Aconcagua

Aconcagua is located in the heart of Andes Mountain Range in South America. Our 20 day expeditions ascend via the Vacas Valley and descend into the Horcones, a great way to see the mountain from many different aspects As the tallest peak in South America, this iconic peak is one of the "7 Summits", a group of mountains that are the tallest on each continent.

At 22,841', Aconcagua is the tallest peak in South America and also the highest mountain in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres. The winding Vacas Valley is often considered more scenic and secluded than the busy Normal Routa of the Horcones Valley on the western side of the mountain. It not only offers a more pleasant ascent, but also has more shelter from storm systems passing through which can sometimes make the difference in whether a trip is successful in their summit bid.

With over 30 years experience leading expeditions across the globe, AMG has a proven record of safety and success Since 1992 we have held one of the best success rates on Aconcagua. We contribute our success to conservative itineraries with safe buffers for weather and acclimatization, excellent local support from in-country outfitters/guides,

MENDOZA: Our trip will begin and end in Mendoza, located in Argentina on the east slope of the Andes. It is the third largest city in Argentina, in the heart of the local wine country and the climate is hot and sunny. There are many great restaurants to try, as well as some of the world’s finest vineyards to take a winery tour during your free time.

OUR GUIDES: Our Aconcagua guides have extensive experience on the mountain. Their skill and knowledge insure a safe, successful, and fun trip. We also limit the size of our groups and maintain a small guest to guide ratio. The itineraries and camps that we use are designed to provide the best experience on this challenging and rewarding trip!

THE VACAS VALLEY: A more secluded and scenic route for climbing Aconcagua. It follows a winding valley to the remote east side of the mountain. It is a beautiful route with a more gradual and protected ascent route. This route was pioneered by Alaska Mountain Guides owner & founder Sean Gaffney, and we have been guiding it for many years.

ITINERARIES & ALTITUDE: Our itineraries include ample time for rest and acclimatization days. They are designed to provide participants with a positive high altitude experience!

DIFFICULTY: The standard Vacas Traverse offers a relatively non-technical route up Aconcagua. The expedition does involve strenuous hiking above basecamp as we complete a series of hauls and move days bringing heavy 60-70lb packs up the mountain. Optional porter support is available for an additional cost for those concerned about pack weight or wanting an easier experience. Please let us know if you're considering porter support and we can advise on current season pricing for porters -- you can hire them on a per day basis or throughout the entire climb.

PULSE OXIMETERS: Pulse oximeters are small medical instruments that give a digital readout of your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. All our expeditions are equipped with these devices and our guides will take readings throughout the expedition. This essentially provides a reference to how your body is acclimatizing. With this information we can make more informed decisions as to how we can best tailor the trip to meet your individual needs. We use them every step of the way, on every trip to altitude. In our opinion all high altitude guides should have one to help assure your safety!

Trip Itinerary (in a printable PDF format)

Please note that the provided itinerary is an example of the typical trip progression, this is a flexible itinerary subject to change due to weather, mountain conditions, and other factors. This trip is a summit driven expedition and may be shorter or longer in length as weather and conditions permit. Extra days exist within the itinerary to accommodate inclement weather and extra time for acclimatization.

Day 0: Arrive in Mendoza for pre-trip meeting with the guides and other guests. We’ll go over your personal equipment, answer any final questions, and take a stroll over to the local gear shop we work with for rental equipment. Meetings are generally between 4-6PM at the Plaza de Independencia, we recommend staying in a hotel close by for an easy walk to the meeting.

Day 1: Mendoza to Pampa de Leñas We'll pick up guests at their lodging early in the morning, a quick trip by the provincial park offices to collect permits and we're off on a 3-hour drive to Penitentes (the staging point for Aconcagua). Once guides confirm mule support to basecamp and do a brief gear check we'll head to Punta de Vacas (Provincial Park entrance for Vacas Valley) and check in with Aconcagua Rangers to begin our journey. The first approach camp, Pampa de Leñas (9,678'), is approximately 7.5 miles (12km) from Punta de Vacas. Mules will pack in most of our gear and food so the approach to basecamp is with relatively light daypacks.

Day 2: Pampa de Leñas to Casa de Piedra We'll break camp after breakfast and head to our next approach camp on the route to basecamp. Mules will continue to carry our gear on to the next camp as we trek approximately 20 miles with light day packs to Casa de Piedra(10,620'), our final camp before reaching basecamp. Today we'll catch our first real look at the upper slopes of Aconcagua, as we near Casa de Piedra the valley winds to our left and the mountain reveals itself looming large above Plaza Argentina (Vacas basecamp).

Day 3:Casa de Piedra to Plaza Argentina After packing up and heading out from Casa de Piedra, basecamp awaits just 9 miles away. The mules will bring our gear up to Plaza Argentina (13,800') and we'll enjoy the last section of hiking with light day pack loads. Arriving at basecamp in the early afternoon we'll check in with our local support and pick out a campsite for our tents close to the large cook/dining tents and other basecamp amenities.

Day 4: Rest Day We spend a rest day at Base Camp to help lay a solid acclimatization foundation for the rest of the expedition. We will
spend the day organizing equipment and preparing for the climb, guests are encouraged to walk around camp and get some light exercise in to help acclimatize.

