Tupungato Volcano

Duration: 17 days
Difficulty: Excellent Physical Shape
Space Available: 6 climbers
Trip Departures: All Year (AEE7)
Expedition Cost: US $4,990 per person private 6 clients
Other Costs: Hotel Single Supplement: US $ 600, Reservation Cost: US $900
Balance Due: 120 days prior expedition departure

Expedition to the highest peak of Central Chile, and the highest peak south of Aconcagua, the 6,560m (21,522 ft) Tupungato volcano. This is one of the most beautiful peaks in the Andes, whose graceful volcanic profile can be seen from Punta Vacas in Argentina, as well as from many points near Santiago. Slightly more technical than the normal route on Aconcagua, the long approach and remote setting add up to make this a much more serious undertaking. The word will soon be out, but for now Tupungato is a pristine big-mountain challenge similar to what Aconcagua must have been like 50 years ago. Tupungato is also known by the story about the British passenger airplane “Stardust” disappeared on August 2, 1947.

Route Itinerary

Day 1

Santiago airport pick-up and transport to hotel

Afternoon group meeting with guides to review schedule and check personal gear. Hotel

Day 2

Santiago – Maipo Valley – Los Azules

Transport to Alfalfal area to meet the arrieros and mules at Bocatoma Rio Colorado at 2,300m (7,545 ft) also named Chacayar. From this point we start a gentle hike to our first camp at Baños Azules located at 2,550m (8,366 ft), some 3 hours trekking. Tent

Day 3

Los Azules – Vega Los Flojos

Today some six hours trek bring us to from to beautiful next camp at Vega De Los Flojos, at 3,200m (10,498 ft). We will cross an exiting area, where we see many Condors soaring the big Andes walls. Tent

Day 4

Vega Los Flojos

We will spend an additional day camped at Vega De Los Flojos to assist in a thorough acclimatization. A great day to enjoy a scenic hike up the valley of the Estero Del Museo to explore the Isla Pan De Azucar. Tent

Day 5

Vega Los Flojos – Base Camp

Eight hours trek from Vega De Los Flojos to our base camp, located at 4,200m (13,779 ft) below the hito, the point that mark the land between Chile & Argentina. Tent

Day 6

Base Camp

Rest day at Tupungato base camp. Tent

Day 7

Base Camp – El Paso – Base Camp

Climb and carry to high camp 1 El Paso located at 4,800m (15,748 ft) and return to base camp. Tent

Day 8

Base Camp – El Paso Camp

Move to camp 1 El Paso at 4,800m (15,748 ft). Tent

Day 9

El Paso carry to High Camp 2

Carry to high camp 2 located at 5,125m (16,814 ft). Beautiful view of the high Andes facing directly Aconcagua south face and return to camp 1. Tent

Day 10

El Paso – High Camp 2

Move to Camp 2. Tent

Day 11

High Camp 2

Rest day at Camp 2. Tent

Day 12

Move to Camp 3

Hike to camp 3 at above 5,500m (18,044 ft) and prepare for the next summit push. Tent

Day 13

Camp 3 – Summit

Summit attempt and return to camp 2. Tent

Day 14

Reserve day

We wait better conditions at high camp 3. Tent

Day 15

Camp 3 – Base Camp

Descent to base camp. Tent

Day 16

Trek down to Agua Buena Camp

Descent to Agua Buena. Tent

Day 17

Trek Agua Buena to Bocatoma Rio Colorado

Transfer to Santiago. Hotel

Services

Services included

Professional Bilingual Mountain Guide.
Ratio Guide Clients 1-3.
All local organization and supervision by KL Adventure Staff.
Private transportation included airport pick up.
Santiago two Hotel nights doubles occupancy with breakfast.
Tupungato permit including Electric Co and Difrol.
All meals during the expedition.
Full base camp set up dining tent, chair, tables, etc..
High quality expedition common gear: The North Face, Mountain Hardware & Marmot tent, isolates mattress, high camp stoves & gaz.
Permanent access to hot drinks, tea, coffee, biscuits at base camp tent.
Mules for individual gear to base camp and return with maximum of 20 kg per person.
First aid kit, hyperbaric chamber, oxygen bottles, oximeter.
Radio communication VHF 2 mt.
Satellite phone at base camp on a per minute payment basis.
Porter for group gear (tents) all the time.

Services not included

All personal climbing equipment gear.
Porter for personal gear, except who applied for it.
Any cost involve in an early departure.
Any drinks (soda, beer or wine) in Santiago.
Arrival and final dinner.
Cancellation, accident and rescue insurance.
Cash for extra expenses.
Gratuities are not included.
Any other service not mentioned in the list.

Important

All itineraries are subject to change due to changes in the weather, individual’s acclimatization rates and the guide’s preferences.
Private Porter to be shared between two expedition members, carrying 10kg each, available upon request at additional cost.
Any departure dates can be re-scheduled with a minimum of 4 persons.

Everything went very smooth, it was great to have a small bag of stuff sent from Plaza Argentina around to Plaza de Mulas, as we could have clean underwear, socks and our trail shoes without having to carry them to high camp.

