ActivityMaras, Cusco, Peru
Moray and Maras by Mountain Bike
Our favourite acclimatisation day in the Sacred Valley
Easy
A half-day ride across the plateau above Urubamba to the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras, finishing with a long descent to the river.
Plateau and plunge
The plateau between Chinchero and the Urubamba valley is high farmland at about 3,500 m, criss-crossed by dirt roads with the snow peaks of the Cordillera Urubamba on the horizon. It is perfect cycling country and an ideal way to test your lungs before a trek.
We start near Chinchero and ride gently rolling tracks for 12 km to Moray, where the Incas carved four great circular terraces into natural sinkholes. The temperature difference between top and bottom is up to 15 °C, and most archaeologists think the site was used to test crops in different microclimates.
From Moray it is a short ride to the village of Maras and then the highlight: a single-track descent to the salt pans, some 3,000 small pools fed by a salty spring and still worked by local families. From the salineras a final, dusty descent drops 500 m to the river at Pichingoto.
Good to know
- 32 km, mostly downhill, about 5 hours with visits
- Front-suspension bikes and helmets included
- A support van follows for anyone who wants a break
Salineras de Maras
About this story
Camila MamaniAuthor
Andes TrailsPublisher
Reviews
Write a reviewNo reviews yet
Reviews from other travellers appear here once the publisher approves them.
Comments
2 commentsSigned-in travelers can comment on this story.Sign in to comment
- Ingrid Nilsen
How much cash should we bring? Some of the smaller places only seem to take cards.
- Ahmed Hassan
Do you need to book the guided part in advance, or can you just turn up?
Keep this story
