Nevado, Mismi

Nevado Mismi, Peru

The Amazon is the world’s most voluminous river but it wasn’t until a few years ago that anybody could truly pinpoint its headwaters. In 2001 a GPS-laden National Geographic survey team climbed high into the Andes of southern Peru, about 700km from Lima and 3000km from the Amazon’s mouth. Here, on a rock wall on the 5597m high mountain, Nevado Mismi, they identified a dribble of water as the river’s origin. If you’re intrepid enough to want to visit Nevado Mismi, begin in Arequipa and head for the village of Tuti; the walk in is not difficult.

Lonely Planet est middle of nowhere places - Nevado Mismi