Women’s Mountaineering Expedition to Aconcagua

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Aconcagua, Argentina, please refer to the key information for travelers to Argentina.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced English-speaking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • Twenty days of mountaineering
  • Accommodations in Mendoza and on the mountain (double occupancy)
  • Transport from Mendoza to the trailhead and back
  • All meals and drinks on the trail/mountain
  • Breakfasts in Mendoza
  • Mules (up to 20kg per person) to support the approach to base camp
  • Team gear including mountaineering tents, cooking gear, team medical kits, radio equipment,
  • GPS tracking & communication

What’s not included:

• • International transportation to Mendoza
  • Government climbing permit ($950, payable in USD on arrival)
  • Personal porter assistance on the upper mountain
  • Personal gear including mountain boots and sleeping bags
  • Personal snacks (bars/gels for on-trail and climbing sustenance)
  • Personal costs on the trail (beverages, souvenirs, battery charges, hot showers)
  • Lunches and dinners in Mendoza
  • Rescue insurance

This is an extremely demanding trip that may be suitable for first-time mountaineers as long as they possess a penchant for cold weather and suffering. Even though it is not difficult from a technical perspective (there is no extremely steep or glaciated terrain), Aconcagua’s ruggedness and fierce weather make it a real endurance challenge. Summiting Aconcagua via the 360 route involves long stretches of steep scree and – depending on the season – snowfield crossings, but no meaningful high angle climbing.

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:

• • Long-sleeve base layers
  • Breathable T-shirts
  • Fleece or softshell jacket
  • Extra down jacket for base camp
  • Lightweight down jacket
  • Hardshell jacket
  • Climbing helmet
  • Balaclava
  • Beany
  • Glacier glasses (regular sunglasses do not suffice)
  • Ski goggles
  • Thin gloves/liner gloves
  • High altitude mitts
  • Sleeping bag rated at least down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Sleeping bag liner
  • Foam and inflatable sleeping pads
  • Camp booties
  • Long underwear bottoms
  • Softshell pants
  • Hardshell pants
  • Down pants — optional (but highly recommended)
  • Underwear
  • Thick wool socks
  • Trekking socks
  • Approach shoes — light hiking boots or trail runners
  • Mountaineering double boots (can be rented)
  • Crampons lightweight with horizontal front points (can be rented)
  • Ice ax (can be rented)
  • Expedition backpack (between 55L and 75L)
  • Duffel bag — large & sturdy, for mule transport
  • Headlamp with spare batteries
  • Bowl, cup & spork
  • Swiss Army knife
  • Snacks (6,000 calories of your favorite climbing snacks)
  • Nalgene bottles — min. 2L capacity
  • Insulated (neoprene) bottle sleeves
  • 2-4 stuff sacks for organization
  • Repair tape
  • Trekking poles
  • Set of town clothes
  • Personal first aid kit & personal medicines
  • Sunscreen (SPF 50+)
  • Chapstick with SPF
  • Toiletries
  • Lightweight microfiber towel — optional
  • Several Ziplock bags
  • Paracord for repairs
  • Health and rescue insurance info
  • Solar charger and/or power packs — optional
  • Camera — optional
  • GPS watch — optional

Select pieces of equipment are available to rent locally in Mendoza. This includes climbing gear such as double mountaineering boots, basecamp down jackets, ice axes, and crampons. Inquire with your guide about gear rental possibilities.

Group sizes and prices:

• • For this group adventure, the max client-to-guide ratio is 6:1.
  • The cost does not decrease as the group grows.

Mountaineering on the Aconcagua 360 route can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

If your group has mountaineers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Registration for an adventure with your guide requires a $500 USD deposit. The balance of program fees will generally be due 120 days prior to the starting date of the program. It is your responsibility to adhere to the fee payment schedule. Late payment will result in cancellation of program reservations and forfeiture of all fees paid. 

The $500 deposit is non-refundable. All other program fee payments are refundable upon request unless the expedition has already incurred costs on behalf of the applicant.

In some cases, if you are required to forfeit your spot, you may find an acceptable replacement in which case your deposit and fees would transfer to your replacement without penalty.

Participants agree that beginning on the first date of the program itinerary, there will be no refunds of program fees for any reason whatsoever.

Though unlikely, an expedition may be canceled for any reason prior to departure. In that event, the deposit and expedition fees pay by the participants will be refunded.  In circumstances where the expedition has already made payments to foreign agencies (climbing permits / logistics support) for a program, some portion of program fees may not be fully refundable.

In the event of cancellation of a program and upon refund to participants of all program fee payments, the expedition organizer shall be released from any further liability to participants, including but not limited to liability for additional costs participants may have incurred.

Expedition participants acknowledge that during the program, certain events may occur which may necessitate certain additional costs not contemplated at this time, including but not limited to the cost of evacuation during any part of the program, medical treatment, body recovery and/or repatriation, and other related matters. Participants agree that those additional costs are not responsibility of the expedition organizer and that the participant is responsible for payment of those costs.

To get to Mendoza, Argentina, the starting point of the tour, most people fly into Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport 5 miles northeast of the center of Mendoza. From there, you can take a cab to the Diplomatic hotel in Mendoza.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at The Diplomatic hotel in Mendoza or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.