Peru - Day 3: Moray and Maras, Chinchero, and Urubamba

On Saturday, June 15, 2024, my friends and I visited Moray and Maras, two well-known historical sites in Peru’s Sacred Valley, Chinchero, and Urubamba.

Moray

We arranged for a driver to pick us up from Apu Lodge around 8:00am. Instead of taking the most direct route, he drove us along a more off-the-beaten-path road toward Moray, which gave us a chance to see a quieter side of the countryside along the way.

Moray is an ancient Inca archaeological site made up of enormous concentric terraces carved into the earth, almost like giant green amphitheaters. The site consists of three groups of circular terraces, known as muyus in Quechua, that descend roughly 490 feet from the highest point to the lowest. Each muyu contains multiple terrace levels, with the largest depression measuring about 600 feet across.

Chinchero

After spending about an hour exploring Moray, we continued toward the Maras Salt Mines, making a couple of cultural stops along the way.

One of those stops was Chichería Yola, a traditional chichería and cultural center dedicated to preserving the history of chicha de jora, a fermented corn drink that has been made in the Andes for centuries. We learned a little about how chicha is traditionally made and also saw some of the products made with salt from the nearby Maras Salt Mines.

We also stopped at Munaypata Intiqhawarina in Chinchero, a traditional textile and artisan center. Chinchero is especially known for its long history of Andean weaving, and at the center we were able to learn more about the traditional process of preparing, dyeing, spinning, and weaving alpaca and sheep wool using techniques that have been passed down through generations.

While we were there, we also saw a bunch of alpacas, so many guinea pigs, and some adorable dogs! I especially loved seeing all of the animals.

We spent about an hour between the two stops before continuing on to the Maras Salt Mines. It was such a lovely addition to the day and a nice break between our visits to Moray and Maras.

Maras Salt Mines

The Maras Salt Mines, or Salineras de Maras, are one of the most distinctive sights in the Sacred Valley. Located on the slopes of Qori Pujio Mountain at an elevation of more than 3,200 meters, the site is made up of thousands of terraced salt evaporation ponds carved into the mountainside. Salt has been harvested here for centuries, and many of the ponds are still operated by local families using traditional methods that have been passed down through generations.

We arrived at the Maras Salt Mines around 11:20am and spent about an hour exploring the site.

Urubamba

From there, we began making our way back toward Ollantaytambo, stopping at the Centro Arqueológico de Chinchero and in Urubamba along the way.

Urubamba is one of the larger towns in the Sacred Valley and sits along the Urubamba River between Cusco and Ollantaytambo.

While in Urubamba, we stopped at a local jewelry store, where one of my friends had the opportunity to make her own ring. I picked up a pair of coca leaf earrings, which made for a unique souvenir from the trip.

After spending some time at the shop, we continued on toward Ollantaytambo.

Ollantaytambo

Our driver eventually dropped us off at the Plaza de Armas in Ollantaytambo, where we stopped for a late lunch at La Esquina. After lunch, we walked back to Apu Lodge and took a break at the hotel after spending most of the day out exploring.

Later that evening, we headed back out for dinner at Chuncho, a restaurant and bar located directly on the Plaza de Armas. The restaurant focuses on traditional and ancestral Peruvian cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients and produce from the Sacred Valley, while giving many of the dishes a more modern presentation.

It was a really nice place to end the day before walking back to the hotel for the night.