[2] In recent decades many people have migrated to places with better opportunities and services, such as the city of Lima.

Spanish is the language which the majority of the population (80%) learnt to speak in childhood, followed by Quechua (19%).

[5] The toponym Cajatambo comes from the Quechua words: kasha ("thorn", "cold") and tanpu ("inn").

In 2002, the Peruvian government declared regions of the mountains upon which Cajatambo is located to be protected, and future mining was prohibited.

Tourist attractions near the town include the Astobamba's prairie and its peaks, the Baths of Shucsha, and the Waywash range.