Most had spiritual importance for the inhabitants of the area. Coropuna, at 6,613m, is the third-highest mountain in Peru.

And Ampato, at 6,310m, is where the remains of the Inca mummy Juanita were discovered.

Mismi, at 5,597m, is accepted as the true source of the Amazon River.

In an expedition to the area by Jacques Cousteau in the 1980s, an engraving of a toucan was found in a cave, indicating that the inhabitants knew of the links between this area and the Amazon basin.

Climbing guides can be found in Arequipa or in Cabanaconde.

Initially, the expedition tried to leave from Cabanaconde, but the difficulty of the rapids and rocks damaged their kayaks and inflatable boats.

Since then, a number of further rafting expeditions have been carried out, but given the extreme difficulty of the river, and the impossibility of rescue in case of accidents, these are still rare.

The river is extremely dangerous, and experienced canoeists have lost their lives attempting to navigate it.

Therefore, rafting on the lower part of the river should only be attempted by the experienced and as part of a well-organised group.

However, it is possible to raft on the upper part of the river, in the Plaza de Armas of Chivay there are agencies that organize 1½-hour trips, reaching about class III, which are suitable for beginners.