Urubamba is a small town in Peru’s Sacred Valley that radiates with culture and authenticity. While many people pass by Urubamba on their way to Machu Picchu, very few take the time to actually stick around and explore the town.
It’s just a layover for those fools!
In this post, I’m going to show you why the Peruvian town of Urubamba deserves to be explored.
Urubamba Overview
Located within the Peruvian Andes, Urubamba is positioned halfway between the Inca capital of Cusco and the fabled ruins of Machu Picchu.
The town sits at an elevation of 9,420 feet, which is higher than that of Machu Picchu (7,972) but not as high as Cusco (11,152).
To a jet-lagged traveler, the altitude can be irritating for a couple of days as your body works to acclimate. The best thing to do during this time is to relax; trust me when I say that you won’t be in the mood to hit the ground running.
Once you’ve settled into your new mountainous destination, you should start to enjoy this quaint Peruvian town. I would recommend zigzagging through Urubamba’s streets and simply watching the day-to-day life.
I personally liked to walk around the town shortly after the sun had risen above the surrounding Andean peaks.
One morning I passed by a long line of indigenous locals sitting on the ground outside of a bank. There had to have been at least fifty people and not a single one of them was standing!
Just picture this scene for a moment: you staring at 50 Peruvians and 50 Peruvians staring right back at you.
I’m not quite sure why so many people were waiting for the bank to open. Maybe it’s like that everyday.
Nevertheless, it was an interesting moment that only happened because I decided to explore every corner of this small town.
Things To Do In Urubamba
You might be wondering what are the best things to do in Urubamba. Let me start off by saying that there’s plenty to do within the town and the surrounding area.
Here are some main activities, which we’ll go into more detail below:
- Visit the Urubamba market
- Stop by the Cerveceria Willkamayu
- Spend time in Urubamba’s central park
- Explore the Peruvian countryside
Visit The Urubamba Market
One essential activity in Urubamba is to visit the enormous produce market, which is open seven days a week. The mercado de Urubamba, as it’s officially known, is probably the most densely packed area of the town so it’s a great people watching spot.
If you need groceries during your stay, this produce market is the way to go. Within the market you can find fruits, vegetables, meats, and other items at a very reasonable price.
Speaking of fruits, Anna from Green Mochila put together this excellent guide on fruits from Peru that you should try before leaving the country!
Stop By The Cerveceria Willkamayu
A unique activity that I highly recommend while visiting Urubamba is to stop by Cerveceria Willkamayu for a drink.
A friendly Peruvian man named Dario operates this fantastic brewery within his family’s home and he’s content to let strangers drink beer in his living room or on his porch, both of which are great options. When I was there, you could choose between a pale ale, a brown ale, and a lager.
It’s truly an incredible experience to drink beer at a local’s house while discussing the history of the region.
Spend Time In Urubamba's Central Park
Similar to most locations in Latin America, Urubamba has a very nice central park that’s great for relaxing and watching the happenings of the town. There are numerous benches that you can sit at while you enjoy the quaint nature of this Peruvian destination.
This may be a rather quick activity but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless.
Explore The Peruvian Countryside
One of the best aspects of Urubamba is its location within Peru’s Sacred Valley. From Urubamba, you can easily reach sites such as Ollantaytambo, Moray, and Maras, which are three incredible destinations that you should visit while staying in this area.
Although it’s a bit further away, Urubamba is also a great base for visiting Machu Picchu!
Overall, Urubamba’s strategic location allows you to visit many nearby destinations that would otherwise take a long time to reach.
Restaurants In Urubamba
Hotels In Urubamba
How To Get To Urubamba
Odds are that you’ll be staying in Cusco, or at least flying into Cusco, before visiting Urubamba.
From Cusco, you can arrange for a taxi or private shuttle to take you to Urubamba. This costs between $20 to $30 and it should take about an hour and a half.
There are also shared shuttles called colectivos that will take you to Urubamba. You can find these colectivos on Pavitos Street in Cusco. The colectivos should cost less than $5 per person and they leave at numerous times throughout the day. There’s not really a schedule because the colectivos depart whenever they have enough passengers.
In Closing
Look, I get it.
You flew thousands of miles to get to Lima, then you flew hundreds of miles to get to Cusco, and now you need to take a crazy long train ride to get to Machu Picchu.
I know the feeling.
The question is: Do you really have time for Urubamba in between all of this?
The answer is that you should make time for it. Although Machu Picchu is amazing, you would truly be doing yourself a disservice by skipping this unique destination.
When I think back to my time in Peru, some of my best memories are from Urubamba. I remember walking aimlessly through colonial streets, drinking beer in the living room of a local’s home, and constantly soaking up the essence of this authentic Peruvian town.
What could be better than that?
Accommodations: We recommend using Booking.com and Hostelworld for reserving accommodations. Both of these booking sites are easy to use and they feature a wide range of options. You can compare prices, view photos, and read reviews to help you find the perfect accommodation.
Flights: We recommend using Kiwi to find cheap flights. Their interface is user friendly and they help you find the best deals on flights to any destination.
The closest airport to Urubamba is the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport in Cusco:
Travel Insurance: We recommend purchasing travel insurance from World Nomads. They’re one of the most trusted travel insurance providers and their plans cover a wide range of claims from overseas medical care to emergency evacuation. World Nomads will even allow you to purchase a plan if you’re already traveling abroad.
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Thanks. My daughter’s grandmother and ancestry is from Urumbamba, so it was great to read about it and see the photos.
A great read, don’t think I will ever make it to Peru /Urubamba so thank you for taking me there.
Thanks Lyn, I’m glad that you enjoyed the article!
Loved reading this! Peru is somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit, and when I go I will make sure to stop in Urubamba!
That’s great to hear Somer! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
I really love the way you have mentioned the joy of exploring the small town of Urubamba. It often happens that people overlook those quaint little towns on their way to more touristy places. Lovely pictures.
Love,
Anjali
http://www.laughingmirror.com
Thanks Anjali, I couldn’t agree with you more about overlooking quaint towns like this! Appreciate you stopping by 🙂
What a beautiful place. It would be a dream to visit. The photos are amazing xxx
It is very beautiful and I hope that you’re able to visit someday!