Aconcagua 18-day expedition via the Normal Route

Our expedition starts in Mendoza, Argentina. We meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel in the city. We will go over the itinerary once more and get more acquainted with the group and the area.

We obtain individual entrance and ascent permits. and travel to Villa de Penitentes, where we stay at a Hotel in the mountains. We ready ourselves and our gear for transportation to the base camp, by mule.

Today we are driven to Horcones Park, where we can enjoy our first view of Aconcagua. After getting our permits checked at the Ranger station, we begin trekking to Confluencia, a 4-5 hours walk.

We use this day to acclimatize and increase our chances of summiting. We take a 5 hour trek to Plaza Francia, base camp of the looming Aconcagua South Wall. We return to Confluencia camp.

Today is a tough 8-9 hour hike across “Playa Ancha.” We climb up through a very steep path to reach Plaza de Mulas, the largest base camp in Aconcagua Park. By the end of the day, most of us will feel the altitude.

To get accustomed to the altitude, we take an easy first day in Base Camp with plenty of time to rest, bathe, and explore the local terrain.

On this challenging day we gain 650 m with a heavy load, gratefully trekking on easy terrain. After dropping off our equipment we’ll return to Base Camp to take advantage of the comfort and lower altitude.

We take our final rest day at Base Camp to regain our strength, recover, and make final preparations for the ascent to Aconcagua.

The following morning we rise early to begin our ascent. We hike to Camp 1, called “Plaza Canada”. By now the party should feel acclimated, but we will be conscious of the altitude and keep an appropriate pace.

Camp 2, called “Nido de Condores” (Condor Nest), is located in a high pass at 5400 m. and provides a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains.

Today we carry equipment to Camp 3, called “Camp Colera”. After dropping off the equipment, we return to Camp 2 to sleep and give our bodies more time to adjust to the altitude.

We trek 4 hours to Camp 3 on the North Ridge. We spend the afternoon preparing our tents, eating and resting. We assess our status and make preparations for the summit.

This is the most demanding day of the expedition. We climb the North Ridge to Independencia Refuge at approximately 6500 m. We ascend through the “Portezuelo del Viento”, climb “La Canaleta”, and the “Filo del Guanaco”, that leads us to the summit. This arduous effort rewards us a 360° view and the overwhelming feeling of success against all odds.Wwe descend to Camp 3 for the night.

Spare days in case of bad weather conditions. We set aside three extra days to increase our chance of summiting, which is at risk of delay from weather, altitude, and unforeseen circumstances.

Spare days in case of bad weather conditions. We set aside three extra days to increase our chance of summiting, which is at risk of delay from weather, altitude, and unforeseen circumstances.

We descend from Camp 3 to Base Camp. We’ll enjoy a great dinner to celebrate our climb.

Return from base camp to Penitentes and back to Mendoza.After breakfast we begin the descent from Plaza de Mulas to Penitentes. From here we take a private transport to the hotel in Mendoza City, where we will have our last dinner together.

We have breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport, and say goodbye to Argentina.