Aconcagua 360 – Aconcagua Visión

Aconcagua 360°

Explore Both Faces of Aconcagua

This is an excellent route to fully enjoy the experience, where you will explore both access valleys of Aconcagua. The ascent begins at a lower altitude, making the approach to the base camp more gradual, which helps our bodies acclimatize better to the altitude. The route is warmer and more pleasant due to its eastward orientation. In the high camps, fresh water runs in small streams, making hydration easier and more efficient.

See route

Aconcagua 360°

Physical Level | Intermediate.

Technical level | Low.

Duration | 20 days.

Dates | 23/12 – 18/01

Itinerary

Day 1	Airport-Mendoza city (760 m.)	Welcome! On this first day, our guides will pick you up at the airport. Once we gather all the luggage, we’ll head to the city, where you’ll check into your hotel. After lunch, there will be an individual equipment check. In the afternoon, we’ll hold a briefing to introduce the participants and guides leading the expedition.
Day 2	Mendoza City – Puente del Inca (2000m)	After breakfast, we’ll head to the Aconcagua Park offices to purchase the ascent permits. We’ll assist you with money exchange and payment. After returning to the hotel to collect our luggage, we’ll take a transfer to Uspallata Valley. Midday lunch will be at a typical mountain restaurant. Overnight at Gran Hotel Uspallata. Free afternoon to enjoy the hotel’s park or pool.
Day 3	Puente del Inca – Punta de Vacas (2450m) – Pampa de Leñas (2800m)	We’ll transfer to the park entrance at Punta de Vacas for check-in. A 4-hour trek along the mule trail by the Vacas River will take us to our first camp at Pampa de Leñas. The trail is simple and without difficulties. Once at the camp, we’ll set up tents and enjoy a delicious countryside barbecue with fresh salads, prepared by the guides and muleteers.
Day4	Pampa de Leñas – Casa de Piedras (3200m)	We’ll cross a bridge to change sides of the river, where the valley opens up, offering incredible views of the central Andes. A 5-hour trek takes us to the Casa de Piedras camp, where we’ll first see Mount Aconcagua, as the Vacas Valley merges with the Relinchos Gorge—the route we’ll take the following day. Free afternoon.
Day 5	Casa de Piedras – Plaza Argentina Base Camp (4200m)	We’ll start earlier than usual to cross the Vacas River with the help of mules and muleteers, then ascend to the base camp over a 5-hour trek. Once at Plaza Argentina Base Camp, we’ll feel at home, enjoying all its amenities for the next four days. Free afternoon.
Day 6	Active Rest – Cerro Colorado (4800m)	After breakfast, we’ll take a 3-hour trek to Cerro Colorado. Afterward, we’ll return to camp for lunch. Free afternoon.
Day 7	Carry to Camp 1 – Return to Plaza Argentina (6 hours total)	We’ll carry food and supplies to be used in the high camps. All participants contribute, as this helps with acclimatization. Upon returning, enjoy a hot shower or a tasty Nespresso.
Day 8	100% Relaxation	A free day to rest and finalize details for the high-altitude days. In the afternoon, we’ll prepare and send gear not needed in the higher camps to Puente del Inca.
Day 9	Plaza Argentina – Camp 1 (4900m, 5 hours)	Ascent to Camp 1. Once there, we’ll settle into the tents prepared by the porters. Rest.
Day 10	Carry to Camp 2 Guanacos (5500m, 5 hours total)	We’ll carry food and equipment to Camp 2 Guanacos, then return to Camp 1. Rest in the afternoon.
Day 11	Camp 1 – Camp 2 Guanacos (5500m)	Ascent to Camp 2 Guanacos. Porters will transport and set up tents.
Day 12	Camp 2 Guanacos – Camp Berlin (6000m)	Guides will evaluate the group’s condition and weather forecasts to decide whether to rest at Camp 2 or proceed to Camp Colera.
Day 13	Berlin – Summit (6962m) – Colera	Summit day! Starting early in the morning, we’ll maintain a slow, steady pace. We’ll make extended stops at "Independencia," "La Cueva," and finally reach the summit. Afterward, we’ll descend as a group to Camp Colera.
Day 14	Berlin – Plaza de Mulas (4300m)	Descend to the west valley base camp, Plaza de Mulas. This 4-5 hour trek will end with celebrations in our comfortable domes. Connect to Wi-Fi to share the great news: We reached the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere!
Day 15	Plaza de Mulas – Horcones (8-9 hours) – Uspallata	We’ll trek to the park exit at Horcones, stopping at Confluencia camp to hydrate. After checking out at the ranger station, we’ll transfer to Gran Hotel Uspallata for our final night in the mountains.
Day 16	Puente del Inca – Mendoza City	Return to Mendoza City and check into the hotel.
Day 17	Extra Days for Weather Delays	Spare days in case of unforeseen delays
Day 18	Extra Days for Weather Delays	Spare days in case of unforeseen delays
Day 19	Extra Days for Weather Delays	Spare days in case of unforeseen delays
Day 20	Mendoza City – Airport	Breakfast and transfer to the airport for your return home.

