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Long Trekking to Plaza Francia - Panoramic view
of South Face of Mount Aconcagua
Itinerary (Height in feet)
Day 1: Mendoza (2508) / Puente del Inca (8992)
Obtaining of permits. Transfer to Puente Del Inca. Lunch. Lodging in hostel. Preparation of the
loads for the mules. Dinner. (L, D)
Day 2: Puente del Inca / Confluencia (10890)
Drive to the entrance of the Park. Trek to Confluencia Camp. Dinner. (B, P.L., D)
Day 3: Confluencia / Plaza Francia (13200) / Confluencia
Trek to Plaza Francia, base of the south face of the Aconcagua, lunch and return to Confluencia. Dinner. (B, P.L., D)
Day 4: Confluencia / Puente del Inca / Mendoza
Descent to Puente del Inca. Lunch in hostel. Transfer to Mendoza. (B, P.L.)
End of our services
Departure Dates
Please ask us about
this topic.
INCLUDED SERVICES
- Assistance to buy the climbing permits
Mount Aconcagua is located in a provincial Park, managed by the Government of Mendoza.
To get into the Park you should get a permit, in accordance to the activity that you are going to participate in (climbing, long trek, short trek). This working paper must be done personally, as a government rule. That is why each passenger should go to the Park’s office with their own passport.
- Luggage care
If you wish to leave certain personal belongings that you will not need during the days of the expedition, you can do so at our office in Mendoza City or in our Hostel in Puente Del Inca. We guarantee maximum security.
- Transfer Mendoza / Puente del Inca
/ Mendoza
We will take you to Puente Del Inca in our own vehicles. We will drive over 180 kilometers, which separate Mendoza City from Puente Del Inca. The scenery on the journey is one of the most spectacular landscapes in the central Andes.
- Meals
On the trekking you will enjoy all the meals (B: breakfast / L: lunch / P.L: packed-lunch if you are on the move/ D: dinner), which are carefully planned by professionals to have a balanced diet during those days on the mountain.
Our cooks always prepare every meal, with fixed menu from day nº 2.
If you are vegetarian, let us know.
- Lodging in Puente Del Inca
During the Inca Empire this spot was a strategic point for the crossing of the Andes mountain.
Over the last years it has become the point of departure of every expedition, whose aim is to get the summit of Aconcagua. Puente Del Inca hotel was built here and it is the only lodging in this strategic zone, five kilometers far from the Aconcagua Park trailhead.
For the people working in Aconcagua Expeditions Tourism, there is a great satisfaction to be the ones responsible for the running of this hostel, offering the best services to mountaineers.
You will spend two nights in this beautiful place (one at the beginning of your trekking and the other one in the return) in rooms for three to six people (according to the number of members in the group) with a private toilet.
Complete breakfasts and unforgettable dinners in the restaurant of the hostel are also included.
- Assistance for the arrangement of loads to be transport
by mules
Our mountain guides will advise you on when you have to decide what to include in your luggage and the way that we are going to arrange it on the mules.
- Mules
These strong animals were the ones that helped the armies that fought for the freedom of South America, to transport their belongings over the mountains. Mules move over mountain with great caution, having the possibility to carry big loads. Aconcagua Expeditions owns more than 100 mules to carry people or belongings.
The negative aspect of these animals is their untamed character. That is why we have selected a professional team of muleteers, called arrieros, who have dedicated their lives to the country animals. They know how to deal with these animals, because of their experience.
From Puente Del Inca to Confluencia and in the return your belongings will be carried by mules. Each mule can carry up to a limit of 60 kg, and every client may transport on the mules a maximum of 30 kg on each stage of the approach. We strongly recommend you to bring a strong duffel bag.
- Transfer to the Aconcagua trailhead
You will be driven by a pick-up over 5 kilometers, from our hostel in Puente Del Inca to the first Rangers Station. Here your permit is checked out and you are informed about the park rules.
- Confluencia Base Camp
You will camp in the Confluencia camp during two nights, which has the enough comfort to spend a good deal of time, being fully equipped, with wide dinner tents, electrical light, tables and chairs to have meals.
