Challenge yourself with an unforgettable high-altitude adventure to Cerro Plata (6,068m) — one of the most accessible 6,000-meter peaks in the Central Andes. Perfect for those seeking their first major summit or preparing for a bigger ascent like Aconcagua, this journey offers both beauty and purpose.
Our 11-day itinerary, built on over 12 years of experience, follows a gradual and effective acclimatization plan using the “carry high, sleep low” method to boost your chances of reaching the top safely.
Experience the raw beauty of the Andean wilderness, stay in remote mountain camps, and climb with confidence under the guidance of expert high-altitude professionals every step of the way.
Maximo is one of the world’s most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers, with over 25 years of climbing experience and a career spanning more than 118 expeditions. Born in Argentina, raised in Brazil, and educated in the UK, Max has led professional climbs since the age of 23, guiding teams through some of the most extreme and remote mountain regions on Earth—from the Andes to the Himalayas. His deep knowledge and calm leadership have earned him a reputation for precision, safety, and unwavering dedication.
Recognized by Guinness World Records, Max holds the record for the most 6,000-meter peaks climbed, with 90 ascents in the Andes alone. He has summited over 260 peaks above 5,500 meters and participated in at least 11 expeditions to the world’s legendary 8,000-meter giants, including the formidable K2. In 2012, he launched the Andes 6K+ Project, an ambitious mission to climb all 104 Andean peaks over 6,000 meters—an effort that is now 85% complete. His solo season, during which he summited 30 of these peaks alone, remains a landmark achievement in South American mountaineering.
Beyond his climbing exploits, Max is a passionate educator and researcher. He contributes to high-altitude medicine studies, teaches specialized courses for physicians, and plays an active role in the classification and naming of Andean peaks. As the founder of Andes Specialists, he continues to share his knowledge and love for the mountains with climbers from around the world. With more than 30 countries visited, Max remains as humble as he is accomplished—always seeking the next summit with the same curiosity and respect that first drew him to the heights.
Angel is a professional high-altitude mountain guide and one of the first to graduate from EPGAMT Mendoza in 2001. Since then, he has successfully guided over 70 expeditions to Aconcagua and several major climbs in the Himalayas, including two Everest expeditions, Cho Oyu, and Ama Dablam.
Angel has also led complex logistical expeditions to remote peaks like Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and climbed more than 75 different high-altitude peaks across the Andes.
Known for his calm and easygoing nature, Angel brings not only deep mountain expertise but also a curious mind — he’s just as comfortable discussing quantum physics or geopolitics as he is planning summit strategies.
Tour highlights
Summit a 6,000-meter Peak
Reach the top of Cerro Plata - an accessible high-altitude climb in the Central Andes, ideal for first-time summiters and those training for Aconcagua
Acclimatization Guided by Experts
Follow a proven itinerary with the “carry high, sleep low” strategy, developed from over 12 years of local experience to maximize summit success
Stunning Andean Scenery and Remote Camps
Trek through breathtaking landscapes, sleep under the stars in authentic mountain camps, and enjoy warm hospitality at the Mausy mountain hut.
Route details
Day 1
Arrival in Mendoza – 900m
You’ll be greeted at the airport by one of our team members and transferred to your hotel. In the evening, the full group gathers for a welcome dinner and briefing. If you arrive early, we can assist with any gear rental or purchases. Included: Transport and hotel accommodation
Day 2
Drive to Vallecitos (2,900m)
After lunch, we drive to Vallecitos, a former ski station now serving as a base for expeditions. We stay at the Mausy mountain hut, known for its great food, friendly staff, and our expedition mascots, Mr. Lobo and Miss Brisa. Included: Transport, mountain hut stay, and dinner
Day 3
Acclimatization Hike to Vega Superior (3,450m)
We start acclimatizing with a hike to Vega Superior camp, carrying part of our gear. After setting up, we return to the hut for the night. Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 4
Summit of Adolfo Calle Peak (4,200m)
A key acclimatization day. We hike to Vega Superior with light packs, then summit Adolfo Calle, an important milestone for preparing the body for altitude. Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 5
Trek to Base Camp Salto (4,300m)
We move to our main camp, Salto Base Camp, named after a nearby waterfall. We’ll sleep here for the next three nights. Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 6
Rest Day at Salto (4,300m)
A full rest day to allow for acclimatization. Depending on group energy, there may be an optional walk to a nearby glacier. Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 7
Load Carry to Hoyada High Camp (4,700m)
We hike to Hoyada High Camp, carrying part of our gear to prepare for summit day. The return to Salto follows the same gentle route. Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 8
Move to Hoyada High Camp (4,700m)
We return to Hoyada, this time staying overnight in preparation for our summit attempt. Included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 9
Summit Day – Cerro Plata (5,943m)
The big day begins early as we push for the summit of Cerro Plata, a rewarding and scenic ascent. Expect 8–12 hours round trip. We return to Hoyada to rest. Included: Breakfast and summit support
Day 10
Descent and Return to Mendoza (900m)
We break camp at Hoyada and Salto, and mules will carry the gear. After reaching Vallecitos, we drive back to Mendoza for a final dinner together. Included: Snack, dinner, and transport
Day 11
Departure
We’ll provide airport transfer approximately three hours before your flight. Included: Breakfast and transport
Difficulty
Challenging
Does not require specific skills, but one must be in good health
Tour provider's comments
Previous experience in multi-day altitude trekking
Good physical health and fitness
Accommodation
Comfort
Basic
Tent
7 nights
Hotel
2 nights
Camp Site
1 night
7 nights
Tent
We provide mountain tents, toilet tents, Gamow bag, oxygen, and full medical kit in all camps.
