Vilcanota River

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The Sacred River

The Vilcanota River, also known as Wilcamayu or Huilcamayo and also Urubamba is the fast flowing river in Sacred Valley that cuts through the landscape from southeast flowing northwest.

The river's name contains the word "vilca" or "wilca", in hispanicized variant its its "huilca", meaning "sacred". The river's name in translation to English would be "Sacred River". In fact, because of this river was the valley of many Inca cities called the "Sacred Valley of the Incas".

Most often on maps you will see the following names to this river: Urubamba (which comes from the valley's name) and Vilcanota. Other terms are rarely used.

Rationally, keeping account of the facts and the historical importance of the Sacred Valley, we could say that: the river is officially called Urubamba, as it will appear in most dictionaries, maps, but in the Sacred Valley area it is called Vilcanota.

It is partially navigable and is also used (sometimes) by water rafters.

The River Urubamba/Vilcanota meets the River Apurímac and forms the great Ucayali River, one of the main arteries that contribute to the Amazon. In fact, it is the Ucayali and a few other major rivers that flow together forming the Amazon near the Peruvian city of Iquitos in the northeast of the country.

The Urubamba/Vilcanota is an extremely dangerous river, many have drowned while rafting, swimming or trying to cross it. You can see the furious river at the town of Aguas Calientes, near the Machu Picchu archaeological site.