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Climbing Mount Aconcagua, 18 days
Join one of the Andes mountains' top guides on an 18-day mountain climbing trip to the summit of Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America!
Andes
18 Days
Jan, Feb, Dec
Extremely Fit
Intermediate
Highlights
- Join one of the most experienced guides of the Andes to the top of Aconcagua.
- Live a truly unforgettable experience in the Andes mountains.
- Climb one of the world's Seven Summits!
Description
Climbing Aconcagua is a mountaineering feat you will never forget! Join me on this 18-day program and discover the most iconic mountain of the Andes!
Mount Aconcagua (6961 m) is the highest summit in Argentina and also in the Americas. It’s located in the Andes Mountains, 112 kilometres away from the city of Mendoza.
This is an 18-day expedition via the Normal Route. During the first days, we’ll do acclimatization trekkings to Plaza Francia. Then, we’ll trek 40 kilometers in three days and reach Plaza de Mulas while enjoying the beautiful Andean landscapes. After that, we’ll be ready to start climbing Aconcagua. For further details about this trip, you can find the itinerary and the next departure dates below.
Keep in mind that one of the advantages of this route is that it offers a medical service in Confluencia, which provides wider medical support. Also, the approaching camp is set permanently and the distance between high camps is very regular and short in comparison with other routes. Therefore, acclimatization will be easier. Furthermore, white wind is one of the most common obstacles during the climb. We have taken this into account and scheduled in extra days to increase the chances of reaching the summit.
So, are you ready for the rush of climbing to the top of the highest mountain in all of the Americas? Then contact me now and let’s start planning an adventure of a lifetime! I will be happy to be your guide to the top of this iconic peak!
Itinerary
Day 1: Mendoza
Our expedition starts in Mendoza, Argentina.
A representative of INKA Expediciones will be waiting for you at the airport.
We will stay at the hotel in the city. A group meeting will follow and you will meet the team members.
Accommodation: Hotel double or triple room.
Day 2: Penitentes
We will obtain individual entrance and ascent permits.
You will be personally assisted in this procedure.
After this we’ll travel to Villa de Penitentes, where we’ll stay at a Hotel in the mountain.
There we’ll get the equipment ready for transportation to the base camp, by mule.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner.
Day 3: Penitentes / Confluencia (3368 m)
We’ll drive you to Horcones Park, where we’ll get our first view of the mountain.
We will get our permits checked at the Ranger station.
Then, we’ll head off to Confluencia by walking 4 or 5 hours.
Accommodation: Tents
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 4: Trek to Plaza Francia (4200 m)
We’ve included this day in order to acclimatize better, and give you more chances to summit. We’ll trek for about 5 hours until we arrive to Plaza Francia, base camp of the impressive Aconcagua South Wall. This is one of the nicest points of the expedition.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 5: Confluencia / Plaza de Mulas (4250 m)
After 8-9 hours hiking across Playa Ancha and climbing up through a very steep path, we’ll reach Plaza de Mulas, the biggest base camp in Aconcagua Park.
By the end of the day, most of us will feel the altitude.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 6: Rest day at Plaza de Mulas
The first day in Base Camp is always a rest day and a good occasion to take a bath and explore the local terrain.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 7: Carry equipment to camp 1
This is a challenging day where we’ll gain 1.000 m. with a heavy load on easy terrain.
Then we’ll return to Base Camp. It’s important to take advantage of the comfort and lower altitude at Base Camp.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 8: Rest day at Plaza de Mulas
This is a day we mainly use to recover energy, to rest, to hydrate ourselves and for abundant meals.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 9: Ascent to Camp 1 (4900 m)
The following morning we’ll start the ascent to Aconcagua.
We’ll move to Camp 1, called Plaza Canada. Until now, we were working on get an optimal acclimatization. We want everyone to have the best possible chance to do summit.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 10: Move to Camp 2 (5400 m)
Camp 2, called Nido de Condores (meaning Condor Nest), is located in a high pass at 5.400 m. and provides a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 11: Carry equipment to Camp 3
This day, we’ll carry equipment to Camp 3 called Camp Colera. After carrying the equipment up, we’ll return to Camp 2 to sleep, to give our bodies more chances to acclimatize.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 12: Ascent to Camp 3 (6000 m)
We’ll start a 4 hours walk to Camp 3, located on the North Ridge. We will prepare our tents and eat and rest, to be ready to get the summit.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 13: Summit day (6961 m)
It is the most demanding day of the expedition.
We’ll climb the North Ridge to Independencia Refuge at approximately 6.500 m. We’ll ascend through the Portezuelo del Viento , climb La Canaleta, and the Filo del Guanaco, that leads us to the summit.
The prize is waiting for us, a 360° view and the experience of overcoming, that you only finally understand once you reach it.
At the end of this experience, we’ll descend to Camp 3.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 14 to 15: Spare days
We have three extra days set aside on our itinerary to attempt summit.
These extra days are built in to provide the best possible conditions for each participant to summit.
