Salineras de Maras is an ancient patchwork of approximately 4,500 salt ponds stacked on a steep hillside in Peru's Sacred Valley, where salt has been mined continuously since pre-Inca times. Visitors observe the traditional salt production process where mineral-rich stream water is channeled into small stone ponds, evaporated, and harvested as pink, white, or brown salt depending on mineral content and season. The site offers a glimpse into pre-Hispanic engineering and ongoing family-based salt production that has remained unchanged for centuries.
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