Chinchero, Moray, and Salt Mines Half-Day Tour

Chinchero, Moray, Maras, Salt Mines

Physical Level

Easy

Trip Style

Max Altitude

Group Size

INQUIRY ABOUT THIS TREK

Chinchero, Moray, Maras & Salt Mines Tour

Embark on a half-day journey with INCA EXPEDITIONS to explore the ancient village of Chinchero. Here, you’ll encounter the colonial church, local market with traditional weavers, and Inca ruins. Next, visit the Inca’s Green House at Moray to admire its unique circular terraces, followed by the impressive Salt Mines of Maras. All these sites are nestled within the stunning Andean mountains, a short drive from Cusco city. Note: This tour is exclusively available to clients participating in our 2, 3, 4, or more day tours or treks to Machu Picchu.

Tour Overview:

Pick-up from your hotel at 8:00 AM or 1:00 PM (your preference)
Private transport to Chinchero, Moray, and Maras (Salt Mines)
Visit the “Green Houses” of Moray
Enjoy breathtaking views of the Andes and Sacred Valley
Return to your hotel

Itinerary

DAY 1:

Chinchero, Moray, Maras & Salt Mines Tour

We will collect you from your hotel at 8:00 AM or 1:00 PM in a private van. Our journey starts with a visit to Chinchero, where you’ll find an adobe colonial church in the plaza, built on the foundations of an Inca temple or palace from the early 17th century. The church features exquisite floral and religious designs on its ceiling and walls. Explore the surrounding Inca archaeological ruins and agricultural terraces, which are believed to have been created by Inca Tupac Yupanqui, possibly as a countryside retreat.

Next, we head to the Salineras, or salt mines, which consist of approximately 3,000 small pools each about 5 square meters (53.8 ft²). Every three days during the dry season, the pools are filled with saltwater from a natural hot spring at the top of the Maras complex. As the water evaporates, the salt is collected after a month when the pools reach a height of about 10 centimeters (4 inches). The salt is then ground, iodized, packaged, and distributed to local markets.

Our final destination is Moray, located at 3,450 meters (11,318 feet). Here, you’ll discover the impressive agricultural terraces with a sophisticated irrigation system. These terraces, carved into a vast basin, have varying microclimates based on their depth within the bowl. They were likely used by the Incas to determine the best growing conditions for different crops. The terraces also might have had cosmological significance, reflecting the Incas’ advanced understanding of creating specific sub-climates. We then return to your hotel in Cusco.

Inclusions

What’s Included:

Private group
Professional and knowledgeable English-speaking guide
Private, comfortable transportation
Taxes

Not Included:

Entrance tickets to archaeological sites: 70 soles (1-day ticket) or approximately $22 USD per person, purchasable only in soles at the first site. (See Important Info for more details)
Meals
Maras Salineras/Salt Mine entrance: 10 soles
Tips

What to Bring

Packing List:

Warm jacket and rain jacket
Hat
Water
Sun protection
Some money for souvenirs
Cash in soles for Boleto Turístico and Salt Mine entrance
Original passport
Student ID card (if applicable, for 10-day Boleto Turístico)

Why to Choose

Why choose “INCA´S EXPEDITIONS”?

“INCAS EXPEDITIONS” is a 100% Peruvian local company and tour operator in Cusco, with many years of experience in hikes, adventure tours, and travel packages. We are a 100% local company.

Our dream as a local company is to offer personalized travel and hiking experiences, operated solely by local professional staff, focusing on a PERSONALIZED and HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE.

We are proud of our reputation as a travel operating agency, in addition to practicing RESPONSIBLE and SUSTAINABLE actions with the environment and local people.

We consider our staff as family and guarantee them a fair salary. We are very proud of our team! Without their support, we could not offer the quality of service that hundreds of our travelers have enjoyed.

At “INCAS EXPEDITIONS,” we are aware that our reputation and what our passengers say are crucial for our travelers to trust their next vacations; you can check the reviews our travelers leave on TripAdvisor, Facebook, and Google; in an honest and reliable operator to create your adventure in Peru.

We offer small groups of travelers.

To offer a more personalized service at “INCAS EXPEDITIONS,” we maintain a limit of 8 people for each of our groups. This distinguishes us from other companies that operate with larger groups.

About our tour guides

We are very proud of our guides. They are experts and professionals, fluent in English. They are experts and knowledgeable about the routes, and they are passionate about Inca heritage and history. Our guides are dedicated to their continuous personal and professional development, researching to offer you accurate and recognized theories about Inca and Andean culture. They are friendly, athletic, and well-educated, with degrees in Archaeology, Tourism, Botany, History, or Anthropology.

