Pico do Itambé, Mountain summit in Espinhaço Mountains, Brazil.

Pico do Itambé rises to 2,052 metres in the Serra do Espinhaço, on the border of the municipalities of Serro and Santo Antônio do Itambé in Minas Gerais. The summit crowns a chain of elevations that feeds the São Francisco, Jequitinhonha and Rio Doce river basins. Its slopes hold campos rupestres, cerrado and high-altitude forest, with pau-d'óleo, sucupira, ipê and candeia in the valley bottoms.

The Parque Estadual do Pico do Itambé was created on 21 January 1998, covering about 4,700 hectares across the municipalities of Serro (930 ha), Santo Antônio do Itambé (2,926 ha) and Serra Azul (840 ha). Since the 16th century the peak had served as a landmark for naturalists, explorers and bandeirantes crossing the region.

The peak has served as a landmark for naturalists, explorers and bandeirantes crossing the region since the 16th century, and the whole area takes it as a reference point. Locals call it the "roof of the Minas sertão". Guides can be hired in Serro, Milho Verde, São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras, Capivari or Santo Antônio do Itambé, and horses can be rented at the foot of the peak.

There are two main routes. From Capivari, reached via a turnoff about 2 km before Milho Verde, 14 km of road lead to the village, then 8 km of walking to the summit. From Santo Antônio do Itambé, 29 km from Serro on the MG-010, about 7 of the remaining 18 km can be driven. The walk takes four to five hours; guides can be hired in Serro, Milho Verde, São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras, Capivari or Santo Antônio do Itambé, and horses rented at the foot of the peak.

The peak's name served as a reference point for naturalists, explorers and bandeirantes crossing the region from the 16th century, and in Minas Gerais' early days it was even taken for the state's highest mountain. The chain around it feeds three major river basins: São Francisco, Jequitinhonha and Rio Doce.