CAMPING TRAIL RIDE
9 days | 8 nights

DEPARTURE DATES
Dec, Jan, Feb & Mar

ALL INCLUSIVE

NOT SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS

Overview

150 kilometers from Valparaiso and Santiago, into the wild Andes range, in “Los Patos” Spot where this spectacular expedition across the Andes begins.

In an extraordinary journey right out of the history books, you follow the footsteps of the Army of Liberation that freed Chile from the Spanish crown in 1817. During this fantastic nine-day expedition over the roof of America, you glimpse the life-styles of “huasos” (Chilean cowboys) and “gauchos” (argentinean cowboys).

You travel in the shadow of glacier-capped Andean peaks -such as Mercedario mountain (6.770 mts.) and Aconcagua (7.050 mts.), the Western Hemisphere’s highest mountain - fording rivers that rush through the arid lower ranges after tumbling off rocky summits frozen in eternal snows. In the midst of wind and cold to temper our spirits, you are amazed by the variety of native wildlife to these heights, such as guanacos, vizcachas and condors keeping watch on their lofty domains.

Riding from Chile to Argentina, you will go through a close mountain range full of surprises, and delightful places that are an invitation to rest. You will ride among rivers and streams, narrow paths with plentiful vegetation and short bushes surviving to low temperatures, snowfalls and winter winds. As you are climbing, you leave behind the few trees you can see to move on to a wonderful color spectrum that dye the hills. Crossing and descending to Argentina is to open a door to a big show of great mountains, big glaciers and snow in contrast with wide and green valleys. Moving on and climbing again to 4,500 meters high through “El Espinacito” pass by riding loyal horses will make you thank eternally for all the effort made by these powerful native horses. When you reach the top of the slope, you will be able to watch such a magnificent show opening under your feet that will not be hard to understand the silence of the tourists. The excitement, smiles and hugs make you become aware and remember that you are in the heart of the Andes surrounded by the main heights where the value and merit of this trip is that you can live a different landscape every day.

Itinerary

Warning: This eXperience involves crossing the border to and from Argentina*.

Day 1
You will depart in the afternoon from your hotel to San Felipe, an area of vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley. Then, you continue to Putaendo, later, you head to Los Patos, and after, an evening of getting to know each other over dinner and refreshments. You camp for the night.

Day 2
Here the Chilean muleteers are waiting for you to load up the animals beginning this adventure. You will ascend from the Chalaco River to arrive later Maiten Bonito (2200 masl). You will cross the river several times and go through maitenes forests. The most typical aspect of this landscape is semi desert vegetation, a lot of cactus and scarce vegetation. Camp and dinner around a friendly campfire.

Day 3
After a strong breakfast, you continue following the course of the Chalaco river passing through Colorada pass (3.530 high meters). Here you have to get off your horses and walk since the track is located more than 1000 meters over the river. During the journey, the vegetation is lower and you can appreciate small bushes which are characteristic of the high Andean zone like the goat horn, thorny bushes and the showy “ yareta”. Then you will continued the trip passing through “Las Vegas del Ciénago” This place is covered with a large expanse of grass contrasting with the mountains and the beautiful place to camp. (2550 high meters) There you will report with the Chilean frontier guards. Camp and dinner in the same place.

Day 4
Early in the morning you continue following the course of the Rocín River until the Chile - Argentina frontier (3300 high meters). The animals will ascend slowly through narrow paths. Grass and bushes start to run short, but not small flowers that emerge and surprise you. You will meet the Argentinean “gauchos” in the boundary. It will be inevitable not to compare the Huasos and Gauchos clothes and also the way of loading the mules. It will be surprising to watch the different styles of loading, riding the saddles, and then the change of loading and riding animals to start the descent in Argentinean territory until Valle Hermoso, passing through, volcanoe river . Camp and dinner. But before you must show the documentation in Ingeniero Sardinas lodge (2600 high meters).


Day 5
Active, resting day. Today, you can get up later and have breakfast outdoors. You will walk to become acclimatized and have a wonderful view of the valley and its surroundings. Trips by surrounding areas and optional fishing. As a way of knowing better the zone, your guides and you will make a practice and explicative speech, about map reading, distance calculatión, the use a compass and emergency signals as a part of the essential knowledge for the high land survival. Camp and dinner.

Day 6
Very early in the morning you begin the crossroad again. Here, the herb`s green will admire you with grass fields surrounded with puddles and a great variety of birds. You will discover an intensive sub aquatic and aquatic life in this valley which makes contrast with the imposing mountain range of Cerro La Mesa (6.280 mt). The crossroad continues rising by Los Patos river to later arrive to Los Patillos river, which will approach you to the last mountain range that is left to rize: The large fertile plain of La Honda pass, Camp at the base of Rancho de Latas.

Day 7
This day, the journey will be very hard for the animals because you must rise Espinacito range going through sinuous hillsides by la Honda pass, at 4.500 mt. The ascent is sometimes dramatic when you see the big effort the animals make. Rest and then continue again the trip to reach the top of the mountain.. From this point, you will have a spectacular view of the Andes mountain range. Afterwards, you begin to descend until Las Leñas river and reach at last El Peñón, where you will set camp.

Day 8
Today will be the last journey in terrain. After leaving your camp you will continue by Las Leñas river arriving in Manantiales. Beautiful fertile plains are placed at this altitude. Here you can see one of the most amazing rocky formations in the entire journey. It’s really like being in the far west. Afterwards you will descend to Hornillas, through the black pampa where a vehicle waits to take you to Barreal, a small oasis in the middle of dry mountains. Continuing the journey by minibus to Uspallata. Arrival to the Uspallata's hotel.

Day 9
After breakfast, you shall prepare to return from Uspallata to Santiago, crossing the frontier through the Los Libertadores. This track is a work of art built in the middle of the mountains. In the Argentinian side, it ascends right to the pass. In the Chilean side, it is made of big curves to get to Los Libertadores Customs where you will have to show your passports once more and do the migration procedures. Descent through the Andes Mountain Range in the Chilean side which has more vegetation but it is at the same time steeper. Return into your hotel or flight.

Additional information

*This eXperience starts and ends in Chile with a passage through Argentina. You will cross the border from Chile to Argentina first and after from Argentina to Chile on your way back.

Visa - most European and Latin American citizens do not need a visa to travel to Chile. Contact the Chilean Embassy and Argentinian Embassy in your country for more information. All necessary arrangements to enter in Argentina or Chile (visa and permits) are your responsibility. Contact us if you need any help.

Transfers and local transportation included (Please no hard suitcase)

One night in Uspallata Hotel, Argentina, included

Alcoholic or Soft drinks and/or special foods, laundry, extras in hotels and other items of personal nature not included

Please bring your own Sleeping mattress and sleeping bag comfortable to sleep at a range between -5 C° and -10 C°

Satellite phone in emergency case

Airport Gateway | SCL | Santiago de Chile

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Across the Andes

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