pongo

water gap

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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A "pongo" is a South American term for a canyon or gorge that cuts through a mountain range or ridge. The word originates from the Quechua word "puncu," meaning "door".1

The Huallaga River in Peru provides an example of a river carving a valley, forming a gorge between the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Azul mountain ranges. This river flows from the Andes mountains and eventually joins the Marañón River in the Amazon River basin.2

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Andes Mountains
Physiography of the Central Andes
…narrow transverse water gaps (pongos) that cut the cordillera to reach the Amazon basin. These include Rentema (about one and one-fourth miles long and 200 feet wide), Mayo, Mayasito, and Huarcaya gaps and—the most important—Manseriche Gap, which is seven miles long.
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…narrow transverse water gaps (pongos) that cut the cordillera to reach the Amazon basin. These include Rentema (about one and one-fourth miles long and 200 feet wide), Mayo, Mayasito, and Huarcaya gaps and—the most important—Manseriche Gap, which is seven miles long.
Read More