CLIMB ACONCAGUA (22,840 ft)

Overview | Itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1: Your travels will begin with a night flight from Miami, FL, arriving in Santiago, Chile on the morning of the 2nd day.

Day 2: You will typically remain at the Santiago airport until you board a plane in the afternoon bound for Mendoza, Argentina, where you will arrive in the late afternoon and be met by your guide and taken to the hotel.

Day 3: This is a busy day, and after breakfast we will be picked up by our private transport and taken to Aconcagua Park Headquarters to obtain our climbing and trekking permits. After we've accomplished this task, we'll drive to Penitente, about a 4 hour drive from Mendoza. In Penitente we'll meet our mules and muleteers and organize loads for the hike into base camp.

Day 4: After breakfast, we'll be shuttled to Punta de Vacas, and the starting point of our trek into base camp. We begin the 8 mile kike to Las Lenas (8,858 ft.), our first camp along the way. Pack weights are relatively light due to our mule support. This insures that you won't exert too much energy on the trek to base camp.

Day 5: Today we'll make a bit longer trek to Casa de Piedra (10,500 ft.), our next camp site on the way to base camp. It is here that we'll enjoy our first views of the mountains. It's an excellent spot to view the South Face and Polish Glacier of Aconcagua.

Day 6: Today we leave the Vacas Valley, and cross to the Relinchos Valley, on our way to our base camp at Plaza Argentina (13,780 ft.).

Day 7: Today we'll rest and acclimate at base camp. Later in the day, we'll organize gear for the next day's load carry to Camp I (16,200 ft).

Day 8: Waking early, we'll begin the slow walk to Camp I, through glacial moraines and fields of penitentes. Pack weights will be heavier, as we're ferrying food, fuel, and other supplies for our assault on the upper mountain.

Day 9: Today we'll move our camp to Camp I. Pack weights will be heavy on this day and climber's should begin to feel acclimated.

Day 10: Today is a rest and relaxation day at Camp I (16,200 ft.). Eat, drink, and sleep all day!

Day 11: With loads already prepped, we carry supplies up to Camp 2 1(19,200 ft.), our high camp on the mountain at the base of the Polish Glacier.

Day 12: Today we'll make the push and move up to Camp 2, in preparation for our summit attempt.

Day 13: Today is a designated rest and preparation day at Camp 2. Participants should feel well acclimated at this point for an attempt at the summit. We'll use this day to meticulously prepare our gear for the following days climb. It is imperative that we stay well fed and hydrated on this day.

Day 14: Summit day. Rising early (around midnight), we begin the long climb to the summit. At this point, depending upon the make up of the climbing team, we'll split up as some expedition members will be climbing the Direct Polish Glacier, and some will be climbing to the summit via the Falso de Polacos, or the Falsh Polish Glacier Traverse. The alititude and length of the day make this an extrememly demanding climb and expedition members should be well prepared mentally for this effort.

Day 15: Extra summit day in cay of poor weather.

Day 16: Extra summit day in cay of poor weather.

Day 17: Descend to Plaza de Mulas (Normal Route base camp).

Day 18: Today will be spent resting in base camp and organizing for the trek back to the mouth of the Horcones Valley.

Day 19: A gradual descent down the Horcones Valley supported by mules allows us to carry small daypacks. At the conclusion of the hike we'll head back to Penitente for a well deserved shower!

Day 20: Back to Mendoza. You may want to build in some extra time for some exploration of the Argentinian countryside including a few winery tours.

Day 21: Back to the U.S.

Included in cost: An AMGA certified or trained Alpine Guide, all ground transportation, hotels, tents, and food while on the mountain. All group climbing and camping equipment. Climbing permit, pulse oximeters, mules and muleteers to base camp.

Not included in cost: Food and drinks in towns, personal climbing and camping equipment, international air fare, costs of a personal nature, extra hotels or transportation due to illness, injury, or early return.

Prerequisites: Participants should have prior, basic mountaineering experience. They should be comfortable with self arrest, and walking in crampons, and have basic roped climbing experience. You should also have previous high altitude experience such as a Mexico or Ecuadorian volcano summit or Mt. McKinley. You should also be in excellent physical condition.

Equipment: Download the Aconcagua Expedition Equipment Checklist

Registration and Cancellation: You will need to fill out an International Expedition Application, cancellation policy agreement, and liability waiver, and send it to us with a 50% deposit 60 days before the trip date. Balance is due 30 days prior to trip departure date. Please click on our Registration/Travel link to access the required forms.