All transfers: Airport-In/Out, Mendoza-Uspallata-Aconcagua.
2 nights at NH 4* Hotel in Mendoza (double occupancy, breakfast included).
2 nights at Gran Hotel Uspallata (double occupancy, breakfast included).
Assistance with Aconcagua ascent permit.
Mules for gear transport (25 kg per person).
Full meals and drinks in the mountains.
Base camp amenities: heated domes, showers, internet, electricity, and more.
High-quality camping and trekking equipment.
Certified multilingual guides.

•Aconcagua ascent permit.
Personal equipment (guides can assist with rentals).
Expenses due to expedition abandonment.
Lunches/dinners in Mendoza or Uspallata.
Satellite phone calls from base camp.
Additional nights in hotels not included in the program.
Services not listed under “Included Services.”

Equipment

Download Equipment.pdf

DownJacket

Gore-tex-Jacket

Softshell-Jacket

Fleece-sweater

Shirts

Thermal-underwear

primaloft-trousers

mountain-trousers

Gore-tex-trousers

buff

warm-cup

balaclava

hat

inner-gloves

gloves-light

mittens

shoes

sandals

trekking-boots

alpine-boots

crampons

headlamp

sunglasses

pocket-knife

watch

telescopic-ski-poles

bottle

thermos

sleeping-bag

thermarest

backpack

duffle

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FAQ

When arriving to Mendoza airport, someone picks me up? If my luggage does not arrive with my flight, how do I reclaim it? How do I get it?

Our guides always pick up their passengers. If your luggage has not arrived with you, the guide will arrange issues with the company and send the file number to our offices to do the follow-up via internet and telephone. Once recovered, is sent to wherever the passenger is located at that moment (Hotel in Mendoza/Puente del Inca/base camp).

Can I reserve a single room in hotels? Can I have a single tent just for me?

Every passenger, when confirming the expedition reservation, can choose a single room with a preferential fare. They can also choose single tents up to base camp, or during the whole expedition for an extra cost.

Luggage for the city or that I do not want to take with me to the mountain can be stored in Uspallata or Puente del Inca?

In Uspallata hotel we have a private Andes Vision storage room to deposit our expedition goods and luggage.

In Puente del Inca we have our Operations Centre where luggage can also be stored, with no extra fees in both cases.

How do I get the ascension permit? How much does it cost?

Aconcagua Vision manages the preform with the passengers’ data, previous to their arrival. Afterwards, you do the payment in Mendoza assisted by the local guide. It is important for you to have enough cash, because it is the only way to do it. With the payment invoice and the preform, guide and passengers go together to the administration offices and get the permit.

