I contacted Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions thanks to a friend who came three seasons ago to climb Aconcagua with Acomara and told me that his experience had been excellent. After exchanging several emails with Fernando, I decided to hire my expedition with Acomara; I think that the speed in the response, the clarity of the messages, and mainly the Acomara reviews led me to decide on Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions. I feel very fortunate to have lived this experience that I consider unique and unrepeatable, you can live many adventures throughout your life, but climbing Aconcagua will mark your life in the best way. I think that Acomara knew how to convey that to me at all times. That is what I thanked them for the most at the end of my trip; beyond the comments, the Acomara reviews, and others, they accompanied me very professionally and empathetically. I fell in love with the Plaza de Mulas Base Camp; it is like a city where you meet people from all over the world and cultures very different from ours, which further enriches the experience. I admit that at some points during the expedition, the idea of abandoning crossed my mind. One of the most common mistakes that people who come to Aconcagua make is that since they do not need technical knowledge to climb (you have to walk), they think it will be something simple, and believe me, it is not. I was mentally prepared for the difficult part of my expedition to be in the high altitude camps. I encountered a more than exciting challenge when we went from Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas (here is a small spoiler: after you finish climbing the “Cuesta Brava,” you have to keep walking, as much as you want, Plaza de Mulas will not be there). After collecting a lot of information and navigating the Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions site, I understood that although it does not require any technical knowledge (beyond the eventual use of crampons in high altitude camps), Aconcagua is a hill that must be highly respected. I have read in several Acomara reviews that some people were undecided as to which route to take. I understand that perhaps the 2-Faces Route may be a little more complicated because the stretch to be covered is longer than in the normal Route, everything will depend on what each one search. I mainly wanted a mostly busy route and a little more accessible from the physical, which is why I leaned towards the normal Route. I also consider that both options are complete in terms of the requirement; not for nothing is Aconcagua part of the Seven Summits circuit and the world’s highest mountain outside the Himalayas. To conclude with my experience, I want to highlight the professionalism of the entire Acomara Staff, from its salespeople, through the guides, the camp staff, and customer service. After the expedition, they were aware of my needs until I returned to my country, which shows me that it is not just a business, but a way of facing life.
If you want to enjoy Aconcagua, you should read this
Some of the friends we made on an expedition some years ago recommended that to come to Aconcagua; I do it with Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions. And after having lived my personal experience, I think that hiring Acomara was a great success. For example, at the Plaza de Mulas base camp, they welcomed us with fruits, cereals, and other much-needed food and drinks. But if we take into account that we came from walking for 8 hours in the sun. Anyone who thinks Aconcagua is simple is going to be in for a big surprise. I remember spending our extra days in Colera waiting for the weather to help us; the guide gathered us together to tell us that we would have a chance to try to reach the summit in 24 hours; we looked at each other without knowing what to say, so far the day had improved. And we were all excited, but it had to be done quickly because the weather could get worse again. Luckily we walked towards independence with a bright sun; luckily, I was wearing sunscreen because otherwise, I would have left my nose burned right there. Some thought it looked very close and motivated them; others believed it was actually very close but still several hours to reach the summit. Height, fatigue, wind, the sun burning, all these factors played a transcendental game in my head and in my body. Every step I took brought me closer to my goal, but it is also true that each step felt like a stab. The hardest thing to assimilate was that we could see the summit very close, motivating, but we knew that there was still a long way to go. At that time, the best option was to lower my head and walk until my feet, and my head said enough.
After 8 long hours, I reached the summit of Aconcagua. In some Acomara reviews, I had read that it was something magical, so let me tell you that it was. You could appreciate the entire mountain range, below the clouds, which made a perfect picture and the rest of the landscape. Many people were crying, smiling; many were silent. Perhaps realizing that they had achieved it was huge, or thoroughly enjoying an unrepeatable moment. When I got to my hometown in Canada, I was greeted like a hero or something. As time passes, I give more importance to what we achieve on that hill and those weather conditions. Thanks again Acomara
It is important to come physically and mentally prepared
My experience with Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions in Mendoza has been doubly exceptional. Already in Mendoza, Nicolas and Viviana have accompanied me, and Acomara has done his best at all times so that everything went exquisitely well, preparations, transport, logistics, etc. They have always been aware of the course and progress of the ascent. I have reached the summit of Aconcagua, without a doubt, thanks to the support of Acomara. In Mendoza, at all times, they have provided me with everything I need to organize the ascent in the best possible way, as well as meetings in person to explain all the details. Everything good that I read in the Acomara reviews was 100% true. Without a doubt, I recommend Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions to anyone who wants to carry out an activity in Mendoza for its professionalism, the closeness and kindness of all the staff and the security it provides in its actions. Many thanks to the entire Acomara team.I went on the Aconcagua expedition with a group in January 2020. Although I did not have much experience in the mountains, the guides’ advice and some reviews made me feel safe from the beginning of the expedition. All the staff have a lot of experience, and I felt like a very positive person, which is very important to be successful! Every day the guides were taking care of the team members, and they gave us a great explanation of what was to come in the next few days. On the day of the summit, I went up with the guide, and at one point, at about 6500m, I lacked energy; we looked at each other and said “never give up”, which was the phrase we said since the beginning of the expedition. At 12:20 on February 8, we were alone on top of America, alone for an hour. We were the first two people of the day to reach the top, and it was one of the best sensations of my life. Thanks, Acomara, for these great memories! In these days of the pandemic, by the Covid19, that serve to reflect and connect with the good moments of freedom that life offers us. I have remembered with great affection all the expeditions that I have made. And after reading acomara reviews in all the years. In those who have prepared my expeditions and trekking. This incredible team’s participation has always been characterized by its professionalism, seriousness, good camaraderie and concern for the itinerary to be fulfilled. The guides I have had have ever been in solidarity with me; the cooks always attentive to every detail (food, water, snacks, etc.). The porters still one step ahead. Ready to help with anything, in summary, and as it is already scheduled for this year.Mountain stories to tell in a book
The guide from Acomara says
that to kill the boredom of those eternal days on the mountain, he entertained
those who reached the top with hot tea. But they were so touched by the height
that many believed it was another hallucination. Despite his reputation as an
accessible mountain, Stone Sentinel defends his secrets with a thousand tricks.
