All Aconcagua climb / summit permits need to be done in person in the city of Mendoza, Argentina, located a few hours from the Parque Provincial Aconcagua where you’ll start your expedition. It doesn’t need to be hard, but it can be. This article provides a step by step to getting your permit hassle free.
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When you’ve got your Aconcagua climb all planned, you’ve figured out if you going with a guide or going it alone… or something in between…. you’ve got your itinerary ready, you know what equipment and gear your packing, you’re all set! Just a quick trip to Mendoza to get that nuance of an errand done, so that you can sip coffee annd mosey the beautiful picturesque streets of the city and enjoy your last day in civilization for a couple weeks. Sounds great, right?
Well, to make that happen, you need to have your permit day down to a science. Because hustling around Mendoza in 35C/100F heat, in sandals that are just waiting to give your feet a blister before you even hit the mountain, is NOT very pleasant. Trust me, from experience. sigh.
Here’s the simple steps to get your Aconcagua climb permit in Mendoza, Argentina.
Step 1: Go to meet with your mule / service agency
Coordinate prior to arriving to Mendoza with the agency you will use mules / any other services with. For example, INKA, Grajales, etc. You need to meet with them first, before any other errand, so that they give you a certain form, with a certain stamp. This verifies you receive the “with assistance” fee. $400USD vs 570USD for residents of Latin America and $800 vs $950 for everyone else. Argentinians recieve an even better price for home territory.
If you aren’t using any services from any agency, you go can skip and go straight to #2.
Here’s an article to help you evaluate the different services – guides, porters, mules, food or alone – and see which is best for you.
Step 2: Pay for your Aconcagua summit permit, in dollars or argentinean pesos
The ascent /summit permit is valid for 21 days, and they are very strict on this. You must pay, in cash. Your agency will give you the address of where to pay for this, depending on if you are paying in dollars or pesos. You cannot pay first, as you need the forms from the agency in order to pay!!
For an Aconcagua climb, there are various permit options, so don’t make a mistake! If your intent is to summit, you need the ascent / summit permit. The others allow you to just go to base camp, others just to enter and do light trekking up to the laguna horcones, etc.
Step 3: Go to the tourism office, Parque Provincial Aconcagua, in San Martin Park in Mendoza
This is your LAST step. There is no wifi at the office and the guys are not always so particularly friendly. This means as someone coming form another country, without service on your phone, you need to have everything in order!! You to to the office, which is in MENDOZA in Parque San Martin (it changed offices in the 2017/2018 season, so double check your address if it says differently!).
You head to this park, which is towards the end of town in a little roundabout, called Rotonda Caballitos de Marly – Parque Gral. San Martín de la Ciudad de Mendoza. You go here with 1) your forms from the agency, signed and stamped, 2) the stamped form that says you paid the permit and 3) your passport or identity card (for Chileans, your DNI carnet works).
That said have a good Aconcagua Climb!!
Chelsey’s complete guide to Climbing Aconcagua:
- Plan your climb: evaluating guide, mule, porter and meal services vs climbing alone.
- Equipment Guide: Aconcagua Equipment and Gear List
- Itinerary Guide: Aconcagua map via the Normal Route, with GPS wikiloc links
- My journey to Aconcagua’s summit, a recap
- Aconcagua guide recommendations
- See a photo recap of my climb in Facebook pictures.
