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Aconcagua
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside of Asia, at 6,960.8 metres (22,837 ft), and by extension the highest point in both the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Mendoza Province, Argentina
Aconcagua is bounded by the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and the Valle de los Horcones Inferior to the West and South. The mountain and its surroundings are part of the Aconcagua Provincial Park. The mountain has a number of glaciers. The largest glacier is the Ventisquero Horcones Inferior at about 10 km long, which descends from the south face to about 3600 m altitude near the Confluencia camp. Two other large glacier systems are the Ventisquero de las Vacas Sur and Glaciar Este/Ventisquero Relinchos system at about 5 km long. The most well-known is the north-eastern or Polish Glacier, as it is a common route of ascent.

The Normal route on Aconcagua starts with an acclimatization trekkings to Plaza Francia, and then we made the approach to Plaza de Mulas, a 40 km trek. It takes us three days to get to Plaza de Mulas.

This guarantee a very good acclimatization before start the climbing of Aconcagua. Our suggested program includes two days of double equipment porting and security. When the last stage begins, we go higher and higher until we reach the summit. In the Aconcagua, sometimes the presence of a white wind makes the ascent difficult, this is what we use the security days for thus increasing the chances of reaching the summit.
•Two (2) nights accommodation in a 3* hotel in Mendoza City (Sharing room, Double/Triple occupancy),
Breakfast and taxes included.
•Transport IN-OUT Mendoza-Penitentes by private vehicles.
•Transport IN-OUT Penitentes-Horcones (trailhead) by private vehicles.
•Arnold Coster as a guide and all his expenses.
•One (1) night accommodation in Hotel- Los Penitentes, breakfast & dinner included. (DBL room).
•Assistance with the procedures to obtain the permit to enter the provincial Park Aconcagua.
•Freight mules to carry the personal equipment 10kgs from Penitentes to Confluencia per climber
•Freight mules to carry the personal equipment 20kgs from Penitentes to Plaza de Mulas per climber
•Freight mules to carry the personal equipment 10kgs from Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas per climber
•Freight mules to carry the personal equipment 30kgs from Plaza de Mulas to Penitentes per climber
•Fully equipped dining-room and kitchen and WC tents at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas BC.
•Luggage store-room at Penitentes for the items you won need inside the Park & at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas with guardian.
•02 days of Accommodation at Confluencia + 05 days of Accommodation at Plaza de Mulas in dormitory domes (for 4/8 climbers) or DBL tents, according to availability on the arrival.
•02 days of Full Board at Confluencia + 05 days of Full Board at BC. (Breakfast. Lunch or Lunchbox & Dinner).
•Aconcagua Park Entrance Permit fee: Foreigner Visitor, ASCENT during by Horcones Valley.
•Personal equipment (please check the requested equipment to participate attached in this document).
•Rescue costs or other costs due to the abandonment of the expedition. (Riding mule, pack mule, individual transfers, helicopter flight, extra nights, meals, extra costs for changes in your flight ticket, personal porter service), etc. -
•Personal expenses (tips, laundry, phone, drinks, satellite phone, internet access, showers, and personal porters to carry your personal equipment and your share of the common equipment).
•Extra nights in hotel in case of early return to the city/ in case you don’t use extra days” and decide to come back to Mendoza.
•Transfer out Penitente – Mendoza in case of early returning or abandon the expedition.
•Travel and Medical insurance.
•Meals and Drinks not specified in the itinerary. E.g.: Lunches and Dinners in Mendoza or Uspallata.
•Porter service to the high camps
Day 01 • MENDOZA – Altitude: 760 mts. Our expedition starts in Mendoza, Argentina. We will stay at the hotel in the city. A group meeting will follow and you will be introduced to your guides and team members. Accommodation: Hotel double or triple room. – Transportation: Airport – Hotel in Mendoza.

Day 02 • Mendoza / Penitentes – Altitude: 2700 mts. We will obtain individual entrance and ascent permits. You will be personally assisted in this procedure in our commercial office. After this we travel to Villa de Penitentes, where we stay at a Hotel in the mountain. There we get the equipment ready for transportation to the base camp by mule. Transportation: Mendoza – Penitentes – Accomodation: Hotel – Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 03 • Penitentes / Confluencia – Altitude: 3368 mts. We drive you to Horcones Park, where we get our first view of the mountain. We will get our permits checked at the Ranger station. Then, we head off to Confluencia by walking 4 or 5 hours. Transportation: Penitentes – Horcones – Accommodation: Tents/Dormitory Dome – Meals. Breakfast, Lunch Box & Dinner

Day 04 • Acclimatization trekking to Plaza Francia – Altitude: 4.200 mts. 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/Dormitory Dome – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Box & Dinner

Day 05 • Approach from Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas – Altitude: 4250 mts. After 8-9 hours hiking across “Playa Ancha” and climbing up through a very steep path, we 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/Dormitory Dome– Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Box & Dinner

Day 06 • Rest day at Plaza de Mulas – Altitude: 4250 mts. 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/Dormitory Dome – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 07 • Carry equipment and food to Camp 1 – Altitude: 4900 mts. This is a challenging day where we 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/Dormitory Dome – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Box & Dinner

Day 08 • Rest day at Plaza de Mulas – Altitude: 4.250 mts. This is a day we mainly use to recover energy, to rest, to hydrate ourselves and for abundant meals. Accommodation: Tents/Dormitory Dome – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 09 • Ascent from base camp to Camp 1 – Altitude: 4.900 mts. The following morning we definite start the ascent to Aconcagua. We 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 – Altitude: 5.400 mts. 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 from Camp 2 to Camp 3 – Altitude: 6.000 mts. This day, we carry equipment to Camp 3 called “Camp Colera”. 4hrs Altitude 6000m. We will prepare our tents, eat and rest, to ber ready for summit push. Accommodation: Tents-Meals:Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12 • Summit day – Altitude: 6.962 mts. It is the most demanding day of the expedition. We climb the North Ridge to Independencia Refuge at approximately 6.500 m. We 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 descend to Camp 3. Accommodation: Tents – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13 and 14 • Spare days in case of bad weather conditions. 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 15 • Return to Base Camp. Return from Camp 3 to Base Camp. We’ll enjoy a great dinner to celebrate the experience. Accommodation: Tents/Dormitory Dome – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 16 • Return from base camp to Penitentes and back to Mendoza. We 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. Transportation: Horcones – Penitentes – Mendoza – Accommodation: Hotel double or triple room – Meals:Breakfast, Lunch Box

Day 17 • Mendoza We have breakfast at the hotel. Check Out and end of services
Details
Duration 17 days
Grade
Altitude 6962m
Group Size 5+
Season Winter
Price 4300 USD
Expedition Start 18 January 2019
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