MARAS AND MORAY TOUR w/ ANDEAN EXPERIENCE
MORNING
This tour will take you to two incredible sites along with an Andean village! You will have the opportunity to learn how the Incas thrived in the high Andes by using the natural resources found in the Sacred Valley.
Our private van will pick you up directly from your hotel in Cusco around 8AM. You will have a beautiful 1.5 hour drive from Cusco to reach the terraces of Moray. This site is home to one of the largest and best preserved examples of the famous Inca terracing farm technique, which allowed the Incas to grow a variety of different plants all year long.
After enjoying a tour of Moray, you will drive a few miles down the road to Maras, which is a collection over 3,000 salt pools that are over 1,000 years old! It is a visual marvel and one of the most stunning sites in the Sacred Valley.
After the tour of Maras, you will travel to the Andean town of Chinchero. Your visit to Chinchero will consist of 3 parts: (1) Tour of the Rainbow Temple, (2) Visit to a Catholic cathedral and (3) demonstration of local weavers and lunch during a visit with a local family.
The first stop is the Rainbow Temple, which is one of the biggest Inca temples. You will enjoy a professionally guided tour and learn why the Incas worshiped the rainbow.
You will then visit a church with beautiful murals depicting the Cusqueñan style of painting. This style of art combines traditional Inca imagery with Christian motifs. After visiting the cathedral, you will walk through a beautiful village in Chinchero, ending in the Women’s Weaving Cooperative where you will enjoy a demonstration of local weavers who still use traditional Inca patterns and techniques for dyeing fabric.
Following the demonstration, you will have time to browse their shop which sells Inca style purses, tablecloths, wall hangings, and many other colorful and exquisitely patterned artisan goods.
AFTERNOON
In the afternoon, you will enjoy a cooking lesson, where a local family will teach you how to make quinoa soup, a staple of their diet. After sharing lunch with them, you can dress up in the traditional clothing and hats of Chinchero and take photos with the locals!
You will have a private van ride back to your hotel in Cusco, arrival to Cusco is between 3-4pm.