Maras Mines & Andean Secrets
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📸 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 photographyTour 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
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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 FeesGuidePhoto AssistanceTransport -
Not Included
AccommodationExtrasInsuranceLocal FlightsLunchMeals
Tour Plan
9h30
10h15
10h45
11h00
12h00
13h30
15h00
16h00
17:00
Tour Location
Tour Reviews
We will be grateful for your honest and objective feedback.
Superb
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Pedro P. (Portugal)
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.
Jade
Highly recommended!
My best friend and I did a half day Salt Mines, Mountains and Farmers tour with Alex. It was an awesome day and we highly recommend this experience to anyone who has a spare day or two in Cusco or surrounds. Alex picked us up from the hotel and took us to some beautiful sights and locations we wouldn’t have thought to visit on our own. He’s got plenty of insider tips (including the location of the most delicious empanadas!). Alex took some incredible photos of us along the way, and also gave us advice on how to take our own photos using our smart phones. I love that Alex and Andean Photo Expenditions are passionate about responsible travel and believe in creating relationships with the local community. It was really beautiful to see his friendships with everyone we met along the way. Thank you Alex – you’re a gem! We had such a wonderful time!
Tommy D.
We went out for the day with Alex (leaving from Urubamba, which was very convenient). It was a great way to tour the Sacred Valley without having to do any of the planning, and the spots were also more unique than the typical tour that everyone else was offering. Alex was awesome – super cool, easy to chat with- he gave me a crash course on how to improve my shots (I am at the super amateur photography level) but even better, he graciously worked in a lifestyle photo shoot of my husband and I throughout the day. I got the images 24 hours later and couldn’t be happier with them- what an amazing souvenir from our trip! We’re looking into an Argentina/Chile trip next year and I’ve got my fingers crossed that Andean Photo Expeditions expands into that area by then! Highly highly recommend this experience, whether you are into photography or just using a cell phone camera.
Caroline D
The team respond quickly, answering queries you may have, such as do you need to tip (everyone is paid well, so no, unless you really appreciate the tour) or do you need an SLR camera (no, whatever goes – except drones, there are several no fly zones). Our private driver was excellent, safe and fun. Service is door to door. The tour provides more than ample time to take photos at each spot and if you want Alex will take photos of you too. Doesn’t matter if you are a professional photographer, keen amateur, point and shoot merchant, or just doing it for the ‘gram on a smartphone, Alex was keen to help us get the photos we wanted, sharing his enthusiasm for photography and Peru. Can’t recommend this company enough, wish we had more time in Cusco to take another of their tours. Thank you Alex and Ronal (almost certainly spelt the last wrong) for a fabulous day.
oughnic
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.
DLC
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.
Renate
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!!
Gill R.
Great day trip outside of Cusco
Oct 2019
This was my second tour with Andean Photo Expeditions and Pedro, and it was another great itinerary. The driver was a great driver and we felt very safe. Pedro was kind to accommodate my gluten allergy. I am a photographer, but my friend who isn’t very interested in photography also joined the tour and had a great time just as a spectator of beautiful places, and learning from Pedro and other locals we met. Don’t miss the chance to get out of Cusco and see some let visited places in the region. Highly recommend!
Jose
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.