Ascent to Mount Aconcagua, 6962 m
18-day climbing trip to the summit of Mount Aconcagua, the highest mountain in America at 6962 m, together with a certified guide.
Private
Andes
18 Days
Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec
Very high
Intermediate
Highlights
- Go for the summit of one of the world's most famous mountains
- Improve your chances of reaching the summit with extra acclimatization days
- Join a guide who has been leading Aconcagua expeditions for 10+ years
Description
Do you dream to reach the summit of America? This expedition takes you to the top of Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside the Himalayas.
Climbing Aconcagua through the normal route doesn’t have any technical difficulties. However, you’ll need a good acclimatization and excellent physical shape.
The ascent through the normal is easy from a technical point of view, we don’t need to do rock or ice climbing, and we reach the summit walking with our trekking poles. Previous experience in progression along a fixed rope is not mandatory. Although the slope is never steeper than 35°, we may have to use crampons and ice axe.
The main difficulty in climbing Aconcagua is given by high altitude. The approach and acclimatization stages demand a physical condition strong enough to bare walking between 6 and 8 hours per day.
The round trip from the last high altitude camp to the summit and back may take more than 12 hours, depending on the level of training and acclimatization.
There’s no age limit for Aconcagua. Many climbers +65 reach the summit.
Besides, you’ll need to be well equipped against the cold, as temperatures can go down very low.
I’ve been guiding expeditions in this mountain for 10 years, with a very experienced team. I also prepare special expeditions for vegetarians, with high quality home-made food.
I propose two different options to climb this mountain.
The traditional one as described in the itinerary is with acclimatization in Aconcagua. The other one is with previous acclimatization in Vallecitos. It’s a valley 80 kilometers away from Mendoza, with peaks over 5000m. This allows us to discover a new place and have a more dynamic expedition. Changing the scenery helps to keep motivation high. In Vallecitos we spend a couple of nights in a very cosy mountain refuge (Refugio Mausy), and a couple more in tents. We will ascend some peaks over 4000 mt. Then we will move to the Aconcagua area for approximately 11 days where we will continue the acclimatization and then go for the final climb.
Please contact me if you want to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure, with a local experienced guide and the best services.
Price includes
- Accommodation included
- Guiding fee
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Transportation start and back
- Porters
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Mendoza city (760m)
We receive you in the airport ant take you to the hotel. Trip briefing with the guides, who will check your personal equipment and assist if something is missing.
Services included: Private transport airport-hotel. Lodging in hotel.
Day 2: From Mendoza to Penitentes (2700m)
The guides will assist you to get the ascent permit, and we will then drive to Penitentes village. There we will prepare and deliver the luggage that will be carried by the mules.
Services included: Private transport Mendoza-Penitentes. Lodging in hotel. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3: From Penitentes to Confluencia (3400m)
Short transfer from Penitentes to Horcones, to the entrance of Aconcagua Park. Trekking to Confluencia camp passing through Horcones lagoon, where we can see native birds.
Services included: Private transport Penitentes-Horcones. Luggage transport in mules, up to 30 kg per person. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4: Acclimatization trek
Acclimatization trek from Confluencia to Plaza Francia, to see the majestic South Face of Aconcagua, and back to Confluencia.
Services included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 5: Trek from Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas
Trek from Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp (4250m). We will walk through Playa Ancha, a beautiful dry and colorful valley, and framed by +5000m peaks. Plaza de Mulas is the biggest and fully serviced Base Camp, at the base of Aconcagua’s West Face.
Day 6: Resting Day in Plaza de Mulas
During this day we will have a medical control and we will organize the equipment we will take to the high altitude camps.
Services included: Medical control. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 7: Acclimatization ascent to Cerro Bonete (5000m)
From the summit we will appreciate wonderful views of Aconcagua’s West Face, and the route we will use for the ascent.
Services included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 8: Equipment portage to Plaza Canada (4900m)
We will carry 6 kg of food and equipment to Plaza Canada, our first altitude camp, and then go back to Plaza de Mulas.
Services included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 9: Resting day in Plaza de Mulas
This day is fundamental to reorganize our equipment and renew energy before starting the final ascent to Aconcagua.
Services included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 10: Ascent to camp in Plaza Canadá (4900m)
With the acclimatization stage completed, we start the ascent! As from this day the weather and our contact with nature is more intense, proper of high altitude environment.
Services included: Porters for team equipment. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 11: Ascent to Nido de Cóndores (5500m)
Ascent to Nido de Cóndores (5500m), our second high altitude camp. From Nido de Cóndores nothing meets the eye other than endless mountains and the horizon line.
