Aconcagua and Ojos del Salado — 25-Day Combined Expedition

Aconcagua and Ojos del Salado as one sequential expedition

This combination is not built by cutting the main Aconcagua programme. You complete the published 17-day expedition in full and only then travel on to Chile for the eight-day Ojos del Salado section. The published departures of the standalone 17-day Aconcagua expedition are not altered to accommodate this combination.

The total is 25 days. The great advantage is a single altitude logic; the main risk is accumulated fatigue. Continuing after Aconcagua depends on recovery, on the absence of injury and on the guides’ decision — not simply on whether you reached the summit.

Who is eligible for the short Ojos del Salado section

• Only a participant who has completed the Aconcagua high-altitude programme, or equivalent acclimatisation, immediately beforehand.
• Reaching the summit of Aconcagua is not a condition, but the guide assesses your actual condition and the freshness of your acclimatisation.
• Injury, infection, marked exhaustion or poor recovery can be grounds for ending the trip after the first part.
• The two reserve days on Ojos del Salado do not guarantee a summit and do not override the guide’s safety decision.

Why 25 days rather than the former 22

The earlier version of this page used a shortened Aconcagua scheme. The current programme honestly keeps all 17 days of the main expedition: normal acclimatisation, carries to the high camps and two reserve days. The eight-day Ojos del Salado section is added after it, without competing with the standalone Aconcagua page.

Logistics between Argentina and Chile

The Aconcagua route ends with an airport transfer. The Mendoza/Santiago/Copiapó flights and the applicable baggage allowances are confirmed against the actual schedule; no ticket is bought before a manager has checked the connection. If the first part runs late, an additional night or a change to the internal flight may be required.

The services included in the Argentine and Chilean parts are defined by the published programmes and by the written booking confirmation. Permits, insurance, personal equipment and porter services are checked separately for each mountain.

Booking

Before a booking is confirmed, the manager recalculates the internal flights, the permits and the ground logistics for the current season. An application is not treated as confirmed until both parts and the transition between them are fixed in writing.

How to choose between the Aconcagua and Ojos del Salado formats

• Aconcagua in 17 days — the full standalone expedition.
• Ojos del Salado in 15 days — a separate, complete expedition with its own acclimatisation.
• The short eight-day Ojos del Salado format — for participants who already hold fresh high-altitude acclimatisation. It is being prepared as a separate English page.

Departure availability is published in the Mountain Guide calendar.

Day 1. Arrival in Mendoza.

Meeting and transfer to the hotel. Introductions, a check of documents and equipment, and preparation of personal baggage for the mountain. This day exists to settle the organisational questions before the route begins. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Mendoza — Penitentes, 2700 m — Laguna Horcones — Confluencia, 3300 m.

Transfer to Penitentes, handover of the main loads to the mules and transfer to the national park entrance. The walk from Laguna Horcones to Confluencia takes 2–3 hours and begins the gradual gain in altitude. Night in camp.

Day 3. Acclimatisation walk to Plaza de Francia, 4200 m.

A there-and-back walk to the viewpoint below the roughly 2700 m South Face of Aconcagua. The outing takes 4–5 hours. Returning to Confluencia gives an acclimatisation load without moving camp higher.

Day 4. Confluencia — Plaza de Mulas, 4350 m.

A long day through the wide Playa Ancha valley, usually 8–9 hours. The aim is to cover a lot of ground calmly and settle into the main base camp without rushing. Night at Plaza de Mulas.

Day 5. Rest day at Plaza de Mulas, 4350 m.

Recovery after the approach and a short acclimatisation walk onto the Horcones glacier. The day helps us judge how everyone is before the first night above 5000 m and to prepare the loads for the high camps.

Day 6. Plaza de Mulas — Plaza Canadá, 5000 m.

The first move to a high camp and the first night at this level. A calm pace and attention to how you feel matter more than speed: the first high-altitude rotation begins here.

Day 7. Plaza Canadá — Nido de Cóndores, 5600 m.

The first rotation continues. The group gains altitude, sets up camp and prepares to move towards 6000 m. Night in tents.

Day 8. Carry to Cólera, 6000 m, and descent to Plaza de Mulas, 4350 m.

The climb to the top camp completes the first acclimatisation cycle. After the carry the group descends to base camp to recover lower before going high again.

Day 9. Rest day at Plaza de Mulas, 4350 m.

Full recovery, eating, rehydration, monitoring of condition and preparation for the second rotation. The decision to continue takes account of how everyone handled the first cycle.

Day 10. Plaza de Mulas — Nido de Cóndores, 5600 m.

The second high-altitude cycle begins. Thanks to the previous rotation the group returns to Nido de Cóndores with additional adaptation and a rest at base camp behind it. Night in tents.

Day 11. Nido de Cóndores — Cólera, 6000 m.

The move to the top camp, then rest and preparation for an early summit start. Equipment, water, clothing and each participant’s condition are checked before nightfall.

Day 12. Summit attempt on Aconcagua, 6961 m.

An early start from Cólera, the summit attempt and the descent back to the top camp. This is the longest and hardest day of the programme. Whether we continue depends on the weather, route conditions, pace and how the team is coping; the summit is not guaranteed.

Day 13. First reserve day.

The reserve is used at the guides’ discretion, taking account of weather, the state of the team and the actual schedule. It may be needed before the summit push and does not imply an automatic second attempt.

Day 14. Second reserve day.

An additional weather and operational window. If it is used, the time needed for a safe descent and exit from the national park is still preserved.

Day 15. Descent to Plaza de Mulas.

