According to most dictionary definitions, a briefing is a meeting at which information or instructions are given to people, especially before they do something. To us, our Aconcagua Expedition briefing is more than that. First of all, it’s the first contact between our climbers and the guides and company staff. Before that, most of the information is just an exchange of e-mails and phone calls between our sales team and those interested in signing up. Hence, the expedition briefing is the first – but not the only – opportunity that climbers have to ask questions of all sort: Do we need to carry our own toilet paper? How much water do we need to drink in the high camps? What time do we leave the last high camp on summit day? How many hours do we walk on the summit day? Literally, in a briefing, we can have dozens of questions. And, like we always say, the only bad question is the one we don’t ask. But let’s review what we explain in the briefing, and especially how is briefing day.
Once the passengers arrive at the hotel, they make the check-in and get to their assigned rooms. Depending on their arrival time, some of them get the chance of getting some sleep or walk around Mendoza city for a while.
But let’s go back to the dictionary definition. Since it’s the first encounter between clients and guides, it’s the perfect chance to provide useful information and, above all else, review the expedition day by day. Although this information isn’t new to the climbers, a thorough check and explanation are more than welcome to them. One thing is to read the information or do some research by themselves, and one completely different story is to hear it from your guides or the very staff manager of the company (former Aconcagua guide and President of AMG) what’s going to happen in the next two weeks. We review the program, analyze situations, expand on details and particular situations, give advice and, most of all, answer every question. We also provide a bit of cultural background and tips to move around the city before and after the expedition, especially if the climber has to finish the expedition before it’s over or needs to make an early departure for any reason.
Although our customer service staff is always close to those in need, we believe that the more information you get, the more comfortable you’ll feel in a foreign country.
When the presentation it’s over, we proceed to make the gear check with the guides in the same meeting room where we held the briefing, to make sure that all climbers have the required equipment for the climb. After this, we go to the rental store with those needing to rent or buy something.
One important thing to know is that the briefing is conducted in English, which is a language that the vast majority understands, and it’s the most common language to communicate in the world.
The briefing is our first encounter with people from all over the world, and we make sure that it’s more than just information. To us, it’s a big welcome.
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