Salineras de Maras

Salinas de Maras is a salt extraction site dating back to pre-Incan times. The site includes some three thousand terraced salt pans where mineral-rich spring water flows and evaporates, leaving behind salt crystals. These salt ponds have been exploited for centuries and continue to be harvested by local communities.

I did not expect such an impressive spectacle. The site is embedded in a narrow valley at the foot of the Andes Mountains, and the mosaic of blindingly white pools is extraordinary. One cannot walk through the pools, but several points of view offer a breathtaking display.

The locals still operate this site and it is possible to buy salt produced on site. This salt has a pinkish colour and is very rich in important minerals.

General view of the Salinas de Maras.

The source of all this salt is only a small stream of water a few centimetres wide.