Tatiana seemed very knowledgeable with first aid and altitude sickness, and seemed well prepared. Tatiana’s food was awesome. The other groups in our camps were jealous when all they had was rice and we had fresh baked pizza in Camp 2! A couple mornings in base camp, there was not much provided for breakfast (one day was only toast) and we finally had to ask them each day to make eggs.

Joaquin was very helpful with all of my requests, and very quick to respond, which is one of the main reasons I selected KL Adventure to work with on this trip.

The transfers and transport was fine. All vehicles were comfortable and there was plenty of room. Hyatt is awesome of course. Penitentes is not great, but obviously there is no other option.

The trip was great, we will definitely work with you again for our 2010 climb, and also hope to add a Patagonia trip in the near future. It was also nice to have Joaquin meet the group in Mendoza and to spend more time with him on the drive to Santiago. We would definitely want to have Tatiana as our guide again. She was exceptional and there was not another guide on the mountain I would have rather had than her. It is also very nice to have a local guide as your leader, better in my opinion than having American or European guides.

Billi also did a very nice job, as an assistant guide she was great. The two of them worked very well together.

Andrew Nachman Northwest Voyageur
USA

Gabriel and Mariana were really fantastic and helpful, especially since I struggled with acclimatization. Suzanne (at base camp) was also really great. When I descended early she looked after me to ensure that all of my logistics for leaving the park were coordinated. The trip was overall well organized, very informative, very realistic expectations and a great experience – unfortunately, my body did not hold up as well as usual, but I do not feel that I (or the company) could have done anything differently to improve my chances. A great climbing team!

Nancy Henning
USA

I would firstly like to thank you all for putting together such a great expedition. I would like to make particularly comment on the efforts of our guide Cristina who did such a great job.
The cooks at both base camps also deserve mention, as the food they prepared was fantastic. Having said that the cooked meals provided at altitude were perfect for the conditions. The hotel at Penitentes was also a little run down, but again there did not seem to be many other options.
This criticisms do not even rate as concerns. The service provided by your company was fantastic and I would not hesitate to recommend it to others.

Stephen Hynd
Australia

Lieber Joaquin,
Als erstes möchte ich mich bei Dir für Deine Leistungen bei der Expedition zum Aconcagua bedanken. Bergführer Abi Kirschner hat sich sehr lobend über Deine Arbeit geäußert. Auch Pierre Kintgen war mit Bergführer und KL Adventure sehr, sehr zufrieden. Ich denke, das wird unseren gemeinsamen Produkten sehr gut tun – denn die Teilnehmer tragen Ihre Zufriedenheit weiter und das ist die beste Werbung für uns alle. Ich danke Dir und Deinem Team für die hervorragende Arbeit und Bemühungen! Herzliche Grüße aus München.

Michael Roepke
DAV-Summit Club Manager, Munchen
Germany

Tatiana and Billi were great guides on the Aconcagua expedition. I’d be happy to climb another mountain with them again!! Our food was better than that from other groups going up the mountain, and it was nice to have hot thermoses brought to our tent in mornings (other groups noticed this, and the fact that they had to go get their own water, among other things less positive than that of our group). I always felt safe, that Tatiana & Billi knew what they were doing on the mountain, and that they had enough energy to handle whatever could come our way. On summit day, Billi brought a guy down to Camp 3 from 1/3 (or more) of the way up, then she ascended and caught up to us, in order to summit from Camp 3 in only 5 ½ hours! A real rock star. Then, when I was really burnt out almost all the way back to camp (with heavier snow coming down and covering the trail), Billi helped me back to Camp3… a real help when it was needed, and on the part of the trail where accidents are most prone to happen (way down from summit day). This was really appreciated. Our staff helped create a real team atmosphere, and our group was the “cool table” at the lower camps, and out dining tent was the social center of activity with several groups joining us for cards, games, etc after dinner. Our pace up the mountain was the right speed, not to fast and not too slow, enabling 5 of 6 of our group to get to the summit, and the remaining 1 doing his personal best on summit day! One guy from another group was “turned around” partway up on summit day; he later felt that he could have made it to the top with a slightly slower group pace. I’ve seen this before on other mountains. Our pace was just right! We were properly aware of the mountain challenges before the expedition, and the challenge met my personal expectations. I came off the mountain without any physical aches and pains, feeling good about the expedition and ready for more mountains in the future! Perhaps Elbrus and Denali, the 2nd with some technical training and practice. I have NO COMPLAINTS about this expedition! I believe our guides, our food were better than that of other groups, that our group gear was appropriate, and that we were properly instructed on how to prepare for the mountain and which gear to bring! I enjoyed the company of the clients as well, and that of the other teams headed up the mountain with us. This was a great expedition, and I’m lucky to have made some new friends on the mountain.

I’d recommend KL Adventure for anyone wanting to climb Aconcagua, in particular Tatiana as lead guide. Likewise I’d climb a mountain (Nepal?) with Billi and recommend her guiding services as well. Best Wishes, Mark.

Mark
USA