Three sets of concentric terraces at 3,500 m, read by most researchers as an Inca laboratory for testing crops at different depths and temperatures. On the VIP routes only, at 10:30 for 45 minutes.
What you see
The main ring drops in a dozen levels, each a terrace of fine stonework with stone steps set into the walls. Standing at the bottom you feel a few degrees warmer than at the rim, which is the heart of the laboratory theory.
Practical
The viewpoint at the rim needs no climbing; the descent into the terraces is optional and the way back is uphill. Covered by the Tourist Ticket. Fifteen minutes by road from the Maras salt mines.
Which tour, which time
Both VIP routes: 10:30–11:15, after the salt mines and before lunch in Urubamba. Not on the Classic. The VIP tour.
Updated 2 October 2026.
