Aconcagua Is Not Just for Climbers
Aconcagua has long been a magnet for those who want to climb the highest mountain in the Americas. But over the past few decades, trekking has grown steadily, opening the Park to a much wider range of people who want to experience the mountain without going for the summit.
The highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere is a gigantic magnet for those who want to climb the American Continent’s top. This is how people and expeditions who have ascended it have described it for over 40 years. So, as with all the majestic mountains in the world, in the beginning, those who were looking for its summit visited Aconcagua almost exclusively.
But in the past few decades, the world of trekking has popped up slowly but surely. This phenomenon did not occur only in the Southern Hemisphere. Thirty years ago, only mountaineers made it to Everest Base Camp. Today, trekking in Nepal is an activity in itself that moves hundreds of people per year.
Trekking Opened a Different Way to Experience Aconcagua
The same happened in Aconcagua. The growth of trekking has been permanent. And this has led people from all over the world to get to know the mythical colossus of America. As a result, a large percentage of the people who enter Aconcagua Park do so to make a trek, which is not only less demanding than the ascent but also requires less time.
There are one-day treks to Confluencia, three-day treks to the South Face of Aconcagua, treks to the base camp of the Normal Route that last seven days, and treks to the base camp of Plaza Argentina, on the other side of the mountain, which last four days and include a one-way helicopter flight to the Horcones entrance of the Park.
In short, there is a range of options for all tastes and budgets. Now, let’s take a look at the difficulties and challenges of each of these walks.
Confluencia: The Most Accessible Trek in the Park
Day trekking is obviously the most accessible option and suits a wider audience. It requires moderate physical preparation and good general fitness. No previous experience is necessary, since we leave Mendoza City in the morning and return to the hotel that same night.
This trek allows visitors to reach a camp full of mountaineers from all over the world, many of them in transit toward the Normal Route, or stopping briefly on their way out of Aconcagua Park after a successful climb. The landscape, as throughout the Park, is spectacular. That is another wonder of the Central Andes: with only a short walk, you can reach extraordinary places.
The South Face Trek: Three Days to One of the World’s Great Walls
The trek to Plaza Francia takes three days, including two nights at Confluencia at 3,400 meters, so the requirements are different in terms of physical condition and previous altitude exposure. The experience is not the same for someone arriving from sea level who has never slept at altitude as it is for someone already familiar with activities above 3,000 meters.
In the end, it comes down to how the body adapts. Still, because the ascent is gradual, acclimatization usually happens progressively and safely in the vast majority of cases.
This trek requires only minimal equipment, which can be rented in Mendoza if needed. Its highlight is the viewpoint overlooking the brutal and magnificent South Face of Mount Aconcagua, an immense wall of ice and rock that rises roughly three kilometers high and extends seven kilometers wide.
Plaza de Mulas: A Base Camp Trek with More Demands
For those moving into the major leagues of trekking, there is the trek to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp on the Normal Route. This is a more demanding walk and requires stronger physical condition than either of the previous two options.
It can be done in several ways. The most common is for trekkers to join one of our expeditions, since the first seven days of the ascent program are the same as those of this trek.
Once at base camp, trekkers also have the possibility of climbing Mount Bonete at 5,000 meters, which is part of the expedition’s acclimatization plan. Its location, directly in front of Aconcagua’s West Face, offers some of the most extraordinary views and photographs of the entire trip.
It is quite common for girlfriends, boyfriends, or parents of expedition members to accompany them during this first part. After the climb to Bonete, they return to Mendoza and reunite with their loved ones a few days later, once the expedition has finished.
Plaza Argentina: The Trek That Shows You the Other Side of the Mountain
Last but not least is the newest trek we have added to our list: the trek to Plaza Argentina, the base camp of the 360° route, also known as the Polish Traverse. This four-day program begins in the Vacas Valley and passes through Pampa de Leñas and Casa de Piedra before reaching Plaza Argentina, the second-largest camp on Aconcagua.
This trek reveals the extraordinary contrast in flora and fauna between one side of the mountain and the other. The Vacas Valley is greener and biologically richer than what we see on the Horcones side, which gives the experience a completely different character.
The trek concludes with a helicopter descent to the Visitor Center at the Park entrance.
Not Everyone Comes to Aconcagua for the Summit
As we can see, Aconcagua’s trekking options are remarkably diverse. That is one of their greatest strengths. Not everyone who comes to Aconcagua is looking to stand on the summit. Many simply want to get close to this imposing mountain and understand why it has drawn people from around the world for generations.