Private Ojos del Salado Expedition — 15 Days

A closed format gives your team its own schedule within the 15 days, a known set of participants and a guiding team agreed in advance. That matters most when the group shares an altitude record, a common training history and a specific window of leave.

The main operational feature of Ojos del Salado is its high-altitude roads. Vehicles move people and group loads between remote camps, but the state of the track changes after snow, wind and roadworks. The contract therefore sets out a fallback procedure rather than promising to reach any point in any conditions.

San Francisco in the middle of the trip is part of the acclimatisation, not an optional excursion. The walk up to Tejos and the return to Atacama are also kept. These elements can be changed only after an assessment of the team and the road, never simply to shorten the calendar.

The price depends on the fixed costs of the vehicles and the team, the number of participants, the number of guides, the hotel nights and any additional reserve. We show the total for the group and the price per person, and list the permit, the insurance and any services outside the trip separately.

Before requesting a quote

• Read a full route description of Ojos del Salado and understand where the technical section lies;
• Look at the access and vehicle logistics of the high Atacama;
• Then send us the altitude experience and available dates of every participant.

The premium and private formats both keep the 15-day Mountain Guide acclimatisation scheme. Comfort and support can be strengthened, but a fast drive straight to Atacama is not a substitute for this route.

Day 1. Arrival in Copiapó.

Meeting at the airport, transfer, check-in, food shopping and preparation of documents. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Copiapó — Laguna Santa Rosa, 3700 m.

The drive up, setting up camp and a relaxed acclimatisation walk on the surrounding hills.

Day 3. Acclimatisation summit of "Seven Brothers", 4800 m.

An out-and-back ascent returning to the camp at Laguna Santa Rosa.

Day 4. Laguna Santa Rosa — Laguna Verde, 4250 m.

The drive to the high-altitude lake and a night in tents.

Day 5. Ascent of San Francisco, 6018 m.

A drive by four-wheel-drive to the point that is accessible, then the ascent and the return to Laguna Verde.

Day 6. Rest and acclimatisation at Laguna Verde.

Recovery after a 6000 m peak and a check on how everyone is doing.

Day 7. Laguna Verde — Atacama camp, about 5300 m.

The drive to the Atacama refuge, settling in and rest.

Day 8. Walk up to Tejos, 5800 m, and return to Atacama.

Getting to know the section between the camps, and additional acclimatisation.

Day 9. Rest day at Atacama.

Preparation for the summit cycle. Whether a descent to Laguna Verde is possible depends on the plan and the road.

Day 10. Move to Tejos, 5800 m.

Accommodation in the refuge or in tents according to actual availability, an early dinner and final preparation.

Day 11. Summit attempt on Ojos del Salado, 6893 m.

An early start, movement over scree and possible snow sections, and a short rock step in the upper part. Descent to Atacama or lower, at the guide's decision.

Day 12. First reserve day.

A weather and operational window, with no guarantee of a second attempt.

Day 13. Second reserve day.

Additional margin for the weather, the state of the road and the condition of the team.

Day 14. Return to Copiapó.

The drive back, recovery and the onward flight according to the confirmed schedule.

Day 15. Departure.

End of the trip. Additional accommodation and any additional ground arrangements are quoted separately.

• A closed group from two participants
• Mountain Guide expedition leader for groups of three participants or more
• Local mountain guides at 1:3 on the ascent
• Meeting and airport — hotel — airport transfers in Copiapó
• One night in a hotel in Copiapó, twin room with breakfast
• Four-wheel-drive vehicles Copiapó — Ojos del Salado — Copiapó
• Assistance with the permission formalities
• Food and fuel for the mountain section
• Group tents, stoves and cooking equipment
• Group first-aid kit

• International flights
• Permits and chargeable permissions
• Insurance, search and rescue, and evacuation
• The expedition leader for a group of two participants, where not quoted as a separate line
• Porters and the carrying of personal loads
• Personal equipment and equipment hire
• Single rooms and hotel upgrades
• Additional days, nights, meals and transfers
• Costs arising from road conditions, weather, illness and delays
• Personal expenses and tips

The minimum group is two people. Tell us your window of dates, your altitude experience, your nationality and how many guides you want. We check the access rules, the vehicles, the refuges and the team.

You can add reserve days, single rooms, a separate vehicle or premium services. The acclimatisation route is not shortened without a confirmed alternative plan.

• A valid passport
• A visa, if one is required for your nationality and your flight routing
• Insurance covering mountaineering, search and rescue, and evacuation from at least 6900 m
• The documents and permits required for access to the area and for climbing on your chosen dates
• Air tickets and the documents needed for entry and transit
• A form covering your health, fitness and altitude experience
• Digital copies of your documents, stored offline

The access rules, Chile's requirements and the procedure for notifying the local authorities are checked before every departure.

Private dates are chosen within the season, but they do not guarantee settled weather. At altitude there can be strong wind, frost, snow and a sudden loss of visibility. The road can become the main constraint before the summit slope does.

The base itinerary has two reserve days. Further reserve is quoted separately, and the team decides whether to use it on the actual situation.

One hotel night in Copiapó is included. The route uses tents at Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna Verde and Atacama, and at Tejos either the refuge or tents, depending on availability.

Meals and fuel on the mountain are part of the base. Extra town nights, single occupancy and a special menu are confirmed before the contract.

A closed group gets its own arrangements, but not a hotel standard in the desert. Water, toilets, showers, electricity, charging and signal all depend on the camp.

Every participant brings their own toiletries, a power bank, spare batteries and a way of protecting electronics from dust and cold. The team's communication equipment is there first of all for running the trip and for emergencies.

Personal clothing and protection

• Broken-in high-altitude or mountaineering boots
• Base layers, insulating layers and warm down clothing
• Membrane clothing to protect against wind and snow
• Warm gloves, spare mittens and face protection
• High-altitude sunglasses and a spare pair of goggles

Technical and camp equipment

• Helmet, harness and crampons compatible with your boots
• Ice axe and belay items, following your guide's current list
• Sleeping bag, rucksack, trekking poles and head torch
• Vacuum flask, water containers and a way of keeping dust off your kit
• Power bank, spare batteries and your own toiletries

Use the full equipment list for Ojos del Salado. Every item supplied or hired is listed individually in the quote.