Ascent to the source of the Amazon

From the valley of the river Carhuasanta (Amazon) it is about 150 meters to the source. On the way out, you can see the valley, which you will then travel through.

The spring itself in the form of a lake lies on a rocky step, where you have to ascend from the valley. First, miniature lakes between the rock plates await you.

After a half-hour ascent, you finally reach the source of the Amazon in the form of a nice but small lake. You are at an altitude of 5,150 meters above sea level.

The second goal of the trek: to find the source of the longest river in the world will come true here (it still remains the first – to return to civilization in good health :-). You can celebrate it by drinking from a spring, or at least rinsing your face.

The weathered slopes of the Mismi massif rise above the spring. If you ascend from here another 150 meters, you will reach the ridge, but the ideal ascent path does not lead to the top of the volcano.

It depends on how long you will enjoy the spring, but after an hour you may be back in the „basecamp“ to prepare for the continuation of the trek.

The march through the Carhuasanta valley leads along a little noticeable path. Opposite you is a mountain at an altitude of 5,200 m above sea level. It would certainly be a nice view back to the Mismi volcano.

Bofedal wetlands are a minor obstacle to walking through the Carhuasanta valley, fortunately still frozen in the morning. Looking back, you can see on the horizon the not very pronounced massif of the Mismi volcano and the rocky step on which the Amazon springs,

Directly above you, multicolored volcanic rocks rise in these places.

After two days of walking through the desolate landscape, you will finally come across a sign of human activity – an empty enclosure for llamas. The Amazon is still just a small stream in these places.

After a while you will meet the first grazing llamas.

After about an hour's walk from the basecamp under the source of the Amazon, you will reach the first „civilization“. The village marked Carhuasanta on the map is in fact just a residence with two houses and llama fences.

Carhuasanta is actually more of a farm than a village. From here, a march awaits you to the confluence of the Carhuasanta with another stream, the Apacheta, and the resulting river is also called the Rio Lloqueta. (The Amazon in this section changes its name every moment before it dreams of becoming a significant and well-known stream of the Rio Apurímac).