Love culture, landscapes, and ancient history? This Maras, Moray & Chinchero Half-Day Tour takes you through the Upper Sacred Valley, where Inca engineering, salt traditions, and living Andean culture come together in one short, well-planned route.
Explore the circular terraces of Moray, stand above the white salt ponds of Maras, and visit Chinchero, a traditional weaving town with deep Inca roots. Travel in a small group with comfortable transportation, expert local guiding, entrance tickets included, and the care of TreXperience, a 100% Peruvian local tour operator.
Tour Type Small Group Tour
Duration 6 hours
Activities Historical Sites, Live Culture
Average Group Size 12 people
Tour Language English, Spanish
Destinations Chinchero - Moray - Salineras of Maras
Season All year round
Maras Moray & Chinchero Half-Day Tour - Overview
Discover the heart of the Upper Sacred Valley on a Maras, Moray & Chinchero Half-Day Tour, a short but powerful guided experience through three remarkable places near Cusco. Visit the circular terraces of Moray, the salt mines of Maras, and the traditional town of Chinchero, where Andean weaving, Inca history, and mountain views are still part of daily life.
This tour is perfect if you want a meaningful Sacred Valley experience without spending the whole day away from Cusco. In around 5 hours, you will explore landscapes, archaeology, salt traditions, and local culture with comfortable transportation, expert guiding, and a route designed to make the most of your morning or afternoon.
Tour Highlights:
- Travel on your terms: Choose a morning or afternoon departure from Cusco.
- Make the most of your stay: Enjoy an inspiring 5-hour route filled with culture, views, and history.
- Expert local guiding: Travel with professional guides who make each site clear, personal, and easy to understand.
- Three must-see stops: Visit Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, and Chinchero in one smooth half-day tour.
- Comfortable transportation: Move easily between highland landscapes, villages, and archaeological sites.
- Tickets included: Moray, Chinchero, and the Maras Salt Mines entrances are included when applicable.
Maras, Moray & Chinchero at a Glance:
- We begin with a convenient hotel pickup at your chosen start time: 8:00 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., followed by a comfortable drive into the Upper Sacred Valley.
- We take a scenic drive to Moray, our first stop. Here, your guide will explain the mystery and purpose of these impressive circular terraces.
- Then, we continue to the Maras Salt Mines, a unique mountainside landscape with thousands of salt ponds still worked by local families.
- After Maras, we head to Chinchero, where you will visit the archaeological area and enjoy a traditional weaving demonstration with local artisans.
- Finally, the tour ends with a comfortable return to Cusco and drop-off at your hotel or a central location.
Included:
- Comfortable tourist transportation.
- Pickup from your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.
- Drop-off back at your hotel or a central location in Cusco.
- Professional local tour guide.
- Moray and Chinchero entrance ticket: Partial Cusco Tourist Ticket.
- Entrance ticket to the Maras Salt Mines.
Not Included:
- Meals.
- Tips, optional.
Why Book with TreXperience?
- Local expert: Travel with TreXperience, a 100% Peruvian company based in Cusco.
- Expert tour guides: Our guides are professional, friendly, and fluent in English.
- Positive impact: By choosing this tour, you support local communities, artisans, and responsible tourism.
- Need more time in the valley? Ask us about private service or a full-day version with Ollantaytambo.
Maras Moray & Chinchero Tour - Full Itinerary
Discover Inca Ingenuity, Salt Traditions, and Andean Culture
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 a.m. or 12:30 p.m.. You can choose a morning or afternoon tour depending on your schedule. From Cusco, we drive for about 1 hour toward Moray (3,385 m / 11,110 ft), one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley highlands.
At Moray, you will explore the famous circular terraces used by the Incas for agricultural experimentation. Each level created a different microclimate, helping the Incas test crops and adapt them to different conditions. With your expert local guide, this place becomes much more than a beautiful view; it becomes a window into the intelligence and creativity of the Inca civilization.
After Moray, we continue through the highlands toward Maras (3,385 m / 11,105 ft), a small town with deep history in the Sacred Valley. Maras was once connected to Inca nobility and later became an important colonial trading center. Its adobe houses, narrow streets, and mountain views give the area a quiet and authentic Andean feel.