Some of them a mortal by necessity. Once I hired my expedition with acomara aconcagua
expeditions, he explained everything in detail as I had read it in the acomara
reviews of different blogs. The Aconcagua Provincial Park entrance is 183 km
from Mendoza (Argentina) by National Route 7. You can arrive there by private
car or by bus to Puente del Inca, where the walk begins to the base camp.
From the Horcones lagoon, 4 km from the Puente del Inca, and it can be reached in a pleasant walk, you can already appreciate an excellent panoramic view of the Aconcagua summit. The beeps of the watch of the guide from Acomara broke the silence in the tent to where three of us had squeezed in for a night’s sleep periodically disturbed by the sound of the wind. In many acomara reviews, I read that it was difficult to sleep in the mountains, and unfortunately, we verified it. Crawling awkwardly over the pile of sleeping bags and gear, I threw myself out of the tent. The threatening clouds that had enveloped the Stone Sentinel at sunset were gone, along with the guide from Acomara; we were optimistic about the weather for the next few days. After a light breakfast of warm cocoa, I put on most of the layers I had and stuffed a Nalgene of warm water in my backpack. I was lucky that all the staff of acomara aconcagua expeditions alerted us about the climatic conditions of the mountain and had also read it in some acomara reviews. Clusters of headlights dotted the mountain above us as we set out in the dark. I’m sure the sunrise was spectacular, but I wasn’t paying attention. All my mental energy was focused on breathing, trying to warm up my fingers and toes, I continued to the top of the highest mountain in South America: Aconcagua. In December 2019, I thought it was time with less than a year to make that happen. I met with two partners, John Cooper and Nick Riviera, and I went to Mendoza, Argentina, on Christmas Eve. After spending about $ 750 for permits and another couple of dollars for mules to bring food and equipment to Plaza Argentina, the base camp of the routes on the east side of Aconcagua, and transportation to the trailhead, we started the three. One day hike through the Valle de Vacas. Plaza Argentina sits amid sloping hills below the rocky slopes and snowy fields of Ameghino. Although it is not as big or luxurious as Plaza de Mulas, the normal route’s base camp, it is equipped with medical cabins, lavatories, and a landing strip for helicopters. Thank you a lot, Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions
Aconcagua, the Greatest Thing Outside the Himalayas
I want to thank the entire Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions team for all the logistical support they gave me from the first moment. I had the opportunity to verify all the good that is said about them in the acomara reviews. As we begin to walk towards the valley that will take us to the Plaza Argentina Base Camp, the first rays of the sun finally reach us. The guide from Acomara had told us that this valley is narrower and steeper than the Valle de Vacas. The first hundreds of uneven meters lead us to a more open expanse, behind which the Aconcagua grows larger with each step. In several of the acomara reviews that I was able to read, it said that we found a strong and cold wind after crossing another river. We take refuge behind a large rock for lunch, so we don’t have to overeat powder on our fresh sandwiches. In my first contact with the staff members of acomara Aconcagua expeditions, they told us about the strong winds inside the park.
I sometimes have to lean against the wind, making our progress slow and challenging; I honestly couldn’t wait to get to the acomara base camp. Then we came to an otherworldly red gravel bed where we found a sign with “Plaza Argentina” on it: Base Camp is now around the corner. I think at that moment I was about to cry with emotion; nothing I had read in the acomara reviews could compare with that joy. We have arrived at our base for the next four days. In a complex of dome tents of Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions, our team is assigned their tent. We are happy to have this comfortable space now, completely protected from the wind and weather outside. The atmosphere is further enhanced when several freshly prepared pizzas are served in a matter of minutes in the Acomara kitchen tent, right next door. Excited for the base camp experience ahead, we settled in and enjoyed the afternoon with good food and conversation in our dome.
The boys had one last good night’s rest at base camp, and in the morning they finished packing and sent some loads of camping gear up into the mountains with porters. The first reports of challenging weather were starting to come in, and the guide saw a forecast large wind event on the horizon. The plan at this point was to go up to C1 for a few nights to continue acclimating before descending back to base camp for a few days to escape the wind. Later that morning they moved to Camp 1 at 1,6,500’16,500’/ 5,000 m.