At the height of their reign, the Inca were regarded as the most successful and innovative farmers in all of the Western Hemisphere, and Moray illustrates their agricultural prowess. The Inca created a site that mimicked the varying microclimates of their empire, and shared their findings with farmers to create the best crop yields.
Travelers can explore Moray as part of half-day, full-day, group, or private tours leaving from Cusco. Multi-day tours combine visits to Lima, Machu Picchu, and various towns and archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley, such as Chincheros, Pisac, and Maras Salt Pools. Adventurers may explore the area on mountain bikes and ATVs.
Moray is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Cuzco, easily accessible by taxi if you’re not arriving as part of an organized tour. Alternatively, it’s possible to hike or mountain bike from Urubamba or Chincheros; allow for about 2 to 2.5 hours. Travelers typically combine a trip to Moray with a visit to the nearby Maras Salt Pools.
Moray is open 7am to 6pm; arrive early to avoid crowds. Dry season is from May to October; rainy season, January through April. Come to the area in June, for the Festival of the Sun (Inti Raymi) celebrated with vibrantly-costumed Inca folk dancers. Easter Week (Semana Santa) is one of the most festive times to visit. In December, Peru’s biggest crafts fair (Santuranticuy) features hundreds of artists displaying their work in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.
Combine a trip to Moray with a visit to remote Maras, where surreal salt pools are plotted in geometric shapes on terraced hills. A subterranean stream rises to the surface and drips into the pools, eventually evaporating, leaving behind a thin layer of pink-hued salt. Created by the Inca some 2,000 years ago, the mines are still actively harvested by local families in a manner similar to those of ancient times.