The main highlight here is the Maras Salt Mines (3,200 m / 10,498 ft), located about 20 minutes from Maras town. These salt ponds have been used since pre-Inca times, and local families still harvest salt through traditional methods. Thousands of white salt pools spread across the mountainside, creating one of the most unique and photogenic landscapes near Cusco.
Finally, we drive about 40 minutes to Chinchero (3,762 m / 12,343 ft), a highland town known for its weaving traditions, Inca remains, and wide mountain views. Here, you will learn how local artisans use natural fibers, dyes, and traditional techniques to create beautiful textiles with patterns that reflect Andean culture and history.
In Chinchero, you will also visit the archaeological area and enjoy views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. After the visit, we return to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel or a central location.
Note: This tour can be customized in private service. You can add Ollantaytambo, spend more time at one site, or turn it into a full-day Sacred Valley experience.
Maras Moray & Chinchero Half-Day Tour - Price
We operate this Maras, Moray & Chinchero Half-Day Tour in small groups to keep the experience personal, comfortable, and easy to enjoy. The group service starts from US$70 per person and includes expert guiding, comfortable transportation, and entrance tickets to the sites included in the route.
Prefer a more exclusive experience? Choose our private Maras, Moray & Chinchero Tour, with a dedicated guide, private transportation, and a more flexible pace. Private prices are per person and based on your group size.
Group Tour:
| Service | Price per Person |
|---|---|
| Group Tour | US$ 70 |
Private Tour:
| Number of Travelers | Price per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 | US$ 260 |
| 2 | US$ 150 |
| 3 | US$ 125 |
| 4 | US$ 110 |
| 5 | US$ 99 |
| 6 | US$ 90 |
| 7 | US$ 85 |
| 8 | US$ 79 |
| 9 or more | Contact us for a special price |
Booking and Payment
You can pay for the tour through our booking system or at our office in Cusco using a credit card, PayPal, or wire transfer. Contact us if you need to review alternative payment options.
Cancellation Policy
Maras, Moray & Chinchero Tours are fully refundable up to 72 hours prior to tour departure.
How to Book
To book this tour:
- Click on the BOOK NOW button, choose your travel date, and select the tour option you prefer: group or private service.
- Fill in all the requested details with your personal information.
- Enter your credit or debit card details and complete the payment.
- Our team will contact you to reconfirm your payment, pickup details, and final tour information.
Maras Moray & Chinchero Tour - Packing List
When you visit Chinchero, Moray, and Maras, remember that these places are located in the highlands above the Sacred Valley. Temperatures can feel cooler than in Cusco, and the weather can shift quickly from sun to wind or light rain.
You will travel in comfortable tourist transportation, but you should be ready for short walks on uneven terrain, stone paths, terraces, and viewpoints. To enjoy the tour from start to finish, bring only the essentials and keep your daypack light.
What to Bring to the Maras Moray Half-Day Tour
It is a good idea to check the weather forecast before the tour and pack for changing conditions. Bring any personal medication or supplies you may need, especially if you are still adjusting to the altitude.
Essential Information for the Maras, Moray & Chinchero Tour
The Maras, Moray & Chinchero Half-Day Tour is a short, scenic, and cultural route through the Upper Sacred Valley. It is ideal for travelers who want to see Inca agricultural engineering, traditional salt production, and living Andean weaving culture in around 5 hours, without committing to a full-day tour.
Morning and Afternoon Departures
This tour can be arranged in the morning or afternoon, depending on availability. The usual start times are 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., making it a great option if you want to use the other half of your day for Cusco, rest, shopping, or travel planning.
The full experience takes around 5 hours, depending on traffic, weather, and the pace of the group.
Private Service Recommended
This route works very well as a private tour because it gives you more freedom with timing, photography, walking pace, and time at each stop. A private service is also the best option if you want to add Ollantaytambo or extend the tour into a full-day Sacred Valley experience.
If you want a longer route with more sites included, see our Sacred Valley VIP Tour with Maras and Moray. If you prefer the traditional route with Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero, review our Classic Sacred Valley Tour.
Cusco Tourist Ticket
Moray and Chinchero are included in the Cusco Tourist Ticket. This tour includes the entrance tickets needed for the route, including the ticket for the Maras Salt Mines.
The Cusco Tourist Ticket is managed by COSITUC. You can also read our Cusco Tourist Ticket guide to understand how the ticket works and which sites it covers.
