• Qualified English speaking Argentinean mountain guides at a ratio of 1:3
• Airport transfers on Day 1 and Day 19
• All accommodation as described in the trip notes
• Meals as detailed in the meal plan
• Once on trek a full service including food and all equipment (excluding personal equipment)
• High altitude porters to carry group equipment to high camps
• All land transport involved in the itinerary
• National Park fees and Climbing Permit

• Travel Insurance
• Some meals as detailed in the meal plan
• Tips for trek staff
• Accommodation and food costs in Mendoza if the group summit early and return early to Mendoza
• Additional Porters to carry your personal gear. Personal porters can be hired at additional cost.

TRAVEL TO YOUR DESTINATION

If flying from the UK there are low cost airlines available to the start and from the end of your holiday.

To benefit from full financial protection, ease your holiday planning, and avoid dealing with airlines, we can book scheduled flights from the UK as part of a flight inclusive package. Scheduled flights are usually more expensive that low cost alternatives, however potentially less stressful if your flight is cancelled or delayed. If you book flights through KE Adventure Travel we will offset the carbon of your flight.

The group will meet in Mendoza.

An airport transfer will be provided on arrival and departure for all clients.

Hotel contact details and an emergency contact number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

During the expedition all meals are included from breakfast on day 2 until arriving back in Mendoza. In Mendoza there is a wide range of dining options and here it makes sense to leave the choice of where and what to eat to you. We have therefore not included meals other than breakfasts while staying in Mendoza. Based on the current itinerary this is a total of 2 dinners, but please note this may be more if the group opts to return to Mendoza following an early success on Aconcagua. You should budget between US$15 - 20 per meal while in Mendoza.

Special diets can be catered for on Aconcagua at an additional cost which needs to be paid on booking. Thie extra cost covers all meals whilst on the mountain and is - Vegetarian (No Cost), Vegan $415, Lactose free US$415 and Celiac gluten free US$415.

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. If you are on a trekking or cycling holiday, water is supplied to fill up your individual bottles. This will be boiled, filtered or provided in large jerry cans or 5 litre bottles. Additionally you should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

Whilst we can cater for vegetarians, albeit sometimes with a more limited choice, we cannot always provide special diets.  Due to the nature of some of the trips that we operate and the countries in which we operate them, it can be very hard (and sometimes impossible) to cater for a wide range of dietary choices and you may have to supplement your diet with food/snacks from home.  If you have specific dietary requirements please do speak to our sales team and they will be able to advise you whether or not we will be able to offer your specific choice.  Please note that we are unable to provide separate menus and cannot accept liability for any problems arising from special dietary requirements or intolerances.

The holiday includes 2 nights at a standard hotel in Mendoza, 1 night in a basic hotel in Penitentes and 15 nights camping. Accommodation in Mendoza is allocated on a twin-sharing basis whilst in Penitentes rooms are from 2 - 4 people. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another solo traveller of the same sex whilst staying in hotels. For the 2 hotel nights in Mendoza and 1 night in Penitentes, single rooms are available for a supplementary cost, as are single tents.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the expedition-style nature of this trip, you will be paired up for tent accommodation with another climber. There is a possibillity that this may be with someone of the opposite sex, depending on the make-up of the group. You can avoid this possibility by opting for the single tent supplement. However, it is important to note that the mountain guide's decision is final and that he/she may require you to share a tent for operational and safety reasons when at high altitude camps.

Additional hotel nights in Mendoza are also available. For Hotel prices and single supplement costs please refer to the dates and prices page of the trip on our website. Hotels are subject to availability and prices may vary.

On the mountain tents are either Mountain Hardwear or North Face high mountain tents which can withstand the Aconcagua weather conditions and terrain. You'll stay in these tents at base camp and at high camps on a twin-share basis. Occasionally at the higher camps there may be a maximum of 3 per tent.

If the extra contingency days allowed for summit attempts are not required, the group may wish to return to Mendoza earlier than planned. In this case any additional hotel nights in Mendoza are paid for by group members and are not included in the trip cost.

The group will be led by a qualified English-speaking Argentinian mountain guide and during the climb will be assisted by other qualified mountain guides. All of these guides are qualified through the High Mountain and Trekking Guides School in Mendoza (EPGAMT) and Argentinean Association of Mountain Guides (AAGM). The guiding ratio whilst on the mountain is 1:3 and all guides carry a VHF radio and a comprehensive first aid for emergencies.

This holiday involves going to very high altitude. During the course of your trip you will be spending several nights above 5000 metres and you will climb to almost 7000 metres on summit day. This is not something that you should worry about; the human body is quite capable of adapting to a very wide range of altitudes and our proven programme of acclimatisation will give you the best chance of being in the best condition to attempt the climb, but it is important that we follow some simple rules in order to acclimatise successfully. Before coming on this holiday you should read the advice on trekking at high altitude. Unless you have previous experience of trekking above 5000 metres you should consult one of our trekking experts before embarking on this holiday.

Medical Checks on Aconcagua

At both Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas fixed camps there are medical posts staffed by doctors throughout the climbing season. They have portable altitude chambers and bottled oxygen for altitude emergencies. The base camp also has a helipad for emergency evacuations. It is mandatory for expedition members to visit the medical posts for a check-up before ascending further up the mountain. The doctors check blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse and other vital signs. The doctors can prevent expedition members from continuing further if they do not pass the medical checks. These medical professionals are also available at these camps to assist in any medical emergencies.

Additional Medical Information

A detailed medical questionnaire will be sent out to you once you are confirmed on the tour and needs to be filled in and sent back to the KE office.  Alongside asking about your height and weight you’ll need to provide details of your blood group and blood pressure.

