Trekking in Mendoza: Aconcagua Mountain Crossing - 5 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Mendoza

Upon arrival at Mendoza airport, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your hotel. Our representative will assist you with check-in procedures and provide you with a detailed itinerary covering all the services included in your tour as well as other details of your Argentina trip.

After settling in, enjoy your time at leisure. Take a stroll around the city to see the Cerro de la Gloria monument, Plaza Independencia, and General San Martin Park. Get a good night's rest after dinner to feel fresh for tomorrow's hike. 

Day 2: Begin trekking Aconcagua Mountain

Our guide will pick you at your hotel and depart Mendoza at 7:00 am to reach Aconcagua Provincial Park. After three hours of travel between tunnels and Andean scenery, we will arrive at Horcones. There, we will carry out the necessary entry procedures for the park. In Horcones, there are baths, a visitor center providing information about the park, and the lagoons with a viewpoint of Aconcagua Hill.

Once the procedures are completed, you will start trekking to Confluencia Camp. After about an hour, you will arrive at the Durazno Bridge over the Horcones River which marks the beginning of the path. Continue to walk about four hours along a well-marked path where you can stop to take photos and recharge over a picnic lunch box that's provided. After eating and resting for a moment, the trek continues.

Upon arrival at Confluencia Camp, head to where you will stay for the next three days. The staff there will be waiting with a reception in one of the domes. There, you will find drinks and some snacks so that you can recover your energy. This dome will be the one we will use for dinner and breakfast.

You will be assigned tents for the duration, then have the rest of that day to rest, eat well, and visit the nearby surroundings of Confluencia Camp. You will be able to see expeditions that are acclimatizing before continuing their route. You can also see the mules that come and go carrying loads for the mountaineers and the expeditions.

Day 3: Hike to Aconcagua's Plaza Francia

Take breakfast early in the dining dome and then leave for Plaza Francia. Today, you will be trekking for about eight hours in total, so eat heartily. The trail is well marked and will take you along the Lower Horcones River, and later, along the edge of the glacier, where the river is born.

The spectacular landscapes will lead you to discover the immense amphitheater. It is essential to hydrate along the path and walk slowly, as you will begin to climb at high altitudes reaching 13,779 feet (4,200 m). Stop for lunch at the viewpoint in front of the Aconcagua South Wall, a natural platform that is impressive for being 9,842 feet (3,000 m) high.

Along the way, the mountain guides will tell you their experiences on the trail, their ascents to the Aconcagua summit, and what it means to walk at greater altitudes. To them, it is a way of living in the nearby base campsites at the foot of the summit. Upon arrival at the camp, we will prepare for dinner and then rest.

Day 4: Return to Mendoza

After preparing your things, take breakfast and then return to the valley down towards Horcones. After three hours of trekking, you will meet the truck to return to Mendoza. After time on the mountain, you will feel the accomplishment of the trekking you have completed. The memories of the sky-high views will stay with you forever too. 

Day 5: Depart Mendoza

Wake up early to have breakfast at the hotel and enjoy a few more hours in Mendoza. At the set time you will be transferred to Mendoza airport to catch your flight. Return home with a host of memories from your time crossing Argentina's Aconcagua Mountain.