All meals in the mountain: breakfast, lunch, dinner, packed lunches, and treated water are included as well as group cooking gear: stoves, gas, pots, cups, etc.
2 nights
Hotel
4-star hotel in Mendoza (shared room, breakfast included).
1 night
Mountain hut in Vallecitos
Tickets to group meeting place
Group meeting place
Mendoza Airport
Calculate tour price with tickets from your city
Partnered with
Weather during the tour
Weather conditions along the route
You will get a weather forecast for this tour’s route based on
the forecasts for this season
the statistics from previous years’ trips
Tour conditions
Included
English-speaking guide;
1 or 2 certified assistant mountain guides (EPGAMT/AAGM);
Client-to-guide ratio of 2.5 clients per 1 guide;
Support with purchasing and renting gear in Mendoza;
Transport from and to Mendoza airport;
2 nights in a 4-star hotel in Mendoza (shared room, breakfast included);
1 night in a mountain hut in Vallecitos;
Roundtrip transport from Mendoza to Vallecitos;
Mule transport of up to 20 kg of personal gear to/from Basecamp;
Assembly and transport of all group gear: tents, food, gas, pots, etc.;
Use of mountain tents, toilet tents, Gamow bag, oxygen, and full medical kit in all camps;
All meals in the mountain: breakfast, lunch, dinner, packed lunches, and treated water;
Group cooking gear: stoves, gas, pots, cups, etc.
Extras
Flights to/from Mendoza;
Personal climbing equipment (see rental section below);
Refund if you abandon the expedition;
International travel insurance;
Excess luggage costs (over 20kg);
Lunches and dinners in Mendoza;
Compensation for lost or damaged personal equipment.
Group size
From 2 to 10 tourists
Duration
11 days
10 nights
It's important to know
Personal equipment you need for the tour
Having the right mountaineering gear is essential for a successful Aconcagua Expedition. Your Aconcagua equipment will be personally checked by one of our guides upon arrival at the hotel. Don’t worry if you’re missing something — you can easily rent or buy all necessary mountaineering equipment in Mendoza.
Head
Bandana Buff or similar
Balaclava To protect your face on summit push
Hat Woollen hat or similar for cold day
Sunglasses (cat 3 or 4)
With side protection to fit your face
Sunscreen and lip balm
30 FPS or more
Batteries
AA or AAA batteries depending on your headtorch. Can be purchased in local store.
Headtorch
Working headtorch and spare batteries
Torso
Summit Down Jacket Heavy hooded down jacket for cold conditions
Light down jacket
Snowproof jacket A good snow, rain and windproof jacket
T-shirt Synthetic fibre long or short sleeve t-shirt
Fleece jacket Used alone or as part of a layer system for better performance
Legs
Trekking pants Light trekking pants
Gaiters For snow, sand or scree terrain
Base layer pants For very cold days and summit push
Snowproof pants Goretex or similar pants will be used for high wind or during snow conditions
Fleece Pants Fleece, polartec or similar. To be used with other layers for very cold conditions
Hand warmers Chemical hand warmers for the summit push.
Mittens Thick down mittens for summit push
Gloves Fleece or polartec gloves for every day use
Feet
Sandals or crocs Sandals or crocs for river crossing or hanging around camp
Trekking boots Waterproof trekking boots, try wearing them before the expedition
Trekking socks Good thick trekking socks
Thick expedition socks For summit day
Double boots A pair of double or double plastic boots such as Koflach Exped, Koflach Vertical, Asolo Ottomilla, Asolo AFS, Trezetta, Scarpa Vega, Scarpa Inferno, La Sportiva Baruntse, Olympus Mons, La Sportiva Spantik, Scarpa Phantom, La Sportiva G2.
