"Pickup was confusing. Guide spoke too rapidly and was quite difficult to understand , also there was no personal contact with him. Moray was very expensive so we didn’t go in. Salt mines were excellent . So, on the whole , the total experience for the price was very very good and I would go again."
Cusco · Chinchero · Moray · Salineras de Maras
Moray and Maras Tour from Cusco
The ringed terraces of Moray and the thousands of salt pans of Maras in a half day, with a weaving workshop in Chinchero on the way. Hotel pickup in the morning, back in Cusco by mid-afternoon.
From
$15
per person
current promotion, usually $16
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 3180+ Reviews
- 6.5 - 7 hours Duration
- 3 Stops Chinchero, Moray, Maras
- Half Day Back by 3 pm
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Moray and Maras Half Day Includes
From the listing of the featured half-day tour, checked October 2026.
Highlights
- Gaze across a network of 3,000 salt pools at the remarkable Salt Mines
- Explore the ancient Inca agricultural terraces in Moray, situated at 11,318 feet
- Marvel at the breathtaking views of the mountains and the Sacred Valley
- Learn more about Inca history and culture and visit a weaving workshop
- Enjoy the comfort and convenience of a departure pickup from your hotel
What's Included
- Pickup from your hotel
- Bilingual tour guide
- Transportation
- Private tour (if option selected)
How the Half Day Works
Three stops on the high plain above the Sacred Valley.
Pickup and Chinchero
Hotel pickup in Cusco around 8:30 am and an hour's drive to Chinchero, at about 3,760 m, for a weaving workshop where natural dyes are made from plants.
Moray
Forty-five minutes on to the circular terraces of Moray, at about 3,450 m, for a guided walk around the rings.
The Maras Salt Mines
Half an hour to the Salineras, the salt pans on the hillside, for a guided visit and photos.
Back to Cusco
About an hour and twenty minutes back, ending near Plaza Regocijo at about 3:00 pm, in time for a late lunch.
Photo Gallery
Moray and the Maras Salt Mines in Pictures
The rings of Moray, the salt pans of Maras and the weavers of Chinchero.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Moray and Maras Tours Compared
A half day from Cusco, a one-way day to the train, or the whole valley. Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
| Feature | HALF DAY Moray, Maras Salt Mines and Chinchero Weavers | Chinchero, Moray, Maras, End in Ollantaytambo | Sacred Valley and Salt Mines, Full Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sites | Chinchero weaving workshop, Moray, Maras salt mines | Chinchero, Moray, salt mines, Ollantaytambo | Chinchero, Moray, salt mines, Ollantaytambo, Pisac |
| Length | 6.5 to 7 hours, about 8:30 am to 3:00 pm | 8 to 9.5 hours, one way | 12 to 12.5 hours |
| Lunch | Not included; back in Cusco for a late lunch | Buffet in Urubamba, included | Buffet in Urubamba, included |
| Entrances (cash) | Moray 70 soles (tourist ticket) + salt mines 20 | Partial tourist ticket 70 soles + salt mines 20 | Partial tourist ticket 70 soles + salt mines 20 |
| Traveller Rating | 4.8 / 5 from 3,180 reviews | 4.8 / 5 from 1,805 reviews | 4.8 / 5 from 3,987 reviews |
| Starting Price | From $15/per person in current promotion (usually $16) | From $26 / person | From $25 / person |
| Check Availability | See the One-Way Day | See the Full Day |
Longer Days That Include Moray
Moray and Maras as Part of a Full Day
Prices, ratings and dates on each listing (checked October 2026).
Before You Book
Moray and Maras: The Half Day, the Tickets and the Timing
What the two sites are, what you pay at the gates, and when a full valley day is the better buy.
Moray and Maras sit on the high plain between Cusco and the Sacred Valley, a short drive apart, and they are among the strangest sights in the region. Moray is a set of Inca terraces cut in deep, concentric rings into hollows in the hills, at about 3,450 m. The Maras salt mines, the Salineras, are thousands of small pans stepped down a hillside, filled from a salty spring and still worked for salt. Together with a stop at the weavers of Chinchero, they make an easy half day from Cusco.
The half day
The featured tour collects you from your hotel in Cusco and drives about an hour to Chinchero, at about 3,760 m the highest point of the day, where a weaving workshop shows how the colours are made from plants. Then it is 45 minutes to Moray for a guided walk around the rings, and half an hour to the salt mines for a guided visit. You are back near Plaza Regocijo at about 3:00 pm. Lunch is not included, which keeps the price low and leaves you free to eat in Cusco.
