Aconcagua, standing at 6,960.8 meters (22,837 feet), is the highest peak in South America and the tallest mountain outside of Asia. Located in Argentina's Andes Mountain range, it is a prominent destination for mountaineers worldwide.

 

Climbing Aconcagua via the Normal Route

 

The Normal Route is the most frequented path to Aconcagua's summit and is considered non-technical, meaning it doesn't require advanced climbing skills. However, the high altitude and severe weather conditions make the ascent physically demanding. Proper acclimatisation and excellent physical fitness are essential for a successful climb.

Embarking on an Aconcagua expedition is a significant endeavour that requires meticulous planning and preparation. Starting your preparations now for a 2026 climb will provide ample time to train, organise logistics, and ensure a safe and successful ascent.

 

ITINERARY

(Height in feet – meters above sea level). It includes: B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / PL: Packed Lunch / D: Dinner

 

Day 1: Mendoza (2508ft – 760m)

Arriving in Mendoza / Lodging in a 4* superior Hotel . In the afternoon there will be an instructive talk about the Mount Aconcagua and the guides will check your equipment. Time to rent or buy some equipment if you need.

 

Day 2: Mendoza / Penitentes-Puente del Inca (8992ft – 2725m)

Obtaining of permits. Transfer to Penitentes-Puente Del Inca. Lodging in hotel. Preparation of the loads for the mules. (B, L, D)

 

Day 3: Penitentes / Confluencia (10890ft – 3300m)

Drive to the entrance of the Park. Trek to Confluencia Camp. You will only carry your daypack; our mules will carry your personal equipment. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 4: Confluencia / Plaza Francia (13200ft – 4000m) / Confluencia

Trek to Plaza Francia, base of the south face of the Mount Aconcagua, lunch and return to Confluencia.

(B, PL, D)

 

Day 5: Confluencia / Plaza de Mulas (14058ft – 4260m)

Trek to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp. Lodging in the base camp. You will only carry your daypack; our mules will carry your personal equipment. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 6: Plaza de Mulas (14058ft – 4260m)

Resting day. Short trek to Horcones glacier. Practice with crampons. (B, L, D)

 

Day 7: Plaza de Mulas / Mt. Bonete Summit (16702ft – 5091m) / Plaza de Mulas

Acclimatisation trekking to Mt. Bonete Summit and return to Plaza de Mulas. This trekking will take about 6 hours, and you will reach 16702ft – 5091m of altitude. This activity will definitely turn on all acclimatisation mechanisms in the body. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 8: Plaza de Mulas / Camp 1 Canadá (16203ft – 4910m) / Plaza de Mulas

Acclimatisation trek and transportation of material to Camp 1 Canadá.

Lunch and return to Base Camp. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 9: Plaza de Mulas (14058ft – 4260m)

Resting and acclimatisation day. Checking of equipment for the ascent.(B, L, D)

 

Day 10: Plaza de Mulas / Camp 1 Canadá (16203ft – 4910m)

Climb to Camp 1 Canadá. Setting up of tents and resting. You will be carrying personal gear and additional supplies if any. Our porters will carry the tents, garbage and first aid kits. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 11: Camp 1 Canadá / Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores (17325ft – 5250m)

Climb to Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores. Setting up of tents and resting. Checking of equipment for the ascent. Our porters will carry the tents, garbage and common equipment. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 12: Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores

Rest and acclimatization day. (B, L, D)

 

Day 13: Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores / Camp 3 Berlín – Cólera (19470ft–5900m) / Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores

Acclimatisation trek and transportation of altitude meals and cooking elements to Camp 3 Berlín–Cólera. Lunch and return to Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 14: Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores (17325ft – 5250m) / Camp 3 Berlín – Cólera (19470ft – 5900m)

Climb to Camp 3 Berlín – Cólera. Setting up of tents and resting. Checking of equipment for the ascent. You will be carrying personal equipment and and additional supplies if any. Our porters will carry the tents, garbage and first aid kits. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 15: Camp 3 Berlín – Cólera / SUMMIT (22834ft – 6962m) / Camp 3

