What is the highest peak in South America?

Aconcagua is the highest peak in South America, rising to about 6,967 metres in Argentina’s Mendoza Province. It is also the highest mountain in the Americas and the highest peak outside Asia.

The mountain belongs to the Andes, the immense range that runs along the western edge of South America. Aconcagua stands in the Principal Cordillera, close to the Chilean border, although its summit is entirely in Argentina. The surrounding landscape is protected within Aconcagua Provincial Park.

Aconcagua is a dormant volcanic mountain rather than an active volcano. Its height, glaciers and severe weather make climbing it a serious high-altitude challenge, even though the normal route does not require technical rock climbing. Matthias Zurbriggen made the first recorded ascent in 1897.

Several other South American peaks are sometimes confused with it. Ojos del Salado is the world’s highest active volcano, while Chimborazo is Earth’s highest point measured from the planet’s centre because of the equatorial bulge. Neither is higher than Aconcagua above sea level.