About our treatment of Inca Trail porters

Hiking with “INCAS EXPEDITIONS” is an uplifting experience, we prioritize your comfort and enjoyment throughout the hike, and you will have the assistance of our porters. You will interact with local people, explore incredible sites, and rediscover ancient Inca ancestral towns. Our porters carry your gear, prepare your meals, set up our camp tents, and take care of you while you relax.

We provide our porters for free with: jackets, sun hats, warm hats, shirts, pants, hiking boots, comfortable travel bags, canteens, back support belts, sleeping bags, mattresses, and travel insurance. All are hired from isolated communities, improving their economic circumstances and supporting the education of their children. We treat all our porters like family!

Our team

Our team (guides, cooks, porters, muleteers) and our equipment make “INCAS EXPEDITIONS” stand out among our competitors. On our adventure hikes, we include:

Our tents: Enjoy a good rest in our 4-season EUREKA Timberline tents. Our tents are for 4 people, but only 2 sleep in each, providing space for greater comfort and storage. They have a small vestibule for boots and poles.
Our foam mats: Separate and insulate from the ground.
Air mattresses: Available for rent for $20 USD.
Kitchen and dining tents: Used as a meeting room during meals, ideal for relaxing and chatting.
Tables and chairs: In the dining area, adapted to the day’s weather.
Travel bags: Provided the night before the trek.
Others: Pillows, rain covers for backpacks, survival shirts, and chemical toilets are provided during the trek.

Our commitment to social projection

At “INCAS EXPEDITIONS,” we have always believed in giving back to isolated local communities. As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we carry out various social projects and always hire local people.

We are very proud to support our local people. We not only employ them but also support their families, contributing to a holistic approach with our employees from the Peruvian Andes and their loved ones.

Pricing

Prices:

GROUP of 1 to 6 persons: $175 USD for the entire group (not per person)
GROUP of 7 to 12 persons: $195 USD for the entire group (not per person)

Aditional information

How to Book the Tour:

To book your tour, please fill out our booking form by clicking on “BOOK NOW” on our homepage or by using the link provided.

Prepare the following details for each participant:

Full name (as per passport)
Gender
Passport number
Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy)
Nationality

A deposit of $53.00 USD per person is required to secure your entrance to Machu Picchu and train ticket. Make your deposit by clicking the VISA or PAYPAL icons on our homepage or booking page.

Balance Payment: To avoid high credit card fees in Peru, you may pay in cash (US dollars or Peruvian soles) at our office in Cusco. ATMs are available within the historical center. Alternatively, pay online via VISA or PAYPAL, noting a 5.5% service fee. For PAYPAL, log in and use our email address: incasexpeditions@gmail.com.

Boleto Turístico (Tourist Ticket): You can purchase either a 1-Day or a 10-Day Boleto Turístico. The 1-Day ticket costs 70 soles ($20 USD) and allows access to multiple sites in one day. The 10-Day ticket costs 130 soles (about $40 USD) and grants access to 16 sites in Cusco, the South Valley, and the Sacred Valley over 10 days. Discounted rates are available for students under 25 (with a valid university ID) and teenagers under 18 (with an identity card). Children under 11 enter for free.

Sites Covered by the Boleto Turístico:

Sacsayhuaman
Qenqo
Pucapucara
Tambomachay
Pisaq
Ollantaytambo
Chinchero
Moray
Tipon
Piquillaqta

Note: Main archaeological sites like Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Tipón, and Moray are not sold individually and require the Boleto Turístico for access. Purchase it in Avenida el Sol or at the first site you visit. Payment is accepted only in soles.

Important: The following entrances are not included in the Boleto Turístico:

Qoricancha or Santo Domingo Convent (10 soles)
The Cathedral (25 soles)

Briefing: A briefing will be held the evening before the trek at 6:00 PM at our office located at Calle Garcilaso 210, Office 213 (second floor) in the La CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.

Tipping: While tipping is not mandatory, it is greatly appreciated if you are satisfied with the services provided. It encourages excellent service and is a common practice in the tourism industry across many INCA EXPEDITIONS destinations. Feel free to tip based on your perception of service quality and trip duration.

Sustainability: Yes, we are a locally sustainable and responsible tourism operator. We follow universal tourism principles to protect the environment, benefit local communities, and respect their culture and religion. Our local staff are trained to understand and respect the places and people involved.