Accommodation:Tents Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 16: Return to Base Camp
Return from Camp 3 to Base Camp. We’ll enjoy a great dinner to celebrate the experience.
Accommodation: Tents.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 17: Base Camp / Penitentes / Mendoza
We’ll have breakfast and then start the descent from Plaza de Mulas to Penitentes.
There is a private transport waiting for us to take us to the hotel in Mendoza City.
Accommodation: Hotel, double or triple room.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Day 18: Mendoza
We have breakfast at the hotel. Check out and end of services.
Details
Accommodation - Two (2) nights accommodation at a three-star hotel in Mendoza City (prices based on double or triple occupancy), breakfast included.
- One (1) night accommodation at Penitentes, breakfast and dinner included.
- Tents. |
More info About the client-guide ratio: Up to 3 clients: 1 Guide for the whole expedition 4 clients: 1 Guide for the whole expedition + 1 assistant for Base Camp-Summit-Base Camp From 5 to 8 clients: 2 Guides for the whole expedition 9 clients: 2 Guides for the whole expedition + 1 assistant for Base Camp-Summit-Base Camp From 10 to 12 clients: 3 Guides for the whole expedition Basic equipment required (you can rent it on site) a) Clothing: Light Weight Long Underwear. Expedition Weight Long Underwear. Fleece Jacket. Fleece Trousers. Parka. Jacket. Waterproof/breathable. Wind Pants. Waterproof/breathable. b) Headgear: Sun hat. Balaclava. Wool or pile ski hat. Head lamp. Glacier glasses. c) Hands: Synthetic gloves. Mittens. Gore-Tex over mitts. d) Footwear: Light hiking boots or trekking shoes. Climbing double (or triple) plastic or synthetic boots. Gaiters. Wool socks. Liner socks. e) Climbing Equipment: Ice axe. Crampons. Ski poles. f) Camping: Backpack. -20°C Sleeping bag. Ridge Rest sleeping pad. Therma rest pad. Dish, glass, knife, spoon and fork. Pocketknife. Water bottles. Pee bottle. Pee Funnel (for women). Sunscreen. Lip screen. Personal first aid kit. g) Traveling: Large duffel bag with lock. Smaller duffel with lock. Plastic bags. Travel clothes. Toiletry bag. Camera gear. Should you hire the help of a porter? If you have never carried a backpack of 20kgs over 5000 or 6000 meters, you have to know that it's a very demanding physical activity. You need to be very well trained. Otherwise, we recommend you hire the services of a personal porter to have a better chance of reaching the top. It is very common to hire a porter (around 1000USD). If you do that, you'll carry a backpack of around 35-60 liters. Trash and personal waste It is mandatory to remove everything from the mountain. You can't leave food behind just because you are exhausted from carrying it. So please think about this carefully when organizing your backpack. The same happens with trash and personal waste: nothing can stay on High Camps. 1) NON-STOP FLIGHT OPTIONS FROM LONDON TO MENDOZA (*) From London to Buenos Aires:
From Buenos Aires to Mendoza:
2) NON-STOP FLIGHT OPTIONS FROM NEW YORK TO MENDOZA (*) From New York to Buenos Aires: -Airline: United EWR–EZE (11 h 5 m) US$1,005 round trip - Airline: American - LATAM Operated by American Airlines for Latam Airlines Argentina JFK–EZE (10 h 44 m) US$1,083 round trip - Airline: Aerolineas Argentinas - Delta JFK–EZE (10 h 55 m) US$1,270 round trip From Buenos Aires to Mendoza:
(*) Total price includes taxes + fees for 1 adult. Additional bag fees and other fees may apply. |
Meeting point Mendoza. |
Photos
About the guide
Mendoza based company specialized in expeditions and trekkings to Mt. Aconcagua. All the trips are run by the best certified and professional guides, with unrivalled logistics and infrastructure.
Deal opportunities
Join an existing group and pay much less
Nov 24, 2022 - Dec 11, 2022
USD 4403 per traveller
Dec 05, 2022 - Dec 22, 2022
USD 4403 per traveller
Dec 12, 2022 - Dec 29, 2022
USD 4403 per traveller
Dec 19, 2022 - Jan 05, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Dec 26, 2022 - Jan 12, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Jan 02, 2023 - Jan 19, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Jan 16, 2023 - Feb 02, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Jan 23, 2023 - Feb 09, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Jan 30, 2023 - Feb 16, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Feb 06, 2023 - Feb 23, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
Feb 13, 2023 - Mar 02, 2023
USD 4403 per traveller
What people are saying about this trip
Matthew M.
5.00
January, 2022
Awesome!
Luc Morin
5.00
January, 2019
It was a true life experience. I enjoy every moment of it. Our guides were excellent and inka facilities for this journey were up to par with what I expected.
