Quillabamba

Quillabamba is a city in the Southern Sierra of Peru. It is the capital of La Convención Province, which is the largest province of Cusco. It is located in an area called the higher jungle. Agriculture is the most important activity, principally coffee, cacao, tea and coca. The town is a mixture of Andean and Amazonian migrants.

Daily Buses run to Quillabamba from the Santiago terminal in Cusco (7-8 hours, ~ US$4) via Santa María. Turismo Ampay is the recommended company to go on this trip with. Other destinations are Ivochote (12-14 hours) and Huancacalle (4-7 hours).

Ask a taxi driver for a local guide, they can take you to see some beautiful waterfalls in the jungle. Along the way you will pass beautiful wildflowers, shade coffee trees, and oranges you can eat off the tree. There is also a small zoo about 1/2 hour away, which can be combined with a day trip to the waterfalls.

There are plenty of cheap hostels in town. Ask any cab driver.

• Ivochote - Downstream from Kiteni, on Rio Urubamba. 7-9 hours by road from Quillabamba.
• Kiteni - Where its possible to transfer to boat and travel down Rio Urubamba to Sepahua and on to Atalaya. Travelling down this section of the Rio Urubamba in not advised during the wet season (Nov to March) due to rapids, particularly the Pongo de Mainique considered the most dangerous whitewater pass on Rio Urubamba.
• Machu Picchu - via Santa Maria then Santa Teresa, roughly the way the jungle trek goes.
• Santa Teresa - Thermal springs the size of swimming pools.