Climb from Camp 3 Berlín – Cólera to the SUMMIT!!! and return to Camp 3. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 16: Camp 3 Berlín – Cólera / Plaza de Mulas base camp (14058ft – 4260m)

Descent to Plaza de Mulas base camp. You will be carrying your personal equipment and additional supplies. Our porters will carry the tents, garbage and first aid kits. (B, PL, D)

 

Day 17: Plaza de Mulas / Mendoza

Descent to Penitentes. You will only carry your daypack; our mules will carry your personal equipment. Drive to our Lodge. Lodging (B, PL, D)

 

Day 18: Penitentes / Mendoza

Breakfast. Drive to Mendoza City in our private transfer. (B)

 

Day 19 & day 20: Extra days for contingencies as bad weather that may prevent the normal development of the program.

(B, L, D)

 

INCLUDED SERVICES

 

Hotel in Mendoza

While you are in Mendoza city, you will be lodged in a 4 star superior Hotel in a double room. Breakfast and taxes are included and will represent no additional cost. Nonetheless, if you wish a different type of room, you can acquire it as an additional service.

 

Assistance to buy the climbing permits

Mount Aconcagua is located in a provincial Park managed by the Provincial Government of Mendoza. To get into the Park you should get a permit in accordance with the activity that you are going to participate in (climbing, long trek, short trek). This procedure must be done personally, as a government rule. Each climber must go to the Park’s office with their own passport.

 

Luggage care

If you wish to leave certain personal belongings that you are not going to use during your Aconcagua expedition, you can count on the best security of the hotel of your expedition for leaving your personal effects. You will also be able to leave your possessions in Penitentes/Puente del Inca or in Base Camp.

 

Transfer Mendoza / Puente del Inca / Mendoza

A private transfer will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Puente Del Inca. We will drive over 180 kilometres, which separate Mendoza City from Puente Del Inca (roundtrip). The scenery on the journey is one of the most spectacular landscapes in the central Andes.

 

Meals

On the expedition you will enjoy all the meals (B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / PL: Packed Lunch if we are on the move / D: Dinner) that are carefully planned by professionals to have a balanced diet during those days on the mountain. The cooks always prepare every meal, with fixed menu from day Nº 3, except at the high altitude camps where the guides will be in charge of the cooking. You will enjoy tasty and large portions of very good meals.

 

Lodging in Penitentes/Puente del Inca

During the Inca Empire this spot was a strategic point for the crossing of the Andes mountain. Over the past few years it has become the point of departure of every expedition, whose aim is to get the summit of Mount Aconcagua. The Hostel there is located in this strategic zone, five kilometres from the Mount Aconcagua Park trailhead. You will spend one night in this beautiful place at the beginning of your expedition in shared rooms with a private toilet. Breakfasts and dinners in the restaurant of the hotel are also included. Our private transfer will take you to the Aconcagua Park entrance.

 

Assistance for the arrangements of loads to be transported by mules

The mountain guides will advise you on when you have to decide what to include in your luggage and the way that we are going to arrange it on the mules.

 

Load mules

These strong animals were the ones that helped the armies that fought for the freedom of South America, to transport their belongings over the mountains. Mules move over mountain with great caution, having the possibility to carry big loads. The negative aspect of these animals is their untamed character. That is why we have selected a professional team of muleteers, called “arrieros”. They know how to deal with these animals, because of their experience. From Puente Del Inca to Confluencia, from this camp to Plaza de Mulas, and in the return your belongings will be carried by mules. Each mule can carry up to a limit of 60 kg, and every guest may transport on the mules a maximum of 30 kg on each stage of the approach.

 

Transfer to the Aconcagua trailhead

You will be driven by a private transfer over 5 kilometres, from the hostel in Puente Del Inca to the first Rangers Station. Here your permit is checked out and you are informed about the park rules. While you are gaining height, your body needs some time to start with the process of acclimatisation. Therefore, it is extremely important to stop for two nights at an intermediate level, to help your body to start with this process. During that time, you will camp in the Confluencia campsite, which has the enough comfort to spend a good deal of time there.

