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Maras Mines & Andean Secrets

Maras Mines & Andean Secrets

$190 per person
  • 📸 MARAS SALT MINES AND ANDEAN SECRETS PHOTO TOUR

    A Flexible, Authentic Photography Adventure in the Heart of the Andes

    Step off the beaten path and into a world of ancient traditions, cinematic landscapes, and local encounters. The Maras Salt Mines and Andean Secrets Photo Tour is a full-day immersive experience that blends culture, nature, and photography, designed especially for those who want to see beyond the surface of Peru.

    This isn’t just a sightseeing tour. It’s a curated journey that takes you to hidden corners of the Sacred Valley, where locals still live as they have for generations. Along the way, you’ll have the time and space to truly observe, connect, and create—with the expert guidance of a professional photographer who knows exactly how to position you for that perfect shot.

    Whether you’re chasing dramatic landscapes, candid street portraits, or abstract compositions in one of Peru’s most unique natural settings, this tour gives you the access and flexibility to build a personal, meaningful visual story.


    🌟 Highlights of the Day

    Chinchero Textile Center – Visit a traditional weaving center where Quechua women preserve centuries-old techniques. Learn, photograph, and engage in a colorful, welcoming setting.
    Secret Viewpoint of the Andes – Discover an isolated overlook with stunning views of snow-capped peaks, potato fields, and grazing sheep—perfect for documentary and landscape work.
    Huaypo Lake – When conditions align, this quiet lake provides stunning reflections and a peaceful space for long exposure photography.
    Maras Village – A traditional Andean village rarely touched by mass tourism. Capture the geometry of adobe walls, cobbled streets, and daily life in motion.
    Maras Salt Mines – A surreal scene of terraced white salt pools spilling across a mountain slope. Ideal for abstracts, textures, and aerial-style landscape shots.
    Golden Hour Landscape Workshop – End the day in a quiet location above the valley with expert coaching on light, exposure, and composition.


    🕒 Flexible Itinerary – You Set the Rhythm

    Whether you’re chasing morning mist over the salt mines or the warm glow of evening light, we adapt the day to your needs and preferences.

    Departure Options:

    📸 Early Morning (5:30–6:00 AM) – Best for soft light, quiet streets, and peaceful landscapes
    📸 Standard Full-Day (8:00 AM) – Ideal if you want a well-paced experience with sunset photography

    Tour Flow (Customizable):

    📌 Pick-up from Cusco, Sacred Valley, or Ollantaytambo
    📌 Morning visit to Chinchero Textile Center
    📌 Scenic stops at secret Andean viewpoints
    📌 Explore and photograph Huaypo Lake
    📌 Stroll and shoot through Maras Village
    📌 Photograph the Maras Salt Mines freely
    📌 Enjoy a delicious lakeside lunch (included)
    📌 End with a golden hour landscape session
    📌 Drop-off at your starting point or next destination (Cusco, Sacred Valley, or train station)


    🌈 Sunday Bonus – Traditional Market Visit (Sundays Only)

    Start your day at a vibrant local market, open only on Sundays. Filled with Quechua families in traditional clothing, this is a rare opportunity for portraiture, candid moments, and authentic storytelling through photography.


    ➕ Optional Add-On

    Moray Ruins – Add a visit to the ancient Inca agricultural terraces for $50 USD per person. A stunning site for wide-angle shots and geometric compositions.


    🎒 What’s Included

    ✅ Entrance fee to Maras Salt Mines
    Professional photographer guide all day
    ✅ Private transportation from Cusco, Sacred Valley, or Ollantaytambo
    Hotel pick-up and drop-off
    Lunch included at a peaceful outdoor location
    ✅ Full-day photography support and mentoring


    ❌ Not Included

    ❌ Drinks or extra snacks
    ❌ Moray add-on entrance (optional)
    ❌ Personal insurance


    📷 Recommended Gear

    📸 Mid-range zoom (24–70mm or similar)
    📸 Prime lens (50mm, 85mm) for portraits
    📸 Telephoto lens for salt mines & compressing backgrounds
    📸 Tripod & ND filters for long exposures at Huaypo Lake


    💰 Tour Pricing (All Ages)

    💲 Private Tour for 1 person$410 USD
    💲 Private Tour for 2 people$220 USD per person
    💲 Private Tour for 3 people$190 USD per person
    📩 Big Group Pricing Available on Request


    📅 Ready for the Real Sacred Valley? Let’s Make It Happen.