Return from the high camps to base camp. After the summit cycle the priority is to lose altitude calmly, recover and prepare the baggage for the walk out.

Day 16. Plaza de Mulas — Laguna Horcones — Mendoza.

Walk out from base camp to Laguna Horcones and transfer to Mendoza. The mountain section ends here: rest and a night in a hotel.

Day 17. Transfer to the airport.

End of the Aconcagua programme and transfer for the onward flight. Additional nights in Mendoza are arranged separately.

Transition to the Chilean section. Once the main Aconcagua programme is complete, the group follows the confirmed flight plan via Santiago to Copiapó. The next eight days build on fresh high-altitude acclimatisation, but they do not remove the need to monitor recovery.

Day 18. Arrival in Copiapó.

Flight Santiago — Copiapó, meeting at the airport and transfer to the hotel. We check documents, permissions, personal equipment and each participant’s actual condition after the previous high-altitude programme. Food for the mountain section is bought. Night in a hotel.

Day 19. Copiapó — Atacama camp, 5260 m.

Final preparations and the drive by four-wheel-drive vehicles to the Atacama camp. Moving to this altitude quickly is only acceptable with acclimatisation confirmed in advance. On arrival: settling in, rest, food and a check on how everyone is doing. Night in camp.

Day 20. Move to Tejos, 5800 m.

The climb to the assault camp and the Tejos refuge. After settling in we prepare clothing, water, food and technical equipment for the night start. The night is spent in the refuge or in tents, depending on actual availability.

Day 21. Summit attempt on Ojos del Salado, 6893 m.

Wake-up at about 04:00, breakfast and an early start. The way to the summit usually takes around 10–11 hours. The route crosses volcanic scree, possible snowfields and a short rock section in the upper part. From the summit, or from the highest point reached, we descend to Atacama at 5260 m. In suitable conditions the group may continue by vehicle to the refuge at around 4500 m. The guide decides according to the state of the team, the road and the weather.

Day 22. Reserve day.

The reserve is used to move the summit push if road conditions, wind, snow or other factors prevent us from following the main schedule. If the attempt has already taken place, the day is used for recovery and to organise the descent.

Day 23. Second reserve day.

An additional weather window and operational margin. A reserve day does not mean a compulsory second attempt: the decision depends on the participants’ condition, the team’s workload, the remaining resources and safe logistics.

Day 24. Return to Copiapó.

The drive to Copiapó, usually about six to seven hours depending on road conditions. Hotel accommodation, rest and preparation for the flight. Night in a hotel.

Day 25. Copiapó — Santiago.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Santiago. The programme ends once the stated Chilean logistics have been completed. International flights and any additional nights after the return are arranged separately.

• Mountain Guide expedition leader throughout the programme, for groups of 3 participants or more
• Mountain guides — one guide for every 3 climbers on summit day
• Airport–hotel–airport transfer
• Assistance with obtaining the necessary permits
• Transfer Mendoza — Puente del Inca
• Transfer Puente del Inca — Santiago
• Hotel in Puente del Inca with breakfast
• Mules for equipment and food from Puente del Inca (Los Puquios) to Plaza de Mulas and back; personal baggage up to 20 kg
• Two nights in Confluencia with full board
• Base camp at Plaza de Mulas (3 nights)
• Food and fuel for the high camps
• Flight Santiago — Copiapó — Santiago
• All transfers in Chile
• All accommodation in Chile as set out in the programme
• Meals in Chile as set out in the programme; in the towns, breakfast only
• Group first-aid kit

• International flights
• Climbing permits for both mountains, charged separately at the tariffs in force at the time of the climb
• Porters
• Personal equipment
• Additional costs arising from any deviation from the programme
• Medical insurance covering the stated activity and the maximum altitude of the programme
• Personal expenses such as drinks, internet and phone calls, including base-camp services that are paid locally at the rates current on the mountain
• Any costs arising from changes to the programme

Documents:

• Valid passport.
• Air tickets.
• Medical insurance.

Personal equipment:

• Backpack. 50-60l.
• Sleeping bag, comfort temperature from -25C to -15C.
• Sleeping mattress.
• Trekking poles.
• Crampons, can be aluminium.
• Ice axe. Classic, on self-insurance. Can be lightweight or combined with a ski pole.
• Helmet.
• Harness.
• Carabiners, 3 pieces.
• Cup-Spoon-Bowl.

Clothes and footwear:

• Mountaineering Double or triple boots. Double: plastic or leather. For plastics, we recommend Scarpa Vega – they seem to be the warmest of the double boots.
• Trainers or trekking boots. Ideally both. Sneakers for the base camp trail, light boots for the acclimatisation exit and base camp. You can also just have trainers.
• Waterproof layer – jacket + trousers. The industry offers a wide range of products, from simple 5000/5000 membranes to Gore-Tex products.
• Fleece suit.
• Thermal underwear layer – top and bottom.
• Thick and warm down coat.
• Thick gloves.
• Thin gloves.
• Bandana (in addition to protecting you from the sun in the valley, can be used to warm your neck or face in the cold).
• A cap.
• Warm trekking socks for the day of the climb.

Miscellaneous:

• LED Headlamp.
• Sunglasses.
• Ski Goggles.
• Thermos – 1L. Preferably without a button on the lid.
• Windproof mask for the lower part of the face (can be partially replaced by a scarf).
• Gaiters.
• Sun block and lip balm.
• Chemical heaters (not essential, but can be very useful).
• Personal first aid kit.
• Elastic bandage and/or support bandage.