Back

Explore Chinchero, Maras and Moray

PER_Moray_Sacred_Valley_TJS_Free

See three highlights of the Incas' fertile heartlands: the traditional village of Chinchero, the glittering Maras salt pans and the distinctive terraces of Moray.

While Cusco was the Inca capital, the Sacred Valley below was the agricultural and commercial engine driving the ancient empire. Whether on a walking, horseriding or cycling tour or exploring by road, you’ll see the culture left behind by the Incas as well as the continuing use of ancient methods of farming and extracting salt.

Visit Chinchero, a colourful indigenous village which hosts a lively Sunday market. Not far away is the colonial village Maras, where a cascade of salt pans covers the hillside, spectacularly reflecting the strong Andean sun in a multitude of watery mirrors. A short walk, bike or drive away is the fascinating Inca site of Moray, where the ancients experimented with farming techniques that still seem innovative to this day. The site resembles an amphitheatre of terraced levels of farmland, each providing its own microclimate and soil system to suit different crops.

Holidays Explore Chinchero, Maras and Moray

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Uyuni Salt Flats

Group - Discovery

Argentina / Chile / Bolivia / Lake Titicaca / Peru

Pato Andino: Panorama of the Andes

20 days from £5,222pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Sun over Machu Picchu in Peru

Group - Discovery

Peru / Lake Titicaca / Bolivia

Condor: Peru in depth

20 days from £3,851pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Sun over Machu Picchu in Peru

Private Journeys

Peru

Luxury Peru: Andes to Amazon

13 days from £9,420pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Sun over Machu Picchu in Peru

Private Journeys

Peru / Brazil

Signature Peru and Brazil: Machu Picchu and Rio de Janeiro

12 days from £3,910pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Alex
    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

0 1 2 3 4 5