# Aconcagua-Hike.com - Hiking at Aconcagua: the lagoon walk, the Confluencia hike, treks, the summit, permits and tours

> Independent guide to walking and climbing at Aconcagua (about 6,961 m) in Aconcagua Provincial Park, Mendoza,
> Argentina: the Laguna de Horcones loop, the Confluencia day hike, the Plaza Francia and base camp treks, what the
> summit expedition takes, permits, guides, seasons, and the tours sold on GetYourGuide compared honestly.
> Independent of the park, the Mendoza government and every tour operator and outfitter.

Site: https://aconcagua-hike.com
Languages: English (root), French (/fr/), German (/de/), Spanish (/es/), Italian (/it/). Country: Argentina.
The site prints no prices by design; check the live price on each listing and park fees on the park's official website.

## Verified facts (checked 30 September 2026; Mendoza park leaflet and press releases, argentina.gob.ar, IGN, UIAA)

- Height: about 6,961 m (6,960.8 m by Argentina's Instituto Geografico Nacional, 2012; 6,962 m is also quoted). Highest mountain outside Asia, highest in the Americas, one of the Seven Summits. Entirely in Argentina, about 15 km from the Chilean border.
- Aconcagua Provincial Park was created in 1983 and enlarged in 2019. Main entrance: Horcones, just off Route 7, about 180 km (3 hours) west of Mendoza, at roughly 2,900 m.
- Aconcagua cannot be seen from Mendoza city. The high mountain (Alta Montana) day tours drive Route 7 for 10 to 12 hours with stops at Potrerillos, Uspallata, Puente del Inca, the park viewpoint at Horcones and Las Cuevas; the Cristo Redentor (3,832 m) road opens only in summer.
- Laguna de Horcones loop: about 2 km, about 1.5 hours, easy, facing the South Face; it needs a day ticket from the park (no trekking permit). Open all year, weather permitting.
- Confluencia day hike: Horcones to Confluencia camp (about 3,400 m) and back, 6 to 8 hours, about 500 m of climbing; day-trek permit booked in advance; minimum age 16; season roughly mid-November to early April. No guide required.
- Treks: 3 days (two nights at Confluencia plus a day to the Plaza Francia viewpoint, about 4,000 m, below the South Face); 7 days to Plaza de Mulas base camp (about 4,300 m), only with a licensed outfitter. Trekkers may not go above 4,300 m.
- Summit: a 20-day ascent permit. The Normal Route is non-technical (crampons and ice axe carried) but a serious high-altitude expedition; most outfitters plan 18 to 20 days. Around a third of summit attempts succeed. No supplemental oxygen is used except for emergencies.
- Guides: not legally required on the Normal Route, but most climbers use a licensed outfitter. Climbers and 7-day trekkers need rescue and helicopter evacuation insurance. Park doctors run medical checks at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas.
- Season: the southern summer, roughly November to March/April, with full park services from about December to early March; January is the warmest and busiest month. Exact 2026-27 dates are set by the park each year.
- First ascent: Matthias Zurbriggen, alone, on 14 January 1897, on Edward FitzGerald's expedition.
- Puente del Inca: a natural stone arch crusted by hot springs, seen from viewpoints; walking across it is not allowed.

## Bookable tours listed on this site

Ratings are GetYourGuide figures at the last build.