    📧 Email: [email protected]
    🌐 Website: www.andeanphotoexpeditions.com

    9 Reviews
    • Departure/Return Location
      From your hotel or hostel in Cusco
    • Departure Time
      Please be ready for a departure at 9h30
    • Return Time
      Approximately 17h00
    • What to wear
      Comfortable walking shoes and seasonal clothing
    • Included
      Entrance Fees
      Guide
      Photo Assistance
      Transport
    • Not Included
      Accommodation
      Extras
      Insurance
      Local Flights
      Lunch
      Meals

    Tour Plan

    1
    9h30
    We begin our tour by picking you up from your hotel or hostel with our private car to begin our drive into the Andes.
    2
    10h15
    Our first stop is at a lesser known viewpoint that gives you a spectacular mountain view. There's a pretty neat spot here that allows for a unique picture in which you can place your subject directly in front of the mountain range in the background (break out the telephoto lens for compression of scale!) We can take this shot for you with you as the subject if you so wish. We explore this location for around 30 minutes before jumping back in the car and moving on.
    3
    10h45
    We make a quick stop in Chinchero to pick up some local empanadas to eat for lunch a little later in the day.
    4
    11h00
    We stop by a local artesenal textile market in Chinchero to learn a little of the textile making process that Chinchero is famous for, after the demonstration we will have the opportunity for a great portrait session with the ladies there, they are always wearing full traditional outfits and are happy to have some photos taken of them.
    5
    12h00
    We arrive at Maras salt mines. This is a known location so expect tourists, these go in big groups and so are rushed in and out. Our private visit to the salt mines allows more time to explore and seek out better compositions for your images. We know some great spots in this photographically rich location. We explore here for around 1h.
    6
    13h30
    We move to a lake deep in the Andes. This lake is surrounded by colourful fields of agriculture and the Andes mountains as it's backdrop! At this lake we will take some time to relax and eat our empanadas before shooting in the area. The area is full of llamas, alpacas and other animals, here we can get close and take plenty of photos of them.
    7
    15h00
    We reach our next location that is around 4000m ASL where we find a full panoramic view of the area with wonderful scope for landscape photography. This location is a private field belonging to a family of potato farmers that give us access to this unique location! If we are lucky on this field we can find friends and family of the owners farming the lands and herding their sheep, this makes for amazing on-location portrait documentary work. The light and direction of the sun at this hour allow for very complete landscape shots with highlights, shadows and different tonalities.
    8
    16h00
    Begin the drive back to Cusco.
    9
    17:00
    Arrival in Cusco, drop-off at your hotel.

    Tour Location

    Tour Reviews

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    Comments

    • Pedro P. (Portugal)
      15/03/2018

      Stunning locations and beautiful Peruvian people – that’s what you can expect of this tour.
      Highlight of my trip.
      Great care and attention from my photographer guide with tips along the way.

      Overall the tour provided great images which is exactly what I wanted from this trip.

      Awesome experience. Wish I had see guys sooner so I could book more tours.

      Overall Tour organization Destination Value for Money
    • oughnic
      05/01/2023

      A highlight of our time in Peru and Chile
      Jan 2020
      This was a highlight of our visit to Peru and Chile. The Sunday market in Chinchero was vibrant and the stall holders were very welcoming of us and our cameras. Moving high into the hills we had a great chance to take pictures of the glacier, valleys and farmers looking after their animals. We finally went to the Maras salt mines – a landscape out of this world.
      Our guide Pedro had a very relaxed style, gently providing tips and encouraging us to be a little more adventurous.
      All in all, a great day out.

      Overall Tour organization Destination Value for Money
    • DLC
      05/01/2023

      5 Days with this Company Wasn’t Enough
      Nov 2019
      If you’re not traveling with these guys, you’re doing Peru wrong. Not only are they incredible photographers, and not only do they know Peru inside and out, but they are genuinely a joy to be around. Informed, educational, helpful, and gracious. I can’t say enough good things about this company, and I certainly wouldn’t go back to Peru without their help.

      Overall Tour organization Destination Value for Money
    • Renate
      05/01/2023

      Fabulous photo tour!!
      We absolutely enjoyed the photo tour we did with Alex!! Not only was he knowledgeable about Peruvian history and culture, but he provided many tips on how to improve my photography. The colourful market provided a wealth of photo opportunities (and great empanadas). The portraiture of the Andean ladies was wonderful. We enjoyed the lake, the mountains and everything in between. My photographs are superb!! Some of the best I took during my entire trip. Thank you Alex for a wonderful day!!

      Overall Tour organization Destination Value for Money
    • Jose
      05/01/2023

      Amazing expediton.
      Jun 2019
      This is an amazing experience, from the beginning up to the end you will have opportunities to practice portraits and landscape photography. The landscape is amazing, the salt mines , the community working . Alex is very patient and competent, he gives several ideas of compositions and light. I strongly recommend this tour, I also did 4 additional tours with Andean Photo Expedition.

      Overall Tour organization Destination Value for Money

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