Travellers over 60 years of age will also need an additional note from their doctor confirming good health and their fitness to participate, in order to meet local requirements.

Risk Acceptance Affidavit

In order to obtain the permit to climb Aconcagua, The Government of the Province of Mendoza, require all participants to sign a "Risk Acceptance Affidavit", disclaiming the authorities of responsibility for any accident, sickness, misfortune or emergency that may arise during your time within the Aconcagua Provincial Park. It also declares that the participant must meet all expenses that may arise in the case of rescue and evacuation by mule, helicopter or other means of transport, as well as, any medical expenses that may arise. It is a condition of travel with KE Adventure that you must have sufficient travel insurance in place to cover these scenarios. For more information please see our travel insurance advice.

HELICOPTER RESCUE AND INSURANCE

Helicopter evacuation from Aconcagua National Park requires upfront payment to the local helicopter operator, which then may be claimed back from your travel insurance. You must ensure your travel insurance covers such costs for rescue and repatriation and will reimburse payments made in this way. The helicopter operator also hold relationships with certain US-based insurance companies who can provide evacuation without the need for upfront payment. Supplementary policies to cover this specific evacuation without need for upfront payment can be arranged. Please contact us for more information if you wish to explore these options

Although this trip requires no previous mountaineering experience, you will likely have plenty of hill walking and some altitude experience so may be familiar with the risks of high altitude trekking and climbing. For further clarification, significant additional hazards of high altitude trekking, climbing and mountianeering include, but are not limited to, transportation (before, during and after the activities); dealing with pack animals used for carrying gear and for riding in some circumstances; injury or illness caused by contaminated or untreated water; slips, trips and falls on rugged terrain; being struck by avalanche, rockfall, icefall or other debris; glacier travel hazards such as crevasses and snow bridges; camping hazards; weather related hazards such as storms; extreme heat injuries; extreme cold injuries such as hypothermia and frostbite; altitude related conditions such as actue mountain sickness, pulmonary edema, cerebral edema; damage, failure or misuse of safety or climbing equipment; physical capabilities/limitations. The information on this trip page, make up of the itinerary and acclimatisation profile, as well as the expertise of the guides goes some way to mitigate these risks, but no risk on such trips can be completely eliminated.

The cost of the park fee/climbing permit for Aconcagua is included in the holiday price.

We estimate that $400 - $450 should be sufficient to cover your spending requirements including meals in Mendoza, tips for trek staff, and other personal expenses. It is not necessary to purchase local currency (Argentine Pesos) prior to your trip. Credit and debit cards can be used to withdraw cash from ATM’s in Mendoza (Argentinian pesos only).  Credit cards can also be used for purchases and to pay for meals at most restaurants in Mendoza. If you are bringing your spending money with you we recommend bringing US dollars cash as this is generally much easier to exchange.  US dollars are readily exchanged at most banks and can often be used for transactions. 

Please be aware that in the event of any early departure from the mountain extra hotel nights in Mendoza and transport costs will be at your own expense. Only 2 hotel nights in Mendoza (pre and post expedition) are included in the trip package. See Additional Information tab below for more information.

Tips are the accepted way of saying thank you to your local guides and do not form part of their wages. We would recommend putting aside $200 for tipping the local staff and guides on Aconcagua.

Early departure from the mountain

If you have to leave the trip due to a medical emergency there is a national park rescue helicopter service available, evacuation may also be by land transport or mule in some cases, depending on availability, location, weather and additional factors. All clients must hold suitable insurance to cover any costs arising from rescue and evacuation, as well as medical expenses, and must provide us with these details ahead of your trip.

If you have to leave the trip early, you will carry essential belongings with you and the rest of your baggage will come down with the group when they return from the mountain. The transfer by regular bus back to Mendoza is included and you can take your 1 night hotel in Mendoza on your return. Any additional hotel nights in Mendoza will be at your own expense. If you wish your baggage to return to Mendoza before the scheduled group return date this will be at an extra cost.

If you decide not to ascend Aconcagua, then you can wait in Plaza de Mulas basecamp for the group to return at no extra charge. If you wish to return early to Mendoza then there would be additional charges for a mule to carry your baggage to the park entrance and an accompanying guide. You are not allowed to return to the park entrance without a guide. We include a transfer in a regular bus from the park gate to Mendoza. If you want a private transfer there is an additional charge for this. You can take your 1 night hotel in Mendoza on your return and any additional hotel nights in Mendoza will be at your own expense.

If the group summit Aconcagua early and decide to return to Mendoza without using the 2 contingency days on the mountain, then the extra hotel nights in Mendoza will be at your own expense. Only 2 hotel nights in Mendoza (pre and post expedition) are included in the trip package.

GUide's Trip Management ANd Summit Attempts

Given the nature of the trip, it is important to acknowledge that the guide's decision on the mountian, in relation to safety and the well-being of the group, including support staff such as the porters and camp team, is final. The guide, as the group leader, can decide on any changes to the itinerary, including ending the program if he/she considers the team is in danger.

The guide will make their best efforts to provide you with a summit attempt. They cannot, however, guarantee that you will reach the summit of a peak. Weather, route conditions and your own abilities, or the abilities of other climbers in the group may create circumstances that make an ascent unsafe, and you or your entire team may have to turn around without reaching the summit.

Our holidays are normally designed with minimal 'down time' at the start of the trip, but having a day or two at the beginning will have the additional benefit of allowing you time to get over the stress of a long journey or travelling across time zones, leaving you refreshed and ready for your holiday. We can easily arrange for you to have additional nights and airport transfers.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.