Urubamba

(Quechua: Urupampa which means "Flat land of Spiders") is a small town in Peru, located near the Urubamba River under the snow-capped mountain of Chicón. Located one hour from Cusco, 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, including Machu Picchu. Tourists often come through the town on their way to visit these sites.

Geography

Urubamba is located in the Highlands of Peru.[2] It is regarded as a good location to go to in order to acclimate to the elevation to prevent altitude sickness.

The Urubamba Valley is one of the most productive in the country, here is the best corn crop in the world and in the rainy season abound own valley fruits, such as peaches, cherry tree, quince, strawberries premium.

Economy

There is a popular market selling fresh fruit and vegetables and also pots, pans and other essential items. The market does not really cater for tourists and does not include the locally produced alpaca garments/ornaments.

Arts and Culture

Urubamba is the home of the workshop of Pablo Seminario and Marilú Behar. They create quality ceramics which can be purchased from the workshop or the store in Cusco.

There is also a cultural tourism circuit in the community of Media Luna. The circuit includes a number of different and exciting activities. It begins with discovering the secrets of the medicinal plants of the Incas and their healing properties. After, you will get to experience the traditional life on a farm in Peru where you will learn about and see the different breeds guinea pigs and the rituals involved in the preparation process. Thereafter you will be given a chance to sit behind the loom of a local artisan who weaves professionally and receive a demonstration of the natural wool dying procress. In order to regain your strength, your next activity takes you to the home of a local chichera where you will not only be shown how the famous drink of the Incas is prepared, but you will also get a chance to sample it. Following these four activities is a traditional Andean lunch which will be prepared for you by a local chef. There also is an optional hike following the lunch, led by a legendary village elder to pre-Incan ruins named "The Chullpas," known only to the local people. All proceeds from the tour go directly to the people of the Media Luna community to help better their lives. A link to the tour can be found under external links at the bottom of the page.

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

do not seem to stop as the local towns people celebrate well into the early hours. The dancing culminates with group performances on the local football pitch.