The Salt Pools of Maras

Maras sits in the hills leading into the Sacred Valley in Peru. On the outskirts of the village a natural spring trickles out of the mountain, but for some unknown reason the water is laden with salt. Directed through a network of intricate channels, the water feeds in to hundreds of pre-Incan pools where it is left to evaporate in the sun before the salt is gathered.

We couldn’t resist stopping off en route to Ollantaytambo and spending a couple of hours wandering around this rather surreal place. Tasting the water is a must, and I assure you it is indeed laden with salt.

I love the almost abstract pattern of pools and the contrasting colours as the pools change from rusty brown to snow white over a few days.