Discover Peru, the boiling river in the Amazon is not a legend

In Peru , there was talk of a legendary bubbling river in the heart of the Amazon. A Peruvian geologist, who has always been intrigued by this legend and has always believed in its veracity has finally found this place, where the water is so hot in places that it boils.

“  Stop asking stupid questions.  This is what  Andrés Ruzo was told during his doctorate in geology when he asked if the legendary bubbling river of Amazonia in Peru really existed. However, it was he who finally found this river and proved its existence. It is incredible to think that some natural wonders of our planet still escape our knowledge.

When he was only twelve years old, in Peru, Andrés Ruzo’s grandfather told him this story about the Spanish conquistadors who, after having killed the last Inca emperor, went into the Amazon forest in search of ‘gold. The few men who would have returned from this expedition then spoke of a real nightmare lived there, with in particular a river which is boiling. This story has always resonated in the mind of Andrés Ruzo, and several years later, for his doctorate in geology, he wondered if this legend could be true and then studied the geothermal potential of Peru.

During a TED talk he gave, he talks about how absolutely everyone in his life told him that this river did not exist and that it was a myth. Only two people always confirmed his existence to him, his uncle and his aunt. During a long expedition in the Amazon rainforest, Andrés Ruzo actually ended up finding this river, a sacred place called Mayantuyacu .

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Our answers

Up to 25 meters wide and 6 meters deep for this stretch of river nestled deep in the forest, with an average temperature of 86 degrees Celsius over more than six kilometres. In some places the water is so hot that it boils. “  You smell this blazing water in front of you and its plumes of vapors come to you. It really is a spectacular place  ,” he describes.

Andrés Ruzo explains that what is strange about this river is that the nearest volcano is far too far away to be the source of such high temperatures. This could then be explained by the particular position of the site from a geological point of view: the waters probably come from glaciers in the Andes and have infiltrated very deeply into the earth to reappear at this high temperature.

Currently in the study phase of the surviving organisms in these bubbling waters, Andrés Ruzo now wants to talk as much as possible about the site, threatened by the illegal felling of the trees that surround it.

Article updated on 7 December 2022

Mohamed SAKHRI
Mohamed SAKHRI

I am Mohamed, the creator and editor-in-chief of this Blog, "Exploring Earth's Wonders" is your ultimate travel guide, offering expert tips, destination insights, and inspiration for every traveler. Discover new horizons with endless adventures, unique experiences, and world-class travel advice

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