Salt Mine of Maras

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"From the train I glimpsed the salt terraces of Maras tucked into the hillsides above the Sacred Valley, a striking patchwork of shallow ponds that punctuate the landscape and hint at longstanding, specialized local production. Their presence added a textured, human-made pattern to the valley’s natural beauty." - Monisha Rajesh Monisha Rajesh Monisha Rajesh is a London-based travel journalist and author whose work has appeared in publications like Time and Vanity Fair. She’s written three books, "Around India in 80 Trains," "Around the World in 80 Trains," and "Epic Train Journeys." Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

"Maras Salt Flats The stunning landscape of Salineras de Maras features salt pans that are still used exactly as they were at the time of the Incas. As you make your way through the region, you’ll see people doing the backbreaking work of harvesting salt on small family plots. The reward? The salt gathered here is some of the best in the world. Water, naturally salt-infused,flows down fromthe mountains and settles in the pans. As the water evaporates, salt remains, to be extracted with simple tools. Stop at a store orone of the many small-scale vendors selling the “fruit” of this labor in its pure form or mixed with herbs for use in cooking, bathing, or chocolate bars."

"Maras Salt Flats The stunning landscape of Salineras de Maras features salt pans that are still used exactly as they were at the time of the Incas. As you make your way through the region, you’ll see people doing the backbreaking work of harvesting salt on small family plots. The reward? The salt gathered here is some of the best in the world. Water, naturally salt-infused,flows down fromthe mountains and settles in the pans. As the water evaporates, salt remains, to be extracted with simple tools. Stop at a store orone of the many small-scale vendors selling the “fruit” of this labor in its pure form or mixed with herbs for use in cooking, bathing, or chocolate bars."

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"While traversing the Maras salt mines, we listened to the World Cup Final on a handheld radio and cheered with no one else around; it was quite exciting to celebrate in the middle of nowhere." - Elise Taylor