Maras is a city in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, 40 kilometers north of the Cuzco region. The city is well known for its salt evaporation ponds, located towards Urubamba from the city centre, which have been in use since Inca times. The salt evaporation ponds are located four kilometers north of the city along a canyon that descends to the Rio Vilcanota. In addition to the evaporation ponds, this tourist area also includes the nearby Moray Inca ruins and the surrounding landscape.