ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines (Half Day)

ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines (Half Day)
ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines (Half Day) 2
ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines (Half Day) 3
ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines (Half Day) 4
ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines (Half Day) 5
DURATION 6 Hours
DEPARTURE Hotel in Cusco – 2 Blocks from the Main Square
GROUP SIZE 1 - 12 people
MAX. ALTITUDE 3507 m.a.s.l.
DIFFICULTY Easy

The beginning of the journey

Tour Highlights

  • Enjoy an adrenaline-filled ATV ride to Huaypo Lagoon and back. We will then take tourist transportation to visit the Maras Salt Mines. The total ATV riding time is approximately 2 hours.
  • Along the route, admire mountains, nature, and stunning Andean landscapes, with plenty of opportunities to take memorable photographs.
  • Discover the fascinating importance of salt in Maras, used not only in cooking but also in traditional medicine and as an exquisite pink salt. Learn about the ancestral salt-harvesting process while admiring the impressive salt terraces.
  • Throughout the journey, you may spot llamas and alpacas, iconic animals of the region, while connecting with the rich Inca history and learning about their culture, agricultural practices, and social organization.
  • Visit local shops where you can sample unique products, such as chocolates made with Maras salt, a delicious combination of local tradition and flavor.

Itinerary

DEPARTURES:

  • Morning: 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Afternoon: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

We begin the ATV Tour: Huaypo Lagoon + Maras Salt Mines with a 15-minute practice session until all passengers are ready. The guide will ask each passenger if they feel comfortable and ready to ride the ATVs before starting the tour. Once everyone gives their approval, we will begin the ATV ride toward Huaypo Lagoon. This option is available for passengers who do not wish to purchase the entrance ticket to Moray.

The ATV ride takes approximately 2 hours, after which we will return to our base. We will then continue to the Maras Salt Mines by tourist transportation as a safety measure, helping to prevent accidents on the salt mine trail, where the descent includes a steep drop-off.

Along the route, we will enjoy views of Mount Veronica and Mount Chicon, surrounded by magical natural landscapes and local communities. At the end of the tour, we will return to the city of Cusco.

What's included

Included

  • Hotel pick-up
  • Professional bilingual guide (Spanish and English)
  • Transportation. Tourist transportation to and from the attractions.
  • ATVs (Honda TRX 250)
  • Fuel
  • Safety equipment. Includes helmet and gloves.
  • First-aid kit and oxygen tank
  • First-aid equipment (oxygen tank)
  • 1 assistant guide for groups of more than 6 passengers.

Not Included

  • Entrance fee to Huaypo Lagoon
    • S/. 10.00 soles – Foreign visitors and Peruvians
  • Entrance fee to the Maras Salt Mines
    • (S/ 20 for foreigners and S/ 15 for Peruvians, paid on site)
  • Meals

Recommended to bring

What to Bring

  • Camera
  • Sunscreen
  • Water bottle
  • Peruvian soles in cash for entrance fees or personal expenses
  • 1 personal backpack
  • 1 windbreaker jacket
  • Appropriate clothing
  • Good trekking shoes
  • Sunglasses
  • Rain poncho (from November to March)

Frequently asked questions

Huaypo Lagoon

Huaypo Lagoon is home to a wide variety of fish and birds. It is approximately 1.5 km long and 800 meters wide and is an ideal destination for water sports.

According to one local legend, the Sun God asked Manco Cápac to have his twin children accompany him at sunset. When people went in search of them, they discovered that the son who had traveled farther had transformed into Huaypo Lagoon, while the daughter had become Piuray Lagoon. The two lagoons are located at an altitude of approximately 3,345 m (10,974 ft) above sea level.

Maras Salt Mines

The Maras Salt Mines have been exploited since ancient times, dating back to the Tahuantinsuyo period. Local residents channel salty water that emerges from an underground spring known as Qoripujio into a series of salt ponds.

Through the natural process of evaporation caused by the sun, the water gradually disappears, leaving salt crystals on the surface. The salt is then collected, processed, and sold in local markets, preserving an ancestral tradition that continues to this day.