Services included: Porters for team equipment. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 12: Equipment portage to Cólera Camp (6000m)
During this day we will go up and carry the necessary food and equipment we will need for Cólera Camp, and then down again to Nido de Cóndores.
Services included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 13: Ascent to Cólera Camp
Once there, we will start getting ready for the summit push the following day. The guides will check the physical condition of every member of the group, paying attention if they are properly acclimatized and motivated to go for the summit.
Services included: Porters for team equipment. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 14: SUMMIT DAY!
On day 14 we will do our summit push, to get to the 6962m of the peak.
We start before dawn, following the north face of Aconcagua until Independencia refuge. From there we will cross Portezuelo del Viento, and do a horizontal traverse towards the west face of the mountain, to a place called the Canaleta. The summit seems really close from there! But we still have to follow the Guanaco ridge, after which we do a few steps to reach the summit of Aconcagua! From there we will enjoy breathtaking views of the main summits of the Central Andes, and feel that America is under our feet. We then start the descent to Cólera, where we will spend the night.
Services included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 15: Descent to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp
We will dismantle the camp in Colera, and go down to the comfort and services of Plaza de Mulas Base Camp.
Services included: Porters for team equipment. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 16: Return to Mendoza city
After delivering the equipment that will be carried out by the mules, we start our trekking back to Horcones valley, exit gate of Aconcagua Park. Our private transport will be waiting there to take us back to Mendoza.
Services included: Mules. Private transport Horcones-Mendoza. Breakfast and Lunch.
Day 17: Breakfast in the hotel, and end of the trip
Day 18 to 20: Backup days
Backup days in case of bad weather, or other contingency that forces us to modify our itinerary.
Services included: Tent accommodation. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Details
More info
What is included in cost: • Private transport (Airport-Hotel in Mendoza, Mendoza-Penitentes, Penitentes-Horcones, Horcones-Mendoza). • Certified mountain guides (1 every 3 or 4 clients). • Mules to carry up to 30 kg of personal equipment per person to Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas camps. You need to have an appropriate bag where to put your luggage to be carried by mules. • Porters to take the team equipment (tents, cooking equipment, fuel) to the high altitude camps. You have the possibility of hiring a personal porter. • 2 nights of hotel accommodation in Mendoza, 1 night in Penitentes. • All meals in the mountain, as detailed in the itinerary. All mountain meals are homemade high performance nutritive and natural meals. We can also prepare options for vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free meals.
What is not included in cost: • Access permit to Aconcagua Provincial Park. • Personal Equipment. • Rescue expenses, or other extra expenses generated if you abandon the expedition. • Personal insurance. • Extra hotel nights if you decide to go back earlier to Mendoza. • Meals in Mendoza city. • Personal Porter: USD900 for the hole trip and it's not necessary to hire this service in advance. • Tips
Meeting point
FAQs
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About the guide
Pablo
5.0
(3)
Mountain Guide
I am an EPGAMT mountain guide and I live in Mendoza, Argentina.
I’ve been guiding for more than 10 years, in which I specialized in high altitude mountains in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. I work a lot in expeditions to Aconcagua, where I've been leader of almost 30 expeditions.
This experience made me realize that the mountaineers who are vegetarians don’t have a quality offer in Aconcagua, that’s why I’m developing ‘Aconcagua Vegetariano’, that will offer expeditions with homemade fully vegetarian meals with the necessary dietary value to go to high altitude.
For those who are not vegetarians I also have a very tasty option based mostly in homemade meals. Acclimatization to high altitude is a delicated physiological process not so compatible with industrialized food.
In the past I lived in Italy and Brazil, and I speak several languages. This allows me manage groups from different parts of the world, and understand the requirements and distinctive features of the people that come to do mountain sports in the Andes.
Other than guiding in the mountain, I also do wine tours in the region, and I am very interested in ecological construction techniques.
Languages
Portuguese | Italian | French | English
Certificates
EPGAMT
What people are saying about this trip
Michael
Pablo is a fantastic guide. He is extremely professional and always made me feel calm. I highly recommend him and can assure all climbers that they will be in safe, friendly hands.
Kylie
Pablo is highly professional as he is very knowledgeable about mountains. Safety is high in Pablo's priorities and one is bound to feel the he is confident about what he does. He guided me in 2013 to summit the 7000mtrs a Agoncagua, a summit that I will remember all my life.
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