The Andes crossing by El Portillo Pass

I invite you to a hike, crossing from Mendoza (Argentina) to Chile through the stunning Portillo Pass.

Those vast high valleys interrupted by a lonely mountain hut in the middle of nowhere. The towering rocky walls. The jagged peaks interspersed by the white robes of glaciers. All is still, like in a picture. And we are the main characters of that painting.

The idea is to enter in the middle of the mountain range, ascending by a valley and crossing the Andes through the same place that was walked by General San Martin 200 years ago: The Portillo Pass. A really unforgettable experience.

Here you have a program with the itinerary of this amazing hiking trip in The Andes Mountain Range. I can give you some details about the trail and starting point but the exact route will depend on different factors such as weather conditions and any other group features evaluated by the guide. Please note that this trek can only be done during the months of November, December, January, February and March.

DAY 1: meeting in the morning in Tunuyán, where we will prepare the backpacks and we’ll be transferred to Portinari Hut of National Gendarmerie. We will be registered in migrations book (please don’t forget your identity card. If you do not present it you cannot go out of the country. It is really important!). After that, we walk towards the hut Scaravelli, where we will spend the night and dinner. Hiking time of approx. 4 hours.

DAY 2: Relax day and acclimatization with short hikes. We will be taken to the next camp 3 hours far, ascending gradually in the mountain range up towards Portillo Pass.

DAY 3: We will have breakfast early in the morning so that we can seize the day. It will be a very hard one, with an ascent up to 4.300m and a crossing in Portillo Pass, from where we can admire such a viewpoint: many hills and up-to-6000m-glaciers. Once in there we descend to a new valley already as part of Argentina side. In the afternoon, we will finally reach to La Ollada Camp. Walking time of the day: 10 hours.

DAY 4: A new ascent day among the wardstones that once were witnesses of legendary armies and troops. Today, they are also silent witnesses of our hike, looking how we set up our camp nearby, in the Real Corral de Alambre. Hiking time 5 hours in total.

DAY 5: We get up early again to take advantage of the daylight. Our objective will be approaching to the International Pass. So that, we will hike up to a perfect valley, step by step, until we reach to Las Ovejas Pass, where we will spend the nightcamp. Waking time of today: 7 hours.

DAY 6: Key day, finally we will cross to Chile. As every day of the expedition, we start as earlier as possible. We’ll keep ascending for a couple of hours up to the border pillar of Piuquenes Pass. Pictures, hugs and some snacks to celebrate and recover energies. We will need them to start the descent, this time, among Chilean fields. We will get to the hot springs of Posas del Yeso. From there, we will transfer to the city of Santiago de Chile. Night in a hostel. Total hiking time of this day: 8 hours.

DAY 7: Breakfast and end of our services. Once in Santiago you can visit some places and go shopping. You are also free for going back home. Ask for return options to Argentina or extra accommodation nights in Chile.

These seven day will be undoubtedly unforgettable. You cannot miss this trekking opportunity of crossing the Andes like the emblematic people in the past. Contact me and let’s do it together.