2 Best Sights in Moray and Salineras, Cusco and the Sacred Valley

The famed terraced Inca salt pans of Salineras, which take advantage of a natural phenomenon, are still in use: the Inca dug shallow pools into a sloped hillside. The pools filled with water, and upon evaporation, salt crystallized and could be harvested. On-site shops offer many varieties of the salt mixed with different herbs for use at home—some for culinary seasoning, others for therapeutic soaks. This stunning site is a popular day trip from Cusco; it's often paired with visits to nearby Moray and Ollantaytambo.

Scientists still marvel at the agricultural technology the Inca used at Moray. Taking advantage of four natural depressions in the ground and angles of sunlight, Indigenous engineers fashioned concentric circular irrigation terraces, 150 meters (492 feet) from top to bottom. This design resulted in a temperature difference of 15°C (60°F) from top to bottom, creating a series of engineered microclimates perfect for adapting, experimenting, mixing, matching, and cultivating foods, especially varieties of maize, the staple of the Inca Empire and normally impossible to grow at this altitude. Though the technology is attributed to the Inca, the lower portions of the complex are thought to date from the pre-Inca Wari culture. Entrance to Moray is included in the Boleto Turístico.