Urubamba River

Urubamba River (Willkamayu / Willkanuta)
Vilcanota River
The Vilcanota River in the Sacred Valley near Taray
Country	Peru
Tributaries
- left	Luq'umayu, Kusichaka River, Kachimayu
- right	Ch'illkamayu
Mouth	Ucayali River
Length	650 km (404 mi)
Map of larger rivers in south-central Peru

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 Province the naming changes to Urubamba. A partially navigable headwater of the Amazon River, it rises in the Andes to the southeast of Cuzco. It originates on the slopes of Khunurana in the Puno Region, Melgar Province, near the La Raya pass. It flows north-north-west for 724 kilometers before coalescing with the Tambo River to form the Ucayali River.

John Walter Gregory, the British geologist, drowned in the river on June 2, 1932 while on a geological expedition to the Andes.

The Urubamba is divided into Upper Urubamba and Lower Urubamba, the dividing feature being the Pongo de Mainique, an infamous whitewater canyon.

The Upper Urubamba (Alto Urubamba) valley features a high population and extensive irrigation works. A number of ruins of the Inca Empire lie in the Sacred Valley, including the Incan city of Machu Picchu, Patallaqta, Pikillaqta and Raqch'i.

The Lower Urubamba (Bajo Urubamba) is relatively undeveloped and features a significant indigenous population consisting of the Campa tribes, principally the Machiguenga (Matsigenka) and Ashaninka. The economy is based on forestry and the nearby Camisea Gas Project. The main settlement in the region is the town of Sepahua.