Urubamba (possibly from in the Quechua spelling ''Urupampa'', flat land of spiders) is a small town in

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

, located near the

Urubamba River The Urubamba River or Vilcamayo River (possibly from Quechua ''Willkamayu'', for "sacred river") is a river in Peru. Upstream it is called Vilcanota River (possibly from Aymara ''Willkanuta'', for "house of the sun"). Within the La Convención ...

under the snow-capped mountain Chicón. It is the capital of the district of the same name. Located one hour from

Cusco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous Cusco Province, province and Cusco Region, department. The city was the cap ...

, Urubamba is the largest town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is also located near a number of significant ruins of the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

, including

Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a mountain ridge at . Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is the most familiar icon of the Inca Empire. It is located in the ...

. The sparse remains of the Inca palace, Quispiguanca, are within the town. Tourists often come through the town on their way to visit these sites.

Geography

Urubamba is located in the Highlands of Peru. It is regarded as a good location to go to acclimate to the elevation to prevent

altitude sickness Altitude sickness, the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is a harmful effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. People's bodies can respond to high altitude in different wa ...

prior to going more popular tourist destinations like Cusco.

Economy

There is a popular market selling fresh fruit and vegetables and also pots, pans, and other essential items. As social workers/volunteers visit the city often, the main market does cater to tourists, although locally produced

alpaca The alpaca (''Lama pacos'') is a species of South American camelid mammal. Traditionally, alpacas were kept in herds that grazed on the level heights of the Andes of Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Ecuador, and Northern Chile. More recentl ...

garments or ornaments are usually for sale in small stores within the town. There is also a small market selling only fresh produce that is open on select days during the week, and can sometimes be found selling items that are normally not sold in the main market.

Climate

Arts and culture

There is a large sporting field used for local football matches and also for festivals, including the festival of ''El Señor de Torrechayoc''. During the first week of June the town swells with dancers and visitors from local towns who perform in the streets. The festivities continue the celebration well into the early hours. The dancing culminates with group performances on the local football pitch. Urubamba Peru- bus station

Transportation

Due to the town's proximity to a number of Inca ruins it is a transportation hub with a bus depot and easy access to cabs. *

PeruRail PeruRail is a railway operator providing tourist, freight, and charter services in southern Peru. It was founded in 1999 by two Peruvian entrepreneurs and the British company Sea Containers. The main line between the port of Matarani, Arequipa ...

References

{{Authority control Populated places in the Department of Cusco

External links

Website Municipalidad Provincial Urubamba