Check Moray and Maras dates and prices
The tickets you pay at the gates
| Site | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Moray | 70 soles | on Cusco’s partial tourist ticket (Circuit III), which also covers Chinchero, Pisac and Ollantaytambo for two days |
| Maras salt mines | 20 soles | paid at the gate |
Both are cash, in soles, and not included in the tour price. Tourist-ticket prices are COSITUC’s tariff, read on 27 October 2026; the salt-mine fee is the one in the October 2026 listings. The partial ticket is not sold per site, so if you are also visiting Pisac or Ollantaytambo within two days, the same ticket covers them.
Half day or full day?
- The half day if you have a spare morning, have seen the Inca towns already, or want an easy day while you acclimatise.
- The one-way day ending in Ollantaytambo if you are going on to the Machu Picchu train: Chinchero, Moray and the salt mines with lunch, then the station.
- The full Sacred Valley day if this is your one day in the valley and you want Pisac and Ollantaytambo too.
A good first day at altitude
Nothing on this tour is higher than Chinchero, there is little walking, and you are back early. That makes it a sensible day for your first or second day in Cusco, before the long climbs to Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake. Bring sun protection, a warm layer and shoes with grip for the salty paths. Ready? Compare the options or check live availability.
Guest Reviews
What Moray and Maras Travellers Say
4.8/5
from 3180 verified travelers
"John was an incredible guide and spoke exceptional English. Amazing value for money, would recommend."
"It was a good and very interesting trip. The guide was very knowledgeable. Bring snacks, it is a long day. The only complaint is we spent 1.5 hour driving around Cusco picking up everyone."
"Our guide Vincente was very friendly, helpful and funny. The information he gave us was fascinating and useful since the salt mines and Moray for example don’t have any published information boards. The views from the minibus were stunning too. The pacing was great and we were back in Cusco main square by 3pm. A really good half day tour."
"really enjoyed this tour. Everything went smoothly. The guide was great and so knowledgeable."
"I had a wonderful experience on the Moray and Maras Salt Mines tour with Ricardo! Everything was very well organized, and the guidance throughout the trip was excellent. Ricardo was knowledgeable, helpful, and made the experience even more enjoyable. The places we visited were beautiful, and the entire trip went smoothly from beginning to end. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cusco!"
Read all 3180 verified reviews
See All ReviewsSee Moray and the Salt Mines
Hotel pickup in Cusco, a bilingual guide, the Chinchero weavers, Moray and the Maras salt mines, back by about 3 pm, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from $15 per person in current promotion (usually $16).
Check Availability & BookStill Choosing Your Cusco Days?
More Day Trips from Cusco
Other Cusco tours, with dates and cancellation terms on each listing.
Moray and Maras Tour: FAQ
The terraces, the salt mines, the tickets and the half day from Cusco. Prices checked October 2026.
Moray is a set of Inca terraces laid out in deep circular rings in the hills above the Sacred Valley, at about 3,450 m. The Maras salt mines, the Salineras, are thousands of small salt pans fed by a salty spring on a hillside above the Urubamba river, still worked for salt today. They are a short drive apart, which is why tours pair them.
Moray is on Cusco's tourist ticket: the partial ticket for its circuit costs 70 soles for foreign visitors and also covers Chinchero, Pisac and Ollantaytambo for two days (COSITUC, read 27 October 2026). The salt mines charge their own 20 soles at the gate. Both are paid in cash in soles and are not included in the tour price.
The featured half day takes about 6.5 to 7 hours, from about 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, with a Chinchero weaving workshop first. The full Sacred Valley days that include both sites last 8 to 12.5 hours.
No. The half day returns to Cusco in time for a late lunch on your own. If you want lunch included, the full Sacred Valley days on this page add a buffet in Urubamba.
Yes. One of the days on this page visits Chinchero, Moray and the salt mines and then drops you at the Ollantaytambo train station instead of returning to Cusco, which suits a Machu Picchu train the same afternoon.
Less than in Cusco. Chinchero, at about 3,760 m, is the highest point of the day; Moray is at about 3,450 m and the salt mines lower still. There is little walking, so this is a good day for your first days in the region, before Rainbow Mountain.
You can walk the visitor paths along the edge of the pans and look down over them; the pans themselves are worked by local families, so stay on the marked path. Wear shoes with grip: the paths can be wet and salty.
Moray and Maras if you have half a day or have seen Pisac and Ollantaytambo already; the full Sacred Valley day if this is your one day in the valley and you want the Inca towns too.
Still have questions? Email us at info@cusco-rainbow-mountain-tour.com