Single layer boots such as La Sportiva Nepal XT, EVO, Batura or Boreal Latok, ARE NOT SUITABLE.Harness A good light alpine harness
Crampons Crampons with antibott system
Other Equipment
Water purifying tables/drops A reliable way to treat water
Carbo gels These gels help out on recovery
Snacks Salty snacks, sweets, etc. Any sort of tasty ready food as complement. On high altitude mountains we don’t normally worry about vitamins and proteins as these kinds of food are too hard to digest. You can buy all these in a local market.
Freeze dried food Freeze dried or dry food for high camp
Stuff sacks or bin bags Helps to keep your stuff dry and organised
Sleeping Bag A good down sleeping
Rucksack A decent rucksack with hip belt and rain cover
Altitude medicine Our guides already have pretty much any drugs you might need during any trip. However, it would be great if you could have a spare tab of the most used drugs:
Ibuprofen (Advil)– This is an anti-inflammatory and works great for high altitude head aches Loperamide (Imodium) – controls diarrea (not to be used in case of digestive infections. Ask our guides)
Personal Hygiene kit Soap, tooth brus, come, etc
Sleeping mattress We prefer taking 2 foam sleeping mattress because of sharp rocks. If you have an inflatable mattress you should also bring a foam mattress to protect the inflatable one against sharp rocks. Don’t forget bringing a repair kit if you have an inflatable mattress.
1 litre thermos Metallic good quality 1 litre thermos for the summit push. You must have one. Please do not bring smaller ones.
Water bottle Nalgene 1 litre bottles or similar are great for expeditions! We prefer to not use camelbacks as its hose pipe might freeze
Duffel Bag Used to transport or store your equipment. In many cases, we transport your personal gear on animals and we don’t want your equipment to get wet or have mule smell…
Padlock To lock your duffel during transportation
Trekking poles Gives you more stability during walk and summit push.
How Much Equipment Will I Have to Carry? Can I Make It?
Your backpack will never weigh more than 12–15 kg. We’ve designed the itinerary so your equipment is split into two separate loads, taken up on different days. This reduces the amount of weight carried at one time — and yes, you can make it!
Do I Have to Carry Tents and Stoves?
Nope! All group equipment — tents, stoves, fuel, etc. — is provided, transported, assembled, and cleaned by our team. You can just focus on your own gear.
I Still Think 12 kg Is Too Much. Can I Hire a Porter?
While possible, it’s not common. Plata isn’t a highly developed destination, so we would need to bring a porter just for you, which makes it expensive. We only recommend it for health reasons. Please notify us well in advance so we can plan accordingly.
Is There Communication on the Mountain?
Yes! Our guides carry satellite phones (calls cost USD 3/min), VHF radios for team coordination, and we maintain contact with our base in Vallecitos. Sometimes there’s mobile signal near basecamp — but don’t count on it.
Will You Call My Family to Let Them Know I’m Okay?
Absolutely! Even better — we update our Facebook page daily with messages and photos from the expedition.
Do I Have to Share Tents?
Yes. All tents are shared between two people — we assign tent partners ahead of time. If you want a single tent, let us know and we can arrange it for an additional cost.
Is Cerro Plata an Easy Trek?
Not quite! While you won’t use your hands to climb, it’s still a nearly 6,000-meter peak. The summit day is long and demanding. That’s why we emphasize a gradual and strategic acclimatization plan. Don’t underestimate it!
Can I Charge My Phone or Camera?
Only on Days 1 and 2. After that, there’s no electricity. Bring extra batteries or a power bank!
What If I Quit the Expedition?
If you cancel 1 week before departure, you might be eligible for a partial refund.
If you quit in Mendoza, you can still use our services like transport and hotel — but we can’t refund costs already incurred.
If you abandon after leaving Mendoza, you’ll need to cover your own transport and lodging.
No one descends alone — we’ll coordinate your return with guides or other expeditions.
Example: Abandoning the expedition at Hoyada (4,700m) may cost between USD 150–250 for logistics back to Mendoza.
How Much Money Should I Bring?
We recommend bringing USD 800 in cash. This covers:
Meals in Mendoza (~2 dinners/lunches): USD 150
Equipment rental (average): USD 350
Emergency return expenses: USD 300
There’s nothing to buy on the mountain, so all other costs are covered once we depart Mendoza.
Can I Use Credit Cards in Argentina?
We don’t recommend relying on credit cards. Due to unstable financial conditions, they often fail — and there’s up to 25% extra tax on foreign cards. Bring USD cash for everything you need.
Cancellation of booking
In case of booking cancellation the next policy applies. Tourists will receive a full amount they paid for the reservation in case they cancel more than 35 days in advance of the tour start date. In the event of cancellation within the period of 34 to 16 days before the tour start date - they are entitled to receive 50% of the booking amount. Cancelations made within 15 days before the tour starts will not be entitled to a refund.
