Day 01- Arrive at Mendoza (MDZ) Airport and Transfer to hotel | Elevation: 900 M
On the first day of the Mount Aconcagua expedition, you be received at the airport by Kahlur Adventures’ representative who will place you in a hotel for an overnight stay. You can spend the day relaxing and exploring Mendoza at your own pace. Later you will meet the expedition leader and other companions.
Overnight in the hotel at Mendoza
Meal: Welcome Dinner
Day 02- Mendoza to Puente del Inca | Drive: 190 KM | Elevation: 2300 M
You will check out from the hotel after breakfast and head to the trekking permit office in Mendoza. After that, you will begin the 3-hour drive to our destination of the day Puente del Inca. Upon arrival, you will check into a hotel pre-booked by Kahlur Adventures for an overnight stay and dinner.
Overnight in the hotel at Puente del Inca
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 03- Puente del Inca to Confluencia | Trek: 4 Hrs | Elevation: 3320 M
This day is very exciting. After breakfast you will start for the Aconcagua Normal Route Entrance at 2820 M and the permits will be checked here. All the equipment gets loaded on the mules for the Base Camp which is Plaza de Mulas. From here onwards, there aren’t any transportable roads and you will begin your first trek on this expedition. The trek to the first camp at Confluencia will take about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. It is at the meeting point of the Horcones and the Lower Honcones River at an elevation of 3,320 M. You will have dinner at the campsite and retire to your tent for the night.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 04- Full Day Acclimatization in Confluencia
The day is reserved for acclimatisation and trekking around the campsite. You will visit the bridge over the Lower Horcones River and the valley and the Horcones glacier on the trek today. The rest of the day is spent relaxing. You get the most breathtaking views of Mount Aconcagua’s south face from the glacier’s vantage point. Kahlur Adventures will provide you with scrumptious meals at the campsite, as it is important to keep your body nourished for the journey ahead. You will spend the night at the camp under the star-studded sky.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 05- Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas | Trek: 7 Hrs | Elevation: 4200 M
You will have breakfast at the campsite and start the trek to Plaza de Mulas at an elevation of 4,200 M. Plaza de Mulas is the base camp of the Mt Aconcagua Expedition. Today you will hike up the Horcones Valley. It will take about 7 to 8 hours to reach today’s destination. Dinner and stay at the camp.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 06- Full Day Acclimatization
This day is for acclimatisation in Plaza de Mulas as there is quite a change in the altitude. You can relax and hike around the camp to accustom your body to the environment.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 07- Plaza de Mulas to Mount Bonete to Plaza de Mulas | Trek: 7 Hrs | Elevation: 5000 M
Today we will climb Mount Bonete for an understanding of the humongous task that lies ahead. Mt Bonete is 5,000 M high and takes about 5 to 6 hours to summit. Later, you will return to the camp for an overnight stay.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 08- Load ferry to Camp 01 and Back to Plaza de Mulas | Trek: 7 Hrs | Elevation: 4900 M
On this day, all the climbing equipment will be moved to Camp 1, also known as the Canada Camp. Camp 1 is at an elevation of 4,877 M and you will follow Kahlur Adventures’ trek leader of a zig-zag trail to the camp. The trek will take about 6 to 7 hours and later you will return to Plaza de Mulas for the night.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 09- Full Day Acclimatization
This day is for acclimatisation to help you revitalize for the strenuous task of summiting Mt Aconcagua which is even more difficult to scale than Mt Kilimanjaro. Kahlur Adventures’ trek leader will take all the climbers to the Higher Horcones Glacier and you will get the chance to get a hang of your boots and crampons. You will be trained to climb glaciers and later you can have your meals and relax at the campsite.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 10- Plaza de Mulas to Canada Camp 01 | Trek: 7 Hrs | Elevation: 4900 M
You will start ascending towards Camp 1 with a few remaining pieces of equipment kept back for training. You will be gaining a significant elevation and must keep your pace steady and your body hydrated. You will reach Canada Camp in about 3 to 4 hours of trek and can take proper rest.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 11- Canada to Nido de Condores | Camp 01 to Camp 02 Climb | Trek: 4 Hrs | Elevation: 5365 M
Today we will trek from Camp 1 to Camp 2 at an elevation of 5,365 M. Camp 2 is popularly known as Nido de Condores and is a large gravel-strew plateau with scattered rocks and boulders. We will reach Camp in the afternoon after ascending for 3 to 3.5 hours. There is plenty of time in your hands to explore and walk around the campsite. You will set up camp with the help of Kahlur Adventures and have your meal before retiring in your tent for the night.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 12- Full Day Acclimatization
Today you will acclimatize and relax at the Nido de Condores camp.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 13- Nido de Condores to Colera | Camp 02 to Camp 03 Climb | Trek: 4 Hrs | Elevation: 6010 M
Have a quick breakfast with the backdrop of nature, and you will start trekking to Camp 3. We will carry our equipment to Camp 3 also known as Colera and reach there after 3 hours of climb on a comparatively easy terrain. Kahlur Adventures’ trek leader will keep encouraging you to be active for acclimatization.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 14- Summit Mount Aconcagua (6961M) and Back to Camp 02 | Full day long climb and Descending
You will start this day early leaving the camp behind and following the ‘normal route’. On today’s trek, you will come across the now-ruined Indepndenceia hut built in 1951 at an elevation of 6,400 M. Keep ascending towards Cresta del Viento and then you will pass through the upper part of the Gram Acarreo and you will reach the foot of the Canaleta. This stretch will test your strength and is infamous for being extremely rigorous. The climb is 400 m high with a 33-degree chute of loose rocks, ice and snow making it rather unpleasant to navigate. Closely follow the instructions of Kahlur Adventures’ trek leader on these parts. Upon crossing Canaleta, you will reach Cresta del Guanaco, the ridge between the lower South Summit and the higher North Summit. Finally, you will reach the top of Mount Aconcagua at 6,960 M. Take in all the mesmerising views after summiting Aconcagua. As you soak in the panoramic landscapes, you will become one of the mountaineers who have successfully achieved their goal of climbing Mount Aconcagua. After some time, trace back your path to Camp 3 for an overnight stay.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 15- Descending to Plaza de Mulas | Trek: 5 Hrs
Today you will descend through the familiar path from Camp 3 to Plaza de Mulas base camp. It will take 5 to 6 hours to reach the camp for an overnight stay.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 16- Plaza de Mulas to Mendoza (Over Night in Hotel)
You will hand over all the equipment for the mules to carry down before starting on the trek. You will descend towards the park entrance. In Mendoza, you will be checked into a hotel by Kahlur Adventures for a well-deserved comforting night.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 17- buffer day for climbing
This is a buffer day if any unforeseeable situation delays the summit push.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 18- buffer day for climbing
This is a buffer day if any unforeseeable situation delays the summit push.
Meal: Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Day 19- Airport Departure
On the last day of this expedition, you will have breakfast at the hotel before checking out and heading to the airport in Kahlur Adventures’ vehicle. We hope to see you soon on your next adventure.
Meal: Breakfast Only
