Climb one of the seven summits

Below is a non detailed version (this is only for “packing your bags”). Once you sign up we will send you a complete equipment list with some example of model and brand. It is very important that every member arrive with the appropriate equipment. Although there are equipment stores in Argentina it may be difficult to find what you’re looking for. If you are buying new garments for this expedition, get the modern lighter gear.

Feel free to download a copy of the equipment list here.

Items marked with :
** are available for rent.
* are available for purchase.

Head

  • Ski Goggles**
  • Balaclava*
  • Warm fleece or wool hat*
  • Glacier glasses*
  • Extra pair of sunglasses (these don’t need to be glacier glasses)*
  • Hat or cap with neck protection for sun on the approach days
  • High U.V. Buff (optional)
  • Neoprene face mask

Hands

  • Fleece liners
  • Gore-Tex ski gloves
  • Expedition Mittens**

Upper Body

  • (2) Polypropylene or wool top – one medium weight and one expedition weight
  • (1) Fleece, softshell or synthetic insulated jacket
  • (1) Insulated vest (optional)
  • Ultralight wind jacket (optional)
  • Gore-Tex parka
  • (1)Expedition Down Parka with down hood**
  • Long sleeve lightweight cotton type shirt for the hike in

Lower Body

  • (2) Polypropylene or wool bottoms – one lightweight and one expedition weight
  • (1) One pair of schoeller or nylon soft shell pants
  • Insulated over pants or fleece pants with full side zips**
  • Lightweight Gore-Tex pants with full side zips

Feet

  • 2 pair of socks for the approach
  • 3 pair of sock combinations (in addition to above)
  • Gaiters
  • Down or synthetic booties (optional)**
  • Double plastic boots**
  • Light weight hiking boots, trekking shoes or trail runners
  • Sandals or neoprene booties.

Sleeping

  • Down or synthetic sleeping bag, rated -10 degrees F (-26 degrees C)**
  • Compression sack for sleeping bag
  • Thermarest pad with repair kit

Backpacks and other bags

  • Internal frame backpack**
  • Day pack*
  • Some medium and large stuff sacks
  • 3 heavy-duty plastic bags
  • 1 large and 1 extra large duffel bags**
  • An assortment of Ziploc bags

Miscellaneous

  • Trekking poles or ski poles (MANDATORY)**
  • Bandanna for sun protection and cleaning glasses, optional if you have a Buff
  • Chemical hand warmers 2 pairs (purchased in most outdoor stores)
  • Ear plugs (for those windy nights or snoring tent mates)
  • Potable aqua (1 bottle)
  • Mole foam or skin for treating blisters (MANDATORY)
  • (1) roll of athletic tape (MANDATORY)
  • Knife with built in scissors for cutting mole foam/skin.
  • Sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. Consider bringing Zinc oxide if you burn easily.
  • Head lamp with extra batteries
  • Toiletry items (toothbrush/toothpaste, baby wipes-very useful! & tampons)
  • (2) Lip balms (chapstick with SPF)
  • (2) Water bottles (two liters capacity) and 1 one-liter thermos – mandatory!, total capacity 3 liters.
  • Many people like to have a separate wide mouth bottle only for peeing in. This bottle should be clearly labeled!
  • Cup/Insulated Mug, bowl and spoon

Climbing

  • Climbing seat harness (Polish Glacier only)
  • (1) Locking Carabiner (Polish Glacier only)
  • Ice axe and leash 60-70 cm**
  • Crampons**

Food

  • 2-3 lbs of lunch food

Medical

  • Ibuprofen, Motrin or Advil
  • Aspirin
  • Blister kit (athletic tape, mole foam, and 5-6 Band-Aids)

Optional Items

  • Compact camera
  • Paperback book
  • Pee funnel (for women only)
  • MP3 player

Climber Experiences

Gabriel and Mariana are great very sensitive, customer minded and fun to be with. And very well prepared and responsible.

Frans Cromme
Netherlands

Dear Joaquin,
Thank you for everything and making our trip to Aconcagua 100% successful! The entire team reached the summit via the False Polish route the 12th of February. Your services and staff helped make the expedition a better experience for our team. Carolina and Marcelo were great!

Bill Crouse Lead Guide Adventure Consultants
New Zealand

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

Hello, Magaly!
Was good talking to you on the phone today. We are very happy with the trip, a bit tired and feel very lucky with the weather and our guide, Gabriel, both being important factors that allowed us to summit.

Olga Kotova
Latvia

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

Volevo ringraziarti di tutto per quello che hai fatto tu e i tuoi collabori durante la nostra permanenza in Argentina. Hai dei collaboratori molto bravi anche a Plaza Argentina siamo stati trattati benissimo specialmente da Carolina che con la sua bravura e disponibilità ci ha coccolati per tutta la nostra permanenza. Io penso che, non so ancora quando, ma ritorneremo in Argentina e stai sicuro che torneremo ancora con i servizi dell’Aconcagua Express. Ciao saluta e ringrazia tutti i tuoi collaboratori, un saluto particolare a Carolina.

Renzo Dalla Bona Italian Team
Italy

Beautiful route, and the strategy for adjusting to the altitude was very good. I really enjoyed our team, and Christina and Marianna also seemed to be enjoying themselves very well. Good atmosphere.

Choice for Aconcagua Express Expeditions was also because you were the only ones to actually give me advice on an expedition when I e-mailed you. You offered me a specific expedition and date. So the personal info was important for me.

Martijn de Boer
Netherlands

Cristina and Mariana were perfectos, the very best. Thanks. I will highly recommend Aconcagua Express Expeditions to everyone and I will use Aconcagua Express Expeditions again.

Keith Faulder
USA

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

Le voyage était parfait, avec l’immense satisfaction d’avoir été en haut de l’aconcagua !
Excellent guides, very professional and very dedicated to the success of the expedition. Very good logistics (transfers, mules); Pre-Read materials (Aconcagua book, map…) were very good; Excellent hotel in Mendoza (Hyatt!)

I would definitely recommend KL Expeditions / Aconcagua Express Expeditions.

Pascal Tiercelin
France