| Urubamba River Vilcanota River | |
|---|---|
 Urubamba River seen from train en route to Machu Picchu | |
 Map of larger rivers in south-central Peru | |
| Location | |
| Country | Peru |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | Ucayali River |
• coordinates | 10°42′07″S73°45′15″W / 10.70194°S 73.75417°W /-10.70194; -73.75417 |
| Length | 724 km (450 mi)[1] |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Lucumayo,Cusichaca,Kachimayu |
| • right | Chillcamayu,Yavero |
TheUrubamba River orVilcamayo River[2] (possibly fromQuechuaWillkamayu, for "sacred river")[3] is a river inPeru. Upstream it is calledVilcanota River (possibly fromAymaraWillkanuta, for "house of the sun").[4] Within theLa Convención Province, the name changes to Urubamba.[5] A partially navigable headwater of theAmazon River, the Urubamba rises in theAndes to the southeast ofCusco. It originates on the slopes ofCunurana in thePuno Region,Melgar Province, near theLa Raya pass.[5] It flows north-north-west for 724 km (450 mi) before coalescing with theTambo River to form theUcayali River.
The Urubamba is divided into the Upper Urubamba and the Lower Urubamba, the dividing feature being thePongo de Mainique, an infamouswhitewatercanyon, where the river narrows to a width of 45 metres (148 ft).
The Upper Urubamba (Alto Urubamba) valley features a high population and extensive irrigation works. A number of ruins of theInca Empire lie in theSacred Valley, including the Incan city ofMachu Picchu,Patallaqta,Pikillaqta andRaqch'i. TheSalcca-Pucara hydroelectric project is associated with the river as well.[6]
The Lower Urubamba (Bajo Urubamba) is relatively undeveloped and features a significant indigenous population consisting of the Campa tribes, principally theMachiguenga (Matsigenka) andAsháninka. The economy is based on forestry and the nearbyCamisea Gas Project. The main settlement in the region is the town ofSepahua. (Sepahua River coordinates are11°08′58″S73°02′55″W / 11.14944°S 73.04861°W /-11.14944; -73.04861 (Sepahua River).)
The lower Urubamba River was mapped for the first time in 1934 by Edward Kellog Strong III. He and two friends from Palo Alto, California, Art Post and Gain Allan John, navigated the river with its ferocious rapids by canoe and balsa rafts provided by the indigenous people. The mapping was done at the request of the Peruvian military when they heard of the expedition planned by the three 18-year-olds.
The map was turned over to the military when the boys arrived in Iquitos. It remained the only map of the river until mapping by satellite became possible many years later. The names and places on the latest map came from the original map drawn by Edward Strong.
John Walter Gregory, a British geologist, drowned in the river on June 2, 1932 while on a geological expedition to the Andes.
Media related toUrubamba River at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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| National | |
