Salinas de Maras

Salinas de Maras, also known as the Salt Mines of Maras, is a town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, 40 kilometers north of Cusco, in the Cusco Region of Peru. The town is well known for its salt evaporation ponds, which have been in use since Inca times. The salt-evaporation ponds are four kilometers north of the town, down a canyon that descends to the Rio Vilcanota and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. There are over 5,000 salt ponds, some owned by families and others unused. The salt mines have a long history dating back to the Early Horizon period, with continued use throughout pre-Hispanic times and subsequent periods, including the Inca, Colonial, Republican, and Contemporary eras. The salt production takes place once a month and is marked by the calendar of the seasons of the year