Aconcagua Normal Route

The Classic Route - Climbed & loved for 40+ years! (Porter Option Available)

Overview | Full itinerary | Cost Includes

The Normal Route, as its name suggest, is the most common route used to reach the summit, and also the most approachable for climbers of all skill levels. Some climbers hire porters to assist with their climb on this route although it remains completely optional to do so. Choose your own adventure!

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Overview

Although our Amegino Valley Route remains the most pristine and scenic route on the mountain, we know that some clients prefer the slighter shorter length of the approach hike to Base Camp for the Normal Route. This is why we offer the Normal Route with mules carrrying loads to Base Camp (the same process as for the Ameghino Valley/Polish Glacier route) and the option to hire porters to carry loads from Base Camp to High Camp, as needed.

While the Normal Route does suffer from some overuse, we also understand that the Ameghino Valley Route can seem a little long for some people. If you are not bothered by keeping company with large number of fellow climbers and enjoy the social aspect of Base Camp (meeting climbers of all nationalities!) then our Normal Route expedition is just the one for you! By hiring porters (see below) on any of our routes, including the Normal Route, you have the opportunity to drastically reduce your load and avoid carrying 45 to 50 pounds. We have designed this trip so that at Base Camp you can decide how often you will need a porter, and so on. You can use a porter for every carry, on alternate days, or simply experiment as you go!

Dates of Trips

2024 – 2025

Nov 29 – Dec 15, 2025
Dec 9 – 25, 2025
Dec 17, 2025 – Jan 2, 2026
Dec 27, 2025 – Jan 12, 2026
Jan 4 – 20, 2026
Jan 10 – Jan, 26, 2026
Jan 17 – Feb 2, 2026
Jan 24 – Feb 9, 2026
Jan 31 – 16, 2026
Feb 7- 23, 2026

Rates

~~$5,300~~

Discounted Price: $4,900 expires March 1st, 2025

Booking Deposit: $800

Deposit amounts are insurable through Global Rescue and IMG.

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Waiting List: If an expedition departure you are interested in is full, please contact us to be put on the expedition’s waiting list. In the event of a cancellation, qualified applicants will be able to get that new spot and register.

Itinerary

DAY 1

Group meets in Mendoza, Argentina. Equipment check and afternoon briefing at the hotel. For dinner we will have a chance to taste fine Argentinean cuisine and wine

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

Rest and acclimatization day at Base Camp. We want everyone to have the best possible chance to make the summit. The most effective way to do this is to take the time to acclimatize to the low oxygen environment. We will incorporate rest days into our schedule and climb in traditional expedition style. We will be carrying loads up to our next camp, and returning to sleep below at the previous camp. The next day we will move to the higher camp.This day (Day 6) we will practice snow and ice techniques on the Nieve Penitentes, unique snow and ice formations created by direct sunlight.

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12-14

Day 15

Day 16

Hike out the Horcones Valley with its impressive views of Aconcagua's South Face. Mules carry our gear. We arrive in the afternoon to Penitentes where we may take a quick shower and head on to Mendoza to the comfort of the Mendoza Park Hyatt. If extra weather and acclimatization days are not used on our expedition, you and your team may arrive a day or two earlier to Mendoza. Evening banquet with your team, if too late summit Certificates will be given at breakfast or lunch the next day.

Next Day

Cost Includes

Professional Mountain Guides
2 nights hotel accommodation in Mendoza at theMendoza Park Hyatt Hotelwith breakfast buffet (1 night at the beginning of the expedition and 1 night at the end of the expedition)
1 night hotel accommodation with breakfast and dinner in Penitentes, on the way to the mountain
Mules

All expedition food (4 full days at base camp included - normally more than enough), any extra days at base camp will have a fee per person
All land transportation (except for airport drop off, we leave this as leisure since many people travel afterwards etc, this can be arrange directly at reception at the Hyatt as well)
All community gear such as: tents, stoves, state of the art Base Camp, cooking gear, medical kits, satellite phones, radios, gamow bag, pulse-oximeters, etc.

You are responsible for

Round-trip flights to and from Mendoza, Argentina
Aconcagua climbing permit fee ($950 to $1,050 depending on season) We will get permits for you before your arrival. South Americans pay about half of this amount and Argentinean Citizens about 1/4 of that amount.
Meals in Mendoza
Personal equipment

Flight out of Base Camp to trailhead, cost is about USD $2,000 for 3 people ($670 each)
Passport
Personal items and services (laundry, snacks, drinks, tips, etc.)
Expenses incurred in the case of a rescue or early departure from the expedition
SAT phone charges
Porter Fees (See below)

Hiring porters (available on all routes)

Porter fees are not included in any of our trips costs, but porters are available to hire on EVERY route that we offer.

If you plan to hire porters, please let us know and we will be more than happy to arrange it for you. We don't take a fee for arranging porters, you just pay the porters directly.

Porters cost from $185 to $400 per load carry depending on the altitude they carry to. The cost per load increases as you climb the mountain, so a carrying a load from Camp 2 to Camp 3 will be more expensive than carrying the same load from Base Camp to Camp 1.

You will need a maximum of 5 to 6 load carries from Base Camp to High Camp and back down to Base Camp again (~$1,500 USD), if you choose to have a porter for each carry, and move, and for the descent of the mountain.

Porters are available at Base Camps on both sides of Aconcagua: Plaza Argentina for Ameghino Valley/Polish Glacier routes, and Plaza de Mulas for the Normal route which is also used for our 12 Day Climbs. The final number of estimated load carries can be decided when you get to Base Camp but it's best to plan ahead and let us know if you do plan on hiring porters so we can ensure a smooth and easy experience for you!