Park authorities do not define the current fees until 2 or 3 weeks prior to the beginning of the season on November 15th. To check the costs you can access the following link:

http://formulariosambiente.mendoza.gov.ar/images/aconcagua/Tarifas%20PPA%202016-2017.pdf

Note: Every passenger taking expeditions with local companies get a discount on their permit.

When we start hiking, does our equipment come with us? Do we have access to it along the way?

Mules go generally faster than the group. Both in Pioneers route as in 360° route mules are going to leave our luggage in every intermediate camp so we can take our belongings before arriving to the base camp. Therefore we DON’T have access to them while hiking, but we DO HAVE access on destination.

This is the main reason why our guides always recommend not taking unnecessary elements during the hike.

May I take electric/electronic devices such as IPod, I pad, Photo camera and/or shaving machines?

Of course you do, in fact is recommendable to bring your own favourite music to listen in relax moments, or to share it in base camps through the Bluetooth loudspeakers in our domes. They are also equipped with 220 Volts 24 hours a day, guaranteeing you full charged batteries when departing to high altitude camps.

Base camp tip: Our domes have wooden floors and gas heating, making them really comfy even on cold and/or snowy days. It is recommended to bring light and comfortable house shoes or sleepers such as Crocs, which we can use all around the basecamp and in high altitude camps to go to toilette or move between tents.

Can I take part of the expedition if I am celiac or vegetarian?

Of course you do. We always recommend mentioning in advance any special requirement with food or medical conditions, for our personnel to have it in mind and plan ahead the expedition.

Should I take any climbing or technical gear for the Pioneers route or 360° route?

Aconcagua Vision highly recommends the use of helmet, because on summit day there is a risk of rock droppings on the big couloir (See suggested equipment list).

Should I take cash to the expedition?

You only need to have cash with you for the permit and for the restaurants in Mendoza and Uspallata, not included in the services provided. We also recommend you to take some more in case you decide to use some personal porters, which you can pay directly at the BC. Tips are not included and it is something porters, arrieros and base camp personnel strongly appreciate.

How many kg of food each passenger have to carry?

On carrying days each passenger loads a maximum of 9 kg to C1, 6 kg to C2 Guanacos and 3 kg to Camp Colera for the 360° route. On the Pioneers route (Normal) you should count on 9 kg to Camp Canada, 8 Kg to Nido de Condores and 3 kg to Colera. On the way back you just carry your personal equipment since every bit of waste it’s brought down by our porters (no extra fees).

How much does it costs a personal porter for all altitude camps? May I share a porter with another member of the expedition?

Porters carry up to 20 kg; they depart from BC and go up to altitude camps. The following fees are per each stretch.

Hiring personal porters increases significantly our summit possibilities, since it allows us to save energies for the summit day, avoiding the burden of carrying all our equipment. We can also share porters with other passengers, paying proportionally to the kg we want to be transported.

Plaza Argentina-C1 + C1-C2 Guanacos + C2 Guanacos-Colera + Colera-Plaza de Mulas: Total U$D1130

Plaza de Mulas-Canadá Camp + Canadá Camp-Nido de Cóndores + Nido de Cóndores-Colera + Colera-Plaza de Mulas: Total U$D 915.

What happens if I get sick or have some medical problem? Should I pay my evacuation? What happens if I decide to abandon the expedition?

On the rear side of the ascension entrance permit to the park there is medical check list. Every time the expedition moves towards the base camp, every passenger must realize a check, done by the park medical service. If somebody gets serious altitude sickness or suffer any illness considered important by the medical service, he/she will be evacuated by the helicopter to the park entrance, charges free. From this point, passengers are responsible for every other service such as transfer to Mendoza/Santiago de Chile, mules for transportation of personal equipment, accommodation, etc. Aconcagua Vision staff will assist you all the time and would manage all reservations needed for your return home, with no managing fees.

If you voluntarily choose to abandon the expedition, you are responsible for all costs regarding accompanying guides to the park entrance, mules, heli-charter, transfers, accommodation, etc.