- Aconcagua Confluencia Camp Hike (Hotel pickup in Mendoza) - 12 hours, rated 5.0 from 18 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/mt-aconcagua-confluencia-camp-trekking-t184874/
- Andes High Mountain Full-Day Tour (Hotel pickup in Mendoza) - 12 hours, rated 4.8 from 473 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/from-mendoza-andes-high-mountain-full-day-tour-t937063/
- Aconcagua Normal Route Expedition (Mendoza) - 12 days, new listing, no reviews yet, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/aconcagua-expedition-normal-route-to-the-summit-t926000/
- High Mountain, Aconcagua & Puente del Inca (Hotel pickup in Mendoza) - 12 hours, rated 4.8 from 208 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/las-cuevas-l175298/excursion-high-mountain-aconcagua-and-puente-del-inca-t994515/
- Private High Mountain Tour (Pickup anywhere in Mendoza) - 9 hours, rated 4.8 from 25 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/uspallata-l144723/mendoza-the-best-high-mountain-private-tour-t608353/
- Frontal Andes Hike with Lunch & Mate (Pickup in Mendoza) - 7.5 hours, rated 5.0 from 10 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/frontal-andes-guided-hike-with-lunch-and-mate-tasting-t1197832/
- Cordón del Plata Full-Day Hike (Pickup in Mendoza) - 10 hours, rated 5.0 from 13 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/from-mendoza-full-day-hiking-adventure-in-the-andes-t184853/
- Cerro Penitentes 3-Day Ascent (Transfer from Mendoza) - 3 days, rated 5.0 from 2 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/ascension-of-cerro-penitentes-14111-feet-above-sea-level-t1058356/
- Sunset Horseback Ride & Asado (Hotel pickup in Mendoza) - 8 hours, rated 4.9 from 697 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/mendoza-sunset-horse-back-riding-in-the-mountains-and-bbq-t484189/
- High Andes Aconcagua Mountain Tour (Hotel pickup in Mendoza and Luján de Cuyo) - 11 hours, rated 4.4 from 813 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/from-mendoza-high-andes-aconcagua-mountain-tour-t243092/
- Cerro Comisión Summit Trek (Hotel pickup in Mendoza) - 8 hours, new listing, no reviews yet, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/mendoza-cerro-comision-summit-trek-with-certified-guide-t1455928/
- High Mountain Experience through the Andes (Hotel pickup in central Mendoza) - 10 hours, rated 4.5 from 83 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/mendoza-l673/mendoza-guided-full-day-journey-through-the-andes-t624411/

## Guide pages on this site

- https://aconcagua-hike.com/guides/difficulty/ - How hard Aconcagua is at every level: the lagoon walk, the Confluencia day hike, the treks and the summit climb, with altitude, oxygen and training.
- https://aconcagua-hike.com/guides/compare/ - Aconcagua compared with Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc, Denali, Lenin Peak and the Seven Summits: height, days, technical skill and the real challenge.
- https://aconcagua-hike.com/guides/confluencia/ - Hiking Aconcagua without the summit: the Laguna de Horcones loop, the Confluencia day hike, the Plaza Francia trek, permits and day trips from Mendoza.
- https://aconcagua-hike.com/guides/permits/ - Which Aconcagua permit you need for the lagoon, the Confluencia hike, the treks or the summit, when a guide is required, insurance and what you pay for.
- https://aconcagua-hike.com/guides/best-time/ - When to visit Aconcagua: day tours all year, the Confluencia hike from about mid-November, the summit window from mid-December, winter and the weather.
- https://aconcagua-hike.com/guides/how-many-days/ - How many days Aconcagua takes: 18 to 20 for the summit, a day-by-day Normal Route plan, base-camp trek times, 12-day plans and days in Mendoza.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- Most tours sold as 'Aconcagua tours' are high mountain day drives with a stop at the park viewpoint, not hikes. The Confluencia day hike is the real walk into the park.
- The Laguna de Horcones loop needs a park day ticket; it is not covered by a trekking permit, and it is not costless.
- Hiking to Confluencia, Plaza Francia or base camp is trekking; the summit is a climbing expedition of about three weeks.
- The official height is 6,960.8 m (IGN, 2012); 6,959 m is an older figure.
- A guide is not legally mandatory for the Normal Route; the 7-day base camp trek does require a licensed outfitter.
- Aconcagua is not visible from Mendoza city.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage. Permit rules, season dates and road conditions change every season; verify close to your date on the park's official website.