Ken
5.00
April, 2018
I’m writing this short review as I’m often asked by climbing friends who shall I climb with on Aconcagua? Let me tell you !hand on my heart INKA is the best on the mountain.! I have climbed across the globe Alaska, Andes, Himalaya and in the Karakoram in Pakistan. I have have utilised INKA on two occasions and I believe they have the best knowledge and logistics on the mountain. Their staff care about YOU.. as you are their number one priority. They will ensure your time on the mountain is safe and you return safe even if you don’t reach the summit. So many times I have watched operators in other countries guiding clients to the summit when they should have been turned around, this has been with drastic results. That is why I always use professional companies and word of mouth . Trust me INKA are the best. Aconcagua is a tough challenge high altitudes coupled by sometimes extreme cold , require you to be fit mentally and physically. I have in the past fell to AMS and had to turn around near a summit, that is the smart thing to do.! Better to go home and re plan , the mountain will always be there. I’ve lost friends on mountains and speak from experience. INKA guides are registered and highly experienced, they will watch you carefully and monitor your oxygen levels and general well being throughout your climb. There is an excellent set up at Plaza de Mulas where if you need a rest day you will be cared for. Many of my friends have used INKA and I will continue to recommend them for their expertise I’m writing this short review as I’m often asked by climbing friends who shall I climb with on Aconcagua? Let me tell you !hand on my heart INKA is the best on the mountain.! I have climbed across the globe Alaska, Andes, Himalaya and in the Karakoram in Pakistan. I have have utilised INKA on two occasions and I believe they have the best knowledge and logistics on the mountain. Their staff care about YOU.. as you are their number one priority. They will ensure your time on the mountain is safe and you return safe even if you don’t reach the summit. So many times I have watched operators in other countries guiding clients to the summit when they should have been turned around, this has been with drastic results. That is why I always use professional companies and word of mouth . Trust me INKA are the best. Aconcagua is a tough challenge high altitudes coupled by sometimes extreme cold , require you to be fit mentally and physically. I have in the past fell to AMS and had to turn around near a summit, that is the smart thing to do.! Better to go home and re plan , the mountain will always be there. I’ve lost friends on mountains and speak from experience. INKA guides are registered and highly experienced, they will watch you carefully and monitor your oxygen levels and general well being throughout your climb. There is an excellent set up at Plaza de Mulas where if you need a rest day you will be cared for. Many of my friends have used INKA and I will continue to recommend them for their expertise
Ricardo Santucci
5.00
March, 2018
the infrastructure supporting the expedition is perfect and the team very professional. Really Aconcagua Specialists!!
Jens Hauge Andersen
5.00
March, 2018
The guide was not Sebastian Tetilla but Javier Guiterez and Matias Hidalgo Nicosia
Alejandra Bazzi
5.00
February, 2018
They totally rock! They made everything to be perfect. Best in town if you are thinking about Aconcagua. Professionals, they are passionate about what they do. Long story short: contact them and let the game begin!
Armand Comeau
3.00
February, 2018
Just one thing; Ivan don't understand my need in base camp when I ask for a single tent at this place. I think with a single tent that was more easy for me to sleep. But In generally Ivan and Juan Pedro are good boys. It's diificult for me to rate Guide and Trip. I didn't finished. I can rate only for the half trip.
Fernando Gemi
5.00
January, 2018
Great and lovely people !! Everything was very professional. We had a great time in our treeking. We hope see you soon. Special tks to Fer Palacio and Ariel. Abraços do Brasil!!
Matthew
5.00
January, 2018
Extremely happy with the whole experience. These guys will go an extra mile to help your dreams come true. You can book it with full confidence!
Amir
5.00
January, 2017
Great experience !!! Every thing was was perfect! From the people in the office, to the staff on the mountain and the very professional guide. Anybody did his best to give me my perfect experience!!! Thank you
Peter
5.00
January, 2017
I have completed an expedition to Cerro Aconcagua with Inka Expeditions. Everything was very well organized and extremely well executed. Thanks to efforts of the people in the office, the gauchos, the friendly and professional staff at the Base Camp, strong porters and our excellent guides Vito Magni and Damien Colson, 4 out 5 of us were able to reach the summit on Jan. 30/17 in difficult conditions. If anybody wants his dreams to become true, should not hesitate to contact Inka expeditions.Thank you very much to everyone...
Prices per person
Group of 1 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 2 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 3 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 4 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 5 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 6 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 7 | USD 4403 Each |
Group of 8 | USD 4403 Each |
Want a different number of travellers?
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation included
- Transportation start and back
- Transport during the trip
- Group porters
- Personal porters
- Mules and horses
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Camping equipment tents
Price details
These items are not included in the price:
- Aconcagua Park climbing fee (tax charged by Mendoza government, according to dates. Last season, the permit fee costed USD800 on high season per person).
- Personal equipment.
- Rescue or all other costs due to the abandoning of the expedition.
- Extra nights in the hotel in Mendoza.
- Meals in Mendoza.
- Any other item not listed as included.
- Out of the total amount, USD400 are a non-refundable deposit.
Porters can carry up to 30kg per person from Penitentes to Plaza de Mulas and back.
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