools by the same families for generations.”The Salt Mines of Maras
Gerson Barrios Zea, co-founder, at Vinicunca in the high country above Cusco.
Who you go with
A guide who speaks Quechua.
The high plain is still farmed by Quechua families, and the salt pans are still worked by families from Maras. An English-speaking Indigenous Quechua guide turns a visit into a welcome.
Gerson Barrios Zea
Co-founder · Peru expert guide · Quechua liaison
Born and raised in Peru and formally trained in tourism, Gerson has guided the Inca Trail, the Sacred Valley and the country’s sacred sites for years.
His deepest gift is fluency in Quechua, the ancestral language still spoken in these mountains. It lets him speak directly with the Quechua families and communities you meet along the way.
No vague promises
Everything the day needs.
Included
- ✓ Ground transport from Cusco and back
- ✓ English-speaking Indigenous Quechua guide
- ✓ Chinchero, Moray and the Salt Mines of Maras
- ✓ Entry to Moray and the Salt Mines of Maras
- ✓ A snack pack for the road
- ✓ A closing meal at a farm-to-table restaurant in Cusco, a late lunch or dinner depending on your start time
Not included
- – Hotels
- – Breakfast
- – Weavings, salt, snacks or anything you buy along the way
- – Tips
- – Travel insurance
Request your date
Tell us your day. We’ll do the rest.
We check permits, tickets and your guide for the date you want, then write to you by email to confirm, usually within a day. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
Before you go
Good questions.
How far ahead should I book?
48 hours is enough. Nothing has to be bought far ahead, so you can decide once you are in Cusco and know how you feel at altitude. Travelling sooner? Write to us at [email protected].
Can I walk on the salt pans?
Not among the pools themselves. To protect the harvest, visitors keep to the path along the edge, which still brings you close enough to see the salt forming. Follow your guide and the signs on the day.
How much walking is there?
Gentle to moderate. At Moray there are stone paths and steps if you walk down toward the lower rings. At Maras the path along the pools is narrow and uneven in places. Everything is taken at your own pace.
How high is it?
Moray sits at about 3,500 metres, a little higher than Cusco. A day or two in Cusco first makes the day easier. Drink water, walk slowly, and speak with your doctor if you have any concerns.
Do I have to buy something at the weaving cooperative?
No. There is no charge to visit Casa Urpi, and buying is entirely your choice. The weavers are proud of their work and will happily show it to you, and like anyone with something beautiful to sell, they may invite you to buy. There is no pressure. If something speaks to you, the money goes straight to the woman who made it, so bring some cash in soles just in case.
Can I buy salt?
Yes. The families sell their salt at the site, and buying it directly is one of the simplest ways to give back to the people who make it. Bring some cash in soles.
What should I bring?
Layers, because the plain can be cool in the morning and bright at midday. Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses for the glare off the salt, comfortable shoes with good grip, water, and some cash in soles for the weavers at Casa Urpi, the salt makers and a snack in Maras.
When is the best time to go?
April to October is the dry season, with clear skies and the salt pans at their brightest, because this is when the salt is harvested. In the rainy months the plain is green and the harvest slows. Every month has its beauty.
What about meals?
Have breakfast at your hotel before you leave. A snack pack travels with you, and there are small stalls at the salt mines and in the town of Maras if you would like something more. The day closes back in Cusco at a very special farm-to-table restaurant: a late lunch if you leave in the morning, or dinner if you leave later. Tell us about any dietary needs when you book.
Can I come on my own?
Of course. Your guide is just as present for one guest as for twelve.
Can I pair this with the Sacred Valley?
Yes. Moray and Maras sit on the plain above the valley, and many guests spend one day here and another in Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Ask us and we will help you shape the days.
What if my plans change?
Tell us 48 hours or more before your pickup and you receive a full refund. Between 24 and 48 hours, half is refunded. With less than 24 hours' notice, or a missed departure, there is no refund. If we cancel, or the weather does, you choose a full refund or a new date. Write to us at [email protected].