 

Trekking to Plaza Francia

On the 4th day of the expedition, you will visit the base of the mythical South Face of the Mount Aconcagua. This is the most vertical face of the mountain, with glaciers and walls almost 10500ft / 3000m tall. During that trekking, you will gain 700 meter that will give your body a sign that the acclimatization process is starting.

 

Plaza de Mulas Base Camp

Once you have arrived at Plaza de Mulas, you will spend 5 nights in the campsite. It´s fully prepared to make the trip around the magnificent South American mountain as comfortable as possible. There are tents for eating, kitchen, equipment storage. Toilets are available too. An excellent team of people will attend you, preparing delicious meals and providing you an excellent service.

 

Trekking to the Horcones Glacier

Acclimatisation is a dynamic process in which your body needs a minimal activity to increase the response to the altitude. During the resting day in the base camp, a short trek in the area of Plaza de Mulas is useful and interesting. Also, you will have an introduction class about the use of crampons and some advice to help you on your way to the top of the mountain.

 

Trekking to Mt. Bonete´s Summit (16732ft – 5100m)

To improve the acclimatization process in your body, the expedition includes in the itinerary a trekking to the summit of Cerro Bonete. To reach this altitude before starting the way to the Aconcagua summit, definitely increase the chances of success.

 

IMPORTANT – It includes porters for altitude camps

Our expeditions to Aconcagua include the help of porters in the altitude camps so that our climbers can walk from camp to camp carrying less weight and this being able to concentrate their energies on summit day. Our porters are people very well adapted to working in the altitudes of Aconcagua. They have reached the summit many times and the response of their body to altitude is considerably faster and better than that of many athletes. Our porters are in charge of carrying tents, team garbage (including toilet waste that must be transported by each expedition according to regulations of Aconcagua Park) and they will also carry the first aid kits. Porters transport all these loads from Plaza de Mulas Base Camp to Camp 1 Plaza Canada, from Camp 1 Plaza Canada to Camp 2 Nido de Condores, from Camp 2 Nido de Condores to Camp 3 Berlin-Colera and the descent, from Camp 3 Berlin-Colera to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp. Each expedition member must transport their personal equipment (backpack, sleeping bags, boots and personal belongings) plus their share of meals and cooking elements. During acclimatisation treks, climbers will not have to transport their personal equipment (which will be left behind in the previous camp). The purpose of acclimatisation treks are to acclimatise and transport the meals that will be consumed on the following day. Anyway, if you want to hire a porter to transport your backpack and acclimatisation trek weight in all expedition days (but summit day) or you want to hire a porter for transporting only your personal backpack, do not doubt in requesting this service to us (such porter services may have additional cost, and they will be non-included and optional services).

 

The Guides

The guides in charge of the expedition are professionals who have obtained their degree from the AAGM or the EPGAMT (2 and 3 year careers). We believe that one of the keys for having a successful expedition is to count on people who have the best qualifications and at least 5 years of experience in Aconcagua to provide safety and trek across the paths of nature with conviction and professionalism. Our expeditions are led by one high altitude mountain guide per every three climbers from base camp. The guide’s equipment include a VHF radio, first aid kit with the specific medications for altitude sicknesses, ropes, altimeter, digital oximeter and professional clothing and equipment. Medicines will be provided after the approval of the doctors of Park Aconcagua.

 

Extra days

There are two extra days that can be used on the mountain in case of bad weather conditions or contingencies which could delay the regular itinerary. Since the climbers’ safety is our main priority, the leader guide will be in charge of taking this decision.

 

Tents

Normally, during the summer high-season, Aconcagua is a mountain with good weather conditions. Yet if you happen to have a few days of storms, you will be responsive to nature’s whims at Aconcagua high altitude camps. Therefore, we do not hesitate to provide you with the highest quality bedroom tents for high altitude campsites. We use brands that have proved an excellent performance in Aconcagua over the years like The North Face and Mountain Hardwear. The arrangement is usually 2 climbers per tent.

