Salineras of Maras

Salt has been collected in this area since before the Incas (although it is said that they are the ones that turned it into a more enterprising venture). We’ve seen salt pans before, carved along rocky sea shores, sea water evaporating into white crystals. However, we're in the middle of the Andes mountains, nowhere near an ocean. Where does the salt come from?

Can you guess how many salt pools there are?

Currently, there are approximately 4,500 salt pools, but there are plans to carve more. A family in the nearby town of Maras can own 40 - 50 pools which they maintain and harvest.

The oldest pools are at the top and the newer ones are further down the mountain.

One tiny underground stream collects the salt from the remainders of prehistoric salt lakes and burbles to the surface.

The water is warm to the touch from volcanic activity and has a salinity several times greater than the ocean.

Channels are carved between the shallow pools to let the water flow down.

There is a method to the madness. The brown pools are the first evaporation and the salt that comes from there is only for the animals. The yellow pools indicate the next stage of evaporation.

The most refined salt comes from the white pools where the salt is then piled up…

…and put in bags to be taken to the onsite refinery.

And voila! Salt of the Incas!