Salinas

Northwest of the site of Moray and near the village of Maras is Salinas, as the name suggests it is a salt mine. The place is about 3 km from the River Vilcanota, you will most probably have to walk the distance, the roads are pretty bad in the area.

Here, the salt is being washed, extracted with the usage of terraces in the side of a mountain. Approximately 3.000 pools of the size of about 5 m² make up the terraces. White salt and brown earth dominate the view.

The image of the salt mine is almost surreal. If you like to take photographs, then you will love this place. If you can take an image of the salt terraces from above, then you'll immortalize a view that would make us rather think of another planet than ours.

Incas have been extracting salt at the same place, hundreds of years ago, using the same technique: the water brings salt into the salt pans, terraced pool-like constructions in the mountain side, then the water is evaporating and salt remains. This takes about 1 month. The locals gather the salt layer when it reaches the thickness of 10 cm.

The salt is used by humans, but also important for animals, which lick large blocks of salt.