 

Communications

The expedition take advantage of the VHF and BLU radio lines that help to stay in contact between the high-altitude campsites, Plaza de Mulas, Confluencia, Puente del Inca and Mendoza. Therefore, almost instantaneously answer to whatever issue that may arise.

 

Participation or Summit Certificate

We will extend you a certificate signed by the Guide of the expedition certifying that you have participated in the Mount Aconcagua expedition (or reached the summit if that happened).

 

Medical and pharmaceutical support in Mendoza City

Your safety and health is our priority. If you need to be evacuated from Aconcagua for medical reasons or you finish your expedition with any kind of medical condition, our team will provide you personal bilingual support for all medical activities you need to do after returning from the Aconcagua like assisting you if you need additional medical attention, medical studies like lung x-rays, shopping medicine, hospital admission, etc. The expenses arising from hospital admission, medical studies, doctor’s fees, ambulances, medicines, etc. are not included.

In addition, you will be able to use our optional service of full bilingual assistance for your time in Mendoza until you fully recover. The objective is that you feel completely accompanied and content until you fully recover your physical health, and you are able to return to your home country.

 

Support in Mendoza after your Expedition

After you return from your expedition to Aconcagua and your services for the expedition finish, our customer support team will continue to assist you with everything you need in Mendoza City.

 

NOT INCLUDED SERVICES

 

Climbing Permit

The only way to enter the Mount Aconcagua Park is by getting the permit personally in Mendoza city. If the ticket is not used within the dates established by the Park authorities, the money will not be returned. The ticket will be invalid in the future years. The entrance fee’s payment support the maintenance and care of Mount Aconcagua Provincial Park and aid to preserve and protect it. It also supports the maintenance of the medical, the park rangers and the rescue service (helicopter).

 

Expenses emerging from abandoning your scheduled itinerary

The itinerary includes group services in order to provide more and better services at a low price. When you abandon the itinerary of your expedition for any reason (like personal reasons, health, etc) you begin to use private services. If you abandon the itinerary, the company covers the transportation from Puente del Inca to Mendoza City by bus line free of charge. The second hotel night in Mendoza city included in your expedition can be used at this moment. If you need extra hotel nights, private transfer or other services originated by the abandonment of the expedition, they shall be considered additional services not included in the price of the expedition.

 

Personal equipment and Sleeping bag

Your personal equipment is not included in the expedition. You can bring it from your country or you the option of either purchasing or hiring all gear needed for your expedition once you are in Mendoza.

 

Porters for personal equipment

The porters may help you to transport your belongings from a camp to another one offering you a better result on the mountain. The costs will depend on the stretch that your equipment will be carried.

 

Others

Personal items such as, but not limited to, excess/overweight baggage, telephone and internet charges, laundry, optional excursions and activities, medical expenses, and anything else not listed as included above.

Tips for Mountain Guides and Porters

International Flights

Meals / drinks and extra nights in Mendoza City

Obligatory Travel / Medical Insurance: You must have adequate travel and health insurance to cover the entire duration of your trip. Your insurance must cover you for trekking up to 7,000 metres. Your medical insurance must cover all medical, transport, accommodation and repatriation costs once you reach the base of the mountain. Evacuation transport and hotel accommodation is not included for non-emergency reasons (i.e. should you decide you do not wish to continue with the climb, or you feel too ill to continue)

 

 

Tour Cost: £3980.00 GBP per person sharing                                                        

Please note: All prices are in British Pounds Sterling GBP and based on 2 passengers sharing. All prices are ‘live’ and are therefore subject to change, exchange rate differentials, and availability until booked and confirmed by us.

 

Additional costs payable separately:

·         Climbing Permit It varies from USD 450 to USD 950 per person depending on nationality, route and departure date.

·         Mandatory Rescue Insurance https://ss.globalrescue.com/#/signup/step1?rp=AconcaguaExpeditions

          Current costs 654 USD per person

·         Additional porter services on request (depending on trekking distance)