Day 5: Carry to Camp 1 Camp 1 is located on a ridge at 16,200ft. The carry will transport food and equipment we'll need later on in the expedition and help our bodies adjust to the higher elevation while going back to sleep/rest at the lower basecamp elevation. The most challenging section is the last hill into Camp 1, we'll enjoy a break after dropping off our cache of gear before heading back down to basecamp.

Day 6: Move to Camp 1 We'll pack up the rest of our gear and move to Camp 1.

Day 7: Rest Day at Camp 1 Rest and acclimatization. Guests are encouraged to hike around camp and get some light exercise.

Day 8: Carry to Camp 2 Camp 2, often referred to as Guanacos is situated at 17,536 and is approximately 2 miles of trekking each way. We'll move some gear and food up to Camp 2 in advance of our move.

Day 9: Move to Camp 2 We'll pack up the rest of our gear at Camp 1 and ascend to Camp 2. There are spectacular views out to the North and in the westward direction towards Chile.

Day 10: Rest Day at Camp 2 Rest and acclimatization. Guests are encouraged to hike around camp and get some light exercise.

Day 11: Carry to High Camp Camp 3 or High Camp is only 1.75 miles from Camp 2, but situated at over 19,000' the progress will be slow and steady as we haul supplies up to our final camp before the summit bid. After staging the supplies we can enjoy a peak down the Horcones route before heading back to Camp 2.

Day 12: Move to High Camp We'll start the day early and attempt to settle into High Camp by early afternoon. Summit bids begin early so we'll get everyone situated for an early bed time ahead of our summit bid.

Day 13: Summit Day Summit day typically begins around 5:00 am. We climb the North Ridge to Refugio Independencia at approximately 21,400’. From there we traverse the West Face and climb up into the Canaleta, an 800’ couloir that leads to the summit ridge. From the top of the Canaleta we follow the Guanaco Ridge with stunning views on the traverse to the summit. On top we have a spectacular 360º view. All around you will see the Andes Mountains consisting of several 20,000’ peaks, including another of the highest peaks in South America, Mercedario. To the west lies Chile and the Pacific Ocean, and to the east, the plains of Argentina. From the summit you will be able to look directly down the 9,000’ South Face of Aconcagua, an amazing and stark contrast to the north side of the mountain. Getting to the summit is only the first part of the day, our return to High Camp will take several hours following the summit, be sure to conserve energy for the return to camp!

Day 14: High Camp to Plaza de Mulas We’ll descend the Horcones Normal Route to Plaza Mulas. We carry all of our equipment in one load for the 6,000 foot descent. Many guests opt for porter support on this day even if they haven't used porters up to this point -- it's optional and costs extra but can ease the burden on our descent. After arriving at basecamp on the Horcones side we'll set up tents and enjoy a nice dinner in one of the large cook/dining shelters -- wine or other beverages are available for an additional cost.

Day 15: Plaza de Mulas to Penitentes We’ll hike 18 miles from Plaza Mulas to Puente del Inca (the park gates on Horcones side) and return to Penitentes. We’ll utilize mules to carry the majority of our equipment to Puente del Inca and carry only light day packs. From Penitentes we’ll load gear into the sprinter van and return to Mendoza.

Day 16 - 20: Contingency Days The expedition has several contingency days structured into the itinerary. These may be used at any point or not needed at all. These extra days are designed to allow flexibility in the schedule and optimize the chance of summitting. Having the flexibility to sit out bad weather or give guests additional time to acclimatize is a critical part of our safety and success on the mountain.

Day 21: Depart Most guests will arrange their flight home this day, though some may choose to remain in Argentina a bit longer and enjoy some of the local attractions near Mendoza.

Trip Documents:

• Trip Itinerary – Vacas Traverse – Printable detailed trip itinerary.
• Equipment List – Overview of personal clothing and equipment that you’ll need for this trip.
• Registration Form  – Outlines policies, and essential information.  One required per participant.
• Health Form – This form enables our guides to have accurate health information in the event of an emergency.
• Acknowledgement of Risk Form  – One required per participant over the age of 18.

What is included in the trip price:

• Climbing Equipment & group expedition gear – group camping equipment, tents, stoves, etc…
• Expedition food – all food while out in the field
• Transportation during trip – transport to Aconcagua and mule services for gear to basecamp
• Professional guides – Our guides have extensive knowledge of the area and a passion for climbing in wild places.

Guests are responsible for the following:

• Personal clothing & equipment – review the equipment list included under “Documents”
• Food & Lodging in town – Mendoza has a variety of great options
• Trip insurance – Travel insurance is required for all international programs
• Airfare & Travel Costs – getting to/from Argentina is not included in the trip price
• Porter Services - optional porter support is available for an additional cost - please bring cash to pay porters directly
• Reviewing trip policies – please reference our policies page for policies regarding payment, cancellations, refunds and guest responsibilities.
• Gratuities

To Book your adventure, follow the steps below:

1. 1. Please call to confirm availability at 1-800-766-3396 or fill out an online form to request more information via this link:
3. Place a deposit of $500 or 25% of trip cost (whichever is less) to reserve your spot: this can be place over the phone by credit card, check in the mail, or through our payment gateway.
4. Once you’ve reserved your spot, you’ll receive a welcome packet with all the necessary registration forms and trip information.
5. We kindly ask that you submit all of the necessary trip registration information at least 45 days prior to your trip.

Feel free to call or email anytime if you have questions about your upcoming trip. Our team is excited to help you prepare for your adventure!

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