The famous Salt Mines of Maras —located in Urubamba province, Cusco region— will receive tourists in the evening, starting in September, Maras Sal —a company run by local community members— has confirmed.
The ancient salt pools —which are part of the Incas Sacred Valley attractions— will be open to visitors thanks to an innovative project set to begin on September 27, on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
Maras Sal Chairman Edwin Pizarro confirmed to Andina News Agency that the project mainly includes safety measures, both on the access roads, from a branch of the paved road and the access roads to the natural attraction.
Similarly, the lighting will provide a beautiful view with spotlights and the shimmer of the salt.
“It is very impressive to take photographs in the evening,” Pizarro said, noting that parking spaces will be expanded as well.
Currently, visitors are able to watch the salt and its production using ancestral techniques throughout the day.
According to statistics, up to 1,500 tourists can arrive at this site per day during high season, but there is still no estimate of how many might arrive in the evening hours to be set.
According to Pizarro, this project —which seeks to enhance tourist services— is also being developed in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, which protects the site.
Kachi Raymi
The Salt Mines management department recently organized the Kachi Raymi, an Inca ceremony that seeks to revalue the ancestral extraction and processing of salt, based on history and colonial era chronicles.
This cultural expression promotes the reactivation of tourism and the economy of 663 families that protect the natural attraction.