An adventure in the heart of one of the most extraordinary high mountain corners of the Andes Mountains. As in the historic expedition of the Poles in 1934, which inspired the mountaineer Victor Ostrowsky (a member of the aforementioned expedition) to write one of the (if not the most) important mountaineering books in Argentina, when they crowned 5 of the 6 summits. of more than 6,000 meters that are found here, including Mercedario (6,701 meters above sea level), one of the 13 mountains more than 6,500 meters high in America, just 100 km north of Aconcagua.
We invite you to live an adventure on foot to observe, almost within reach, these colossi that decorate the Main Andes Mountains in a thousand colors. A region that also moved General San Martin, when he carried out the feat of crossing into Chile, with one of his armies, through the Los Patos Pass.
Day 1: Barreal - 1650 masl. Arrival in the town of Barreal, San Juan, in the afternoon (check for charter bus option). Meet the guides, gear check, and rental advice. Last-minute shopping. Overnight in a local inn or cabins.
Day 2: Barreal – Laguna Blanca (3,100 m) – Guanaquitos Base Camp (3,550 m) Breakfast. Early morning start to our great adventure. 4x4 transfer to Laguna Blanca, where we’ll load the mules and begin our ascent to Guanaquitos Base Camp at 3,550 m. With the help of pack animals carrying our gear, we’ll enjoy a light-weight trekking day. The first incredible views of Cerro Mercedario appear. Camp setup, acclimatization, and overnight stay.
Day 3:Guanaquitos Base Camp (3,550 m) – Acclimatization Hike – Guanaquitos Breakfast. We’ll hike to a nearby peak such as Cerro El Pelado (4,100 m) or a similar one, depending on the guide’s decision — around 5 to 6 hours of moderate ascent for acclimatization. Return to base camp and overnight stay.
Day 4: Guanaquitos Base Camp – Turquesa Stream Camp (3,950 m) Breakfast. Trek to the stunning Turquesa Stream, at approx. 4,000 m, named for its striking turquoise color. The water emerges suddenly from a spring on the eastern slope of Mercedario. Light trekking with little elevation gain, about 6 km round-trip. Return to base camp, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 5: Turquesa Stream Camp – Mirador Balcón de los Seismiles – Return to Camp (3,950 m) Early breakfast. Long day to reach the spectacular Balcón de los Seismiles viewpoint (4,850 m), offering a panoramic view of the Río Colorado Valley surrounded by glaciers and the highest peaks of the Andes: Pico Polaco, Alma Negra, La Mesa, La Ramada Sur, La Ramada Norte, and Mercedario itself. A full 12-hour day, covering approx. 23 km. After photos and rest, descend back to Guanaquitos Camp. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Turquesa Stream Camp – Laguna Blanca – Return to Barreal After breakfast, we break camp and begin our return trek to Laguna Blanca, where the 4x4s will pick us up and take us back to Barreal. Overnight in inns or cabins.
Day 7. Barreal – Breakfast – End of Services Optional activities available: rafting, Pampa del Leoncito excursion, astronomical observatories, and land sailing (carrovelismo).
In all our expeditions we offer the service of meals IN FULL BOARD PLAN.
It is necessary to complete the personal/medical record to clarify if someone does not eat any type of food.
For any mountain activity you need to have prior physical preparation, or be physically active. In this case we suggest training well aerobically (running two to three times a week, cycling or swimming) and doing good leg training (gym, crossfit, AEX training, etc.)
We recommend having walked at least once previously with a trekking backpack, although prior experience is not required. Have ever slept in a tent.
The overnight stay takes place in mountain camps in comfortable igloo-type tents for 2/3 or 4 people. To share. The first and last night we slept in a hostel or cabins in Barreal, a small town in the Calingasta Valley.
The tents are included in the service. If you want to bring yours, ask us.
Although the time of year is optimal for this journey, in mountainous and/or rugged areas temperatures usually drop at night. There may be the possibility that a storm hits us, hence the importance of personal equipment, you cannot lack anything that we detail in the equipment list.
The stops occur with a frequency and gradation according to the intensity. There are stops for lunch, snack, and rest.
From 13 years of age.
We offer a mule porter service that carries the general equipment such as cooking gear, food, tents, and safety items. They also carry some of your personal gear, approximately up to 7 kilograms (15 pounds) per person..
20% Up to 5 Kilos: Short excursion walks / Trekking Talampaya
40% Up to 8/10 Kilos: Round-trip trekking / Vallecitos 3 and 4-day programs
60% Up to 12/15 kilos: Crossing trekking with porting / Crossing of the Andes Paso Portillo
80% More than 15/18 kilos: Cross-country trekkings with little or no portage / Trekkings in Patagonia (Paso Vuriloche, PN Lanin or Nahuel Huapi, etc)
100% More than 25 Kilos: With a lot of equipment on top and little or no porting / Continental Ice
20% half a day or less with little unevenness.
40% more sustained slopes and longer days in the activity. 2-3 days / more than 6 hours per day.
60% Long ascents and descents with a longer duration. Ascents to more than 4000 meters in the central mountain range / intense 4-day trekking (Uruguayan plane)
80% Important work of legs in resistance. Very long days. Very long day ascents (Lanin - Domuyo) or more than 5000 meters. Ice courses.
100% Maximum demand. Aerobic work and constant effort on legs. Continental Ice, Aconcagua, mountains of more than 6000 meters.
20% flat land
40% trails with moderate ups and downs. General crossing trekkings . Sierra de la Ventana, Córdoba, Patagonia, Cuyo, north, others. Classic ascents
60% Steeper slopes and trails. Possible use of crampons. Domuyo, Cordón del Plata, Cordillera Central.
80% Mixed terrain, with snow or ice. Alvear, Lanin, Tronador. Bolivia, Peru.
100% Highly technical terrain. Glacial transit and climbing in sections. Hill climbing with sections on slopes of more than 60 ° inclination
20% We will not be much affected.
40% This is a normal level of attention.
60% We require more motivation, enthusiasm and concentration.
80% The activity will require us to be very connected and convinced.
100% Maximum control and emotional-psychological performance.
0% + sea level.
20% Up to 2000 masl.
40% + 2000 masl.
60% + 4000 masl.
80% + 5000 masl.
100% + 6000 masl.
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