The Urubamba river is the great artery of Inca country, and everything near it feels like a rehearsal for Machu Picchu. This segment of the Qhapaq Nan, the Inca road network listed by UNESCO in 2014, runs between two places named Machucucho and Choquecancha in the highlands north-east of Cusco, where side valleys climb from the main river towards high passes and snow peaks.
This is the Sacred Valley zone and its neighbours, a region of farmland terraced up steep slopes, with rivers running clear and cold from glaciers. The Incas turned these valleys into their breadbasket, building terraces at every altitude to grow maize, potatoes and other crops at their best elevations, as an agricultural laboratory. Roads connected the terraces to administrative centres and shrines, and many are still used today by farmers and herders. Just beyond the head of the valley are villages with textile traditions, where women weave in natural dyes patterns that have not changed in centuries.
The riding in this part of Peru is memorable. The road from Cusco to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo is paved and scenic, following the river between snowy peaks, with the huge Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo as a highlight. Beyond that, the road over the Abra Malaga pass climbs above four thousand metres, with cloud forest on the far side, a wonderful but cold ride. Side roads to the high valleys are gravel and rock, steep and exposed. Fuel is available in Urubamba, a town of around seven or eight thousand, Cusco and Calca, but not in the hills, so fill up and carry reserve.
Altitude demands respect. Cusco sits at 3,400 metres and most of these roads are higher, so take it easy, drink plenty of water and accept that you will be slow for a day or two. The dry season, from May to September, is best, though mornings are bitterly cold.
Look for the Sunday markets, where you can buy fresh bread, choclo, the huge-kernelled maize, and fresh cheese.