- Our guides (See
more information about them)
Our mountain guides are qualified professionals of the AAGM (Argentinean Association of Mountain Guides) and the EPGAMT (Provincial School of High Mountain and Trekking Guides). The last qualification takes 2 years. We believe that to succeed in our expeditions, professionals with experience and the ability to offer security should guide our teams.
The trekking is leadered by a trekking guide for every 3 or 4 clients. Their equipment includes: VHF radio, a first-aid kit, complete with the appropriate drugs for altitude sickness, ropes, an altimeter, a digital oxygen-meter, and professional clothing and equipment. All these will provide security and comfort.
- Tents
Normally, during the summer high-season, Aconcagua is a mountain with good weather conditions. Yet if you happen to have a few days of storms, you will be responsive to nature’s whims at high altitudes. Therefore, we will be sure to provide you with the highest quality tents. We have used The North Face and Mountain Hardware, which have proved to work well for our clients over the years. Usually two climbers will sleep in each tent, but if our guide considers it necessary, a maximum of three climbers may sleep in one tent.
- Communications
You will see that we keep track of where we are at specific sites along the way. We take advantage of the VHF and BLU radio lines that help us to stay in contact between the high-altitude campsites, Plaza de Mulas, Confluencia, Puente del Inca and Mendoza. Therefore, we can respond almost instantaneously to whatever issue that may arise.
NOT INCLUDED SERVICES
- Climbing Permit
The only way to enter the Aconcagua Park is by getting the permit personally in Mendoza city. If the ticket is not used within the dates established by the Park authorities, the money will not be returned. The ticket will be invalid in the future years.
The entrance fee’s payment support the maintenance and care of Aconcagua Provincial Park and aid to preserve and protect it. It also supports the maintenance of the medical, the park rangers and the rescue service (helicopter)
- Drinks and other personal costs in
Mendoza and Puente del Inca
Those extra expenses as food or drinks separate from those described in the itinerary should be paid by you, not being included.
In the same way, neither the food and drinks in Mendoza nor the drinks in Puente del Inca are included, so they should be paid as extra services.
- Expenses for giving up the expedition
In order to have better but cheaper services, the expedition is quoted taking into account the whole group. In any case that you give up the scheduled itinerary because of personal problems, mountain sickness, etc, you start taking private services. The extra expenses that you will pay if necessary are: mules from Confluencia to Puente del Inca (around U$D 50), the transfer from Puente del Inca to Mendoza city, etc. Once you give up the itinerary, the transfer in a regular bus is included but if you decide to take a private van, you should pay U$D 100.
- Sleeping bag and personal equipmnt
The equipment that you will need for the terekking is not included so you would have to buy it or rent any equipment. Take into account our guides if you need assistance.
- Personal Insurance
Having a personal insurance is not a fundamental requirement to do the trekking to Plaza Francia. However, we suggest that you contact an insurance company if you wish to get one taking into account the risk in the mountain.
| List
of Advised Personal Equipment and Clothing |
Feet:
2 pairs of thick socks for cold (sky type)
1 pair of comfortable trekking boots
Legs
1 fine synthetic pants
1 long and comfortable pants (trekking type)
Body:
1 synthetic underwear shirts
1 turtleneck of synthetic material
1 fleece jacket of alike
1 shelter jacket (down or synthetic)
Head:
Sun cap or hat
Shelter hat (wool or fleece)
A good pair of sunglasses with UV filter.
| | Hands:
1 pair of light inner gloves.
Expedition gear
1 Sunscreen (never less than factor 20)
Water bottle for one litter
Sleeping mattress for high mountain
Personal care elements
Front lamp with extra batteries
Sleeping bag for –5º C
Technical equipment:
1 comfortable backpack of 40 liters or more
1 pair of telescopic pools
1 duffle bag to cover your luggage in the animals
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Reserves
To make the reservations Aconcagua Expeditions asks for the
30 percent of the total value. The balance must be payed in
Mendoza, before starting the trekking.
Cancellation
the cancellation of any reservation must be made in writing
without exception. Under no circumstances will the deposit be
refunded, instead the CLIENT will assume a credit in his/her
favor equivalent to the amount paid to be used towards different
services offered by Aconcagua Expeditions.com in season and
for the lapse of two years.
More information or prices: info@aconcaguaexpeditions.com
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