Altitude and Weather
Moray is located at about 3,385 m / 11,110 ft, Maras at about 3,385 m / 11,105 ft, and Chinchero at about 3,762 m / 12,343 ft. These places are high, so the air can feel thinner and the weather can be cooler.
Wear layers, bring sun protection, and carry a light rain jacket. If you are concerned about altitude, review the CDC’s high-altitude travel advice.
Moray, Circular Terraces
Moray is one of the most fascinating archaeological sites near Cusco. Its circular terraces form deep rings in the earth, creating different temperatures and microclimates. The Incas likely used this site as an open-air agricultural laboratory to test crops and improve production.
Maras Salt Mines
The Maras Salt Mines, also known as Salineras de Maras, are one of the most unique landscapes in the Sacred Valley. Thousands of salt ponds sit on the mountainside and are fed by a natural saline spring. Local families still harvest the salt by hand using traditional methods.
Chinchero, Land of Great Weavers
Chinchero is known as the land of great weavers. Local artisans use alpaca, llama, and sheep wool, along with natural dyes, to create textiles full of Andean symbols and meaning. The town also has Inca remains, a historic plaza, a colonial church area, and wide views of the mountains.
How This Tour Is Different from Other Sacred Valley Tours
This half-day tour focuses only on the Upper Sacred Valley: Maras, Moray, and Chinchero. It is shorter and more flexible than the full-day Sacred Valley routes, making it ideal for travelers with limited time.
It should not be confused with the Classic Sacred Valley Tour, which focuses on Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero, or the Sacred Valley VIP Tour with Maras and Moray, which is a full-day route with more stops.
Recommended Tours Before or After This Tour
This tour pairs well with the Cusco City Tour if you want a cultural day in Cusco and the Upper Sacred Valley. If you are continuing to Machu Picchu, consider the Maras, Moray and Machu Picchu 2 Days.
For more planning ideas, read our Sacred Valley guide.
Maras Moray Tour - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maras, Moray and Chinchero Tour?
The Maras, Moray and Chinchero Tour is a half-day trip from Cusco that visits the Inca agricultural terraces of Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, and the traditional weaving town of Chinchero. It is a great option for travelers who want culture, landscapes, and history in a short route.
How long does the tour take?
The tour takes around 5 hours, depending on traffic, weather, and the pace of the group. Morning and afternoon departures are usually available.
Is this tour better in the morning or afternoon?
Both options work well. The morning tour is great if you want to return to Cusco with free time in the afternoon. The afternoon tour is a good choice if you want a relaxed morning or arrive in Cusco the same day.
Is private service recommended?
Yes. Private service is highly recommended if you want a more flexible pace, extra time for photos, or the option to add Ollantaytambo and turn the route into a full-day Sacred Valley experience.
What is the best time of year to take this tour?
The best time is usually during the dry season, from April to October, when skies are clearer and walking conditions are more comfortable. However, Maras, Moray, and Chinchero can be visited year-round.
Do I need to book in advance?
This tour operates throughout the year. Advance booking is recommended, especially during the high season from June to August, but it is often possible to find availability a day or two before your preferred date.
Are entrance tickets included?
Yes. This tour includes the entrance tickets needed for Moray, Chinchero, and the Maras Salt Mines.
You can learn more about the Cusco Tourist Ticket in our Cusco Tourist Ticket guide or on the official COSITUC website.
How much should I budget for souvenirs?
Souvenir spending depends on your shopping style, but a good starting point is around US$20 to US$40 per person. Chinchero is a great place to buy handmade textiles and support local artisans.
What kind of physical preparation do I need?
No special training is needed. A basic level of fitness is helpful because you will walk on uneven ground, stone paths, and terraces. We recommend spending at least one day in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before the tour to acclimatize.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes. The tour is generally easy and suitable for children. Families often enjoy the landscapes, salt ponds, and weaving demonstration in Chinchero.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
The sites visited are not fully wheelchair accessible because of uneven terrain, stairs, and stone paths. With advance notice, TreXperience can review special arrangements and suggest the best option.
Is it safe during pregnancy or with heart/lung conditions?
These sites are located at high elevation, so altitude can be a concern. Please consult your doctor before traveling and consider a private tour at an easy pace for better comfort and flexibility.
Can I add Ollantaytambo?
Yes, Ollantaytambo can be added in private service if you want to extend the tour into a full-day Sacred Valley experience. You can also review our Sacred Valley VIP Tour with Maras and Moray.