Visit The Origin Of The Headwaters Of Greatest River In The World

A great short trip to visit the origin of the greatest and abundant rivers on the world. Rio Amazonas well worldwide recognized as one of the most important sources for wildlife from the begin on the base of Nevado Mismi down the Amazon basin and then to Atlantic Ocean.

The source of Amazon River is located on the north face of Nevado Mismi (5597M), at the begin of Cordillera Chila, which one of the greatest mountain ranges neighborhoods of Colca canyon, in Arequipa.

PERU ADVENTURE TOURS based in a well knowledge and experience of the area create this half-day trip to visit the headwaters of Amazon River, coming out from the granite wall at 5050M of altitude at the upper zone of Carhuasanta Andean valley.

We invite you a genuine visit to see not just the source of Amazon River, also to see the origin of live of different species from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean, with a travel of 6800KM between Peru, Colombia and Brazil.

Welcome to source of Rio Amazonas.

MISMI MOUNTAIN EXPEDITIONS

The Cousteau Amazon Expedition

In 1982 Jean Michael Cousteau led a large scale scientific exploration of the Amazon from its mouth to its origin. The “Cousteau Amazon Expedition” cost eleven million dollars and culminated in a six-hour television documentary titled “Cousteau’s Amazon” released in 1983. It offered study information to last years and gave insights into the biology and geology of the largest river system on earth. Traditionally, explorers and geographers defining the origin of a river system by tracking the longest tributaries while heading upstream, as volume can change dramatically from month to month. In a system as complex as the Amazon basin with dozen of streams as candidates in previously poorly mapped areas, no consensus could plausibly be substantiated for some time, and the origin was left to speculation. Half a dozen sites claimed title to “The Origin of the Amazon River“ and until 1982 several were in the running. Using an international team of twelve and bringing in expeditionary specialists from Germany, France, Argentina, Peru and the USA, Jean-Michel Cousteau put together resources and logistics spanning a thousand miles of unknown jungle. The Upper Amazon expedition (The Flying Expedition) included an Eastern European multi-axle reticulated Land Rover for use on land, a float plane Papagaiu, for air support and reconnaissance, and the Peruvian Air Force offered a high elevation helicopter to reach the upper levels of the Cordillera de Chila Mountain range in Peru. Expedition support bases were established in Cusco, in the mountains, in Arequipa near of the Pacific coast, and high in the Cordillera de Chila at Caylloma for the quest to find the origin of the Amazon River. Many locations were remote, making it necessary to surmount language, terrain and logistical difficulties, as the mountain team made their way up the Río Selinke to the flanks of Nevado Mismi. At this mountain's base, Jean Michael dispatched a team of German alpinists who climbed the 18,000 foot volcano and returned in two days. During their descent, they found melt water dropping into a fissure. This cleft varied from two meters to half a meter wide, angling down the slope. This stream flowed nearly fifty meters before disappearing, emerging again lower down to flow between stones and continues its course. They discovered that within the fissure, the water was deep enough to float a small craft and realized that they were presented with an opportunity. Utilizing pack llamas, kayaker Caril Ridley was brought to the site, and in June 1982, navigating by kayak, became the first person to run the origins of the Amazon. Later expeditions refined our understanding of the river's many origins and its subsequent course to the Atlantic Ocean.

National Geographic Society Expedition

In 2001, it was verified that the main headwater of the Amazon River has its glacial source on Nevado Mismi. An expedition of the National Geographic Society discovered that Carhuasanta stream flowing into Río Apurímac originates on the mountain's northern slopes and then runs its course through other tributaries and rivers to help form the main Amazon River. The fact that the headwaters of Río Apurímac are the source of the Amazon River was confirmed by Brazilian scientists in 2007, who pointed at Quebrada Apacheta as the most probable source of Rio Amazonas. PERU ADVENTURE TOURS thanks to other expeditions not mentioned in this page. Thanks to those expeditions the region of Mismi Mt is getting more popular for mountain climbers and hikers coming to visit all these remote places located on the heart of the Andes of Peru.

We invite to all explorers and expeditions to contact us and provide relevant information about the source of the Amazon River to add to this page.

TRIP ITINERARY TO VISIT THE SOURCE OF AMAZON RIVER

6AM pick-up from the hotel in Chivay. This short trip includes 2hrs of transfer by jeep from Chivay up to bottom of Nevado Mismi. The journey will be to the half way of the upper zone of the Colca valley and then gravel switchback road through mountainous area, passing remote villages of shapers of Llamas and Alpacas, awarded with great color contrast of the mountains and snow-peaks around. The road end at 5050M of altitude on the north side of the Mismi Mountain. Around 8AM begin the cross-country hike for about 10 minutes to find the greats headwaters of Rio Amazonas, located on the huge granite wall facing the valley of Carhuasanta. The single truck takes us across some rock boulders passing several streams. Finally at the correct place you will see the greatest source of the Amazon River. An appropriate time to photos and enjoy the surrounding panorama, and see the begin of the highest location of the greatest river in the world.

9AM we will be OPTIONAL downhill hike for about 1hr to enjoy more views of Nevado Mismi, of Chila mountain range and Carhuasanta Andean valley. On the way down we guarantee to be in contact with many groups of Vicuñas grazing around accompanied by different type of Andean birds. Around 10AM we will aboard our jeep and then downhill drive back to your hotel in Chivay. Around 12M end of service.