Maras: the Salt of the Andes

Imagine that you inherited something that had been passed down in your family for well over 500 years. Now, imagine that your inheritance could provide an income for your family. Also, imagine that this inheritance was a world-famous tourist destination.

Each of the hundreds of salt ponds, called salineras, in Maras is just that. They have been passed down through the generations, create a steady income stream for the families who own them and are eye candy for tourists during the dry season May through September. It is still worth visiting in the rainy season but be aware that the rain dilutes the salty water in each salinera and generally makes the place look muddy.

There is a spring at the top of the valley which is heavily laden with salt. It’s warm enough to steam a bit when it’s really cold outside, but it’s not really a hot spring. The most popularly accepted theory about the spring is that just uphill from Maras, is a giant underground pocket of seawater that was trapped inside the Andes just when they were being pushed up by fault lines. Considering how long ago that would have started, it could be seawater from the time of Pangea.

So many kinds of salt!

You can buy Maras salt at any of a dozen stands along the path that visitors take from the parking lot down to see the salt ponds. Besides the white and pink salt, there is the dark smoked salt and dozens of mixes with different herbs and spices. My favorites are the pink salt and the mix with yellow chili pepper (not pictured). All of these are also available at every market and many shops in Cusco.

Wherever or whenever the saltwater comes from, it is diverted into each salinera until it’s full, after which it is diverted to a neighboring salinera. During the dry season, a salinera can dry out in a matter of days, leaving a layer of salt that sparkles like fresh snow. The first salt crystals that start to form on the pond’s surface are the “flor de sal” which is gathered first and often sells for higher prices than the other salts. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt. Considering how popular Himalayan Pink Salt has become in the US, I don’t understand why pink salt from Peru hasn’t caught on. Perhaps Peru needs a better marketing campaign. Doesn’t Andean Pink Salt sounds just as good? 

If you want to get to Maras on public transportation, get on a van to Urubamba near Puente Grau in Cusco. The vans are easy to find since up and down the street are people shouting for passengers, competing with the other vans and cars also trying to fill up as quickly as possible. Tell the driver that you want to get out at the Ramal de Maras. It’s a common place for people to stop, so they’ll know what you mean. You can walk from the crossroads across for about half an hour, then downhill to Maras. From Maras itself, you can walk down to the Urubamba River. There’s a bridge that takes you across to the Arkana Spiritual Center. From there, it’s an easy walk through Tarabamba to the main road that goes the length of the Sacred Valley from Ollantaytambo to Pisac. There are all kinds of vans and cars that drive up and down this road. Catch a taxi or van going right to get to Urubamba and left to get to Ollantaytambo.

Conversely, if you are starting in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo, you can get a van or taxi to Tarabamba. Follow the signs through Tarabamba towards Tunupa Lodge. From there you’ll see signs for Arkana and once you get to Arkana, the bridge across the river is easy to see. You can also ask anybody in the area where the bridge to Maras is. Scroll down to the map below the photos of the rainy season.

How to get to Maras

The Arkana Spiritual Center is an easy walk through Tarabamba from the main road that connects Ollantaytambo to Urubamba. Cross the Urubamba river, turn right and soon the road will start uphill. There’s only one road going up to the salineras, so you can’t miss it.