Our expedition begins in Mendoza , Argentina . At your arrival to the international airport or bus station in the City of Mendoza , an INKA Expeditions representative will be waiting for you. After receiving you, we drive you to your Hotel in a private vehicle and after you rest, you can meet the Guide that will check your equipment. This is a very important step. Mendoza is the last place available, where you can buy or rent equipment, it is not always easy to find the things you need at the last minute. After this, there is a group meeting and later we go to a typical restaurant to enjoy dinner. You get the chance to taste the delicious argentine "asado" (barbecued meat) and wonderful wines from Mendoza . There are numerous alternatives for those who do not drink wine or eat red meats. Dinner in Argentina is usually around 9:00 P.M.

From the city Hotel a van drives the group to the Government Offices to obtain individual entrance and ascent permits.You will be personally assisted in this procedure. After this, you are taken through a picturesque road to the mountain, at noon we stop in Uspallata, a beautiful Andean Valley where we have lunch in a typical restaurant. After another hour of walking through high mountain roads, we arrive to Villa de Penitentes, where we stay at a Hotel in the mountain. In the afternoon, we get the equipment ready for transportation to the base camp, by mule. Dinner and rest.

Approaching from Penitentes to Pampa de Leñas. After a night in Penitentes, we are transported to the entrance of Aconcagua Park . We arrive to Punta de Vacas, where the mule carriers load the equipment on the mules and we walk to the Base Camp, this takes three days. On this day, we trek from 4 to 5 hours up to the camp Pampa de Leñas (2950 m). This is where we present our permits to the park rangers, we meet up with our equipment and we assemble the dormitory tents. After a refreshment, we enjoy dinner.

It is important to stand out how INKA Expeditions is the only company that owns their own service camps here.

In the early morning we prepare our equipment again to be transported by the ules and we have a large breakfast. On this day, we advance towards an intermediate camp, passing through the Quebrada de Vacas, for 6 to 7 hours where you see the Quebrada del Relincho. This is where we will be able to see the first sight of the Western Face of the Aconcagua . This place is named Casa de Piedras (3240 m) and is where we spend our last approachment night, from Base Camp. Camp preparation and dinner.

This is the last day of approaching to Plaza Argentina . We start trekking for 5 to 6 hours, going through the margins of the Relincho Stream and ascending the steep slope of the same name, which takes us to Inferior Plaza Argentina . This is where we will be able to see the last native vegetation before climbing towards the glaciers, where Plaza Argentina is placed. At this camp, we meet up with our personal equipment, the INKA Expeditions staff and the modern infrastructure thas will assure us a comfortable stay, we also start preparing for the ascension.

At Plaza de Argentina we rest and use the day for acclimatization. This is a good opportunity to get to know the Camp, take a shower and explore the area. We get together with the guide, do a medical check up, reorganize and review the equipment, prepare the loads, the fuel and food for transportation for the next day. This is the moment to get to know the climbers from other parts of the world and to meet the people that work at the camps.

We transport in a way to keep our backpacks as light as possible and fundamentally to be able to gradually adapt to the height. During the load transportation to the altitude 1 camps, we reach a level of 5000 m. This is a hard day, where we will be walking for 6 hours, ascending on easy terrain. This is when we start enjoying the real beauty of high altitude, ascending more and more, obtaining a spectacular view of the Quebrada de Relinchos and the Horcones Valley . It is very important to control the adaptation of our ourganismo to height, and favor the evolution of our acclimatization.

We dedicate this day to rest, recover energy and eat an abundant and aprópiate meal, we relax to make the final adjustments for our physical and mental preparation, for the final ascencion. The next days we advance towards the summit. During dinner we talk over our doubts and study step by step, with the Guide, the ascencion strategies for the next days.

Breakfast. Ascent from Base Camp to Camp 1. 5 to 6 hour walk on easy terrain. Load division for carrying the following day. Rest. Dinner.

We carry food and fuel to camp 2. This exercise helps us keep our backpacks as light as possible and fundamentally to continue wieh our gradual acclimatization to height. During the load transportation to altitude camp 2, we reach a level of 5600 m. This is a hard day, of about 6 hours of walking, where we ascend on easy terrain. Besides this effort, is is very important to control our organisms adaptation to height and favor the evolution of our acclimatization.

Return to Camp 1. Dinner and rest.

This is a day we mainly use to recover energy, to rest, to hydrate ourselves and for abundant meals. We must prepare ourselves mentally, for the final stage. We talk with our expedition mates and agree on final plans and strateies with our guides.

Breakfast. Ascent from Camp 1 to Camp 2, (base of the Polish Glacier or Glaciar de los Polacos). 4 hour walk. Tent assembly. Dinner and rest.

Early morning, after breakfast and after disassembling our tents, we start ascending for around 4 hs. The climb is diagonal and towards the right. We must cross the inferior, flat part of the glacier, to be able to arrive to the northern edge of the Aconcagua . Our camp 3 is placed at the same height as the Berlin refuge (from the Normal Route), strategically situated because it is so close to the Normal Route, for its altitude and cover from winds. From there, you can see unforgettable sights of the highest peaks of the Central Andes . We place our last high altitude camp here, the Guide individually reviews each member of the grupo and gives his final recommendations. We also plan the final strategies for the last day of ascencion to assure success in reaching the summit. Dinner and rest.

The day begins at 5:00 am . This is the most demanding day of our expedition. We continue north and join the Normal Route at 6200 m, a point found between the Independence refuge and camp Piedras Blancas. We continue on the Normal Route up to the Independence Refuge (6500 m). This is normally where we see the first sun rays of the day. We ascend the "Portezuelo del Viento" where we can find strong winds, even on calm days. From here on we pass by the superior part of the Western face and climb "La Canaleta", a 300 m channel that takes us to edge of the summit. During an hour, we go through the Filo del Guanaco, that leads us to the summit. From the "Filo del Guanaco" we can directly observe under our feet, the Southern Wall of the Aconcagua , considered one of the largest walls of the world. An undescribable sensation takes of total satisfaction takes over as we reach the summit at 6962 m, where the prize is waiting for us, a 360° view and the experience of overcoming, that you only finally understand once you reach it. After sharing these moments of accomplishment and emotion with our expedition mates, we descend to camp 3.

This is a day we reserve in case of bad weather. We dispose of one day in our schedule, to guarantee the best chance to reach the summit. We only need a little bit of good weather to be able to make it to the 6962 m.

We return from Camp 3 to Base Camp, to enjoy a dinner we deserve and to celebrate our goal. We are received with a delicious hot dinner, celebrations and unforgettable moments, toasting with our expedition mates and who have now become our friends.

This day we prepare our personal equipment to be carried down by mule to Pampa de Leñas. This walk takes about 7 hours and we meet up with our equipment, carried by the INKA Expeditions mules. We assemble camp for our last night on the moutnain. Dinner and rest.

Descent to Pampa de Leñas and Punta de Vacas. Transport to Mendoza . A 4 hour walk takes us back to the route, where an INKA Expeditions private transport is waiting for us and will transport us back to the city of Mendoza and to the Hotel. That night we share a farewell dinner. The Guide gives us our Summit Certificates.

The day you leave an INKA Expeditions transport takes you to the airport or bus terminal, caring for your last minute safety and comfort.