Aconcagua Climbing Permit – Important Information

People from most countries require no visa to enter Argentina (check if your country needs a visa), but to gain admittance to Aconcagua Provincial Park, various permits must be obtained, a condition introduced in 1983.

Payment is effected at a bank, where you'll be given a receipt. Argentinians receive a 50 percent discount. Below we have provided important information for getting an Aconcagua climbing permit.

Aconcagua Climbing Permit

An Aconcagua climbing permit must be obtained in person in Mendoza.

Receipt in hand and in the company of all the members of your party, your next port of call is the Department of Provincial Forests and Parks of the Department of Renewable Resources on the 1st floor of 1143 San Martin Avenue. This office is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Once at the office the application process can take as little as an hour. Arriving early will expedite the process, particularly for expeditions multiple members. Special permission must be secured for anyone under 21 who wishes to enter the park. The department can be contacted by email – [email protected].

The Aconcagua climbing season runs from the middle of November to the end of March, and splits into three sub seasons: 

• High Season is from 15 December to 31 January
• Middle Season is from 1 December to 14 December, and 1 February to 20 February
• Low Season is 15 November to 30 November, and 21 February to 31 March.

It's a great deal harder to gain permission to climb outside of these times.

The categories of expedition are climbing (20 days), long trekking (seven days) and short trekking (three days). Fees, which some people would spend on just a good pair of boots, are as follows:

Polish Route

Normal Route

Passports must be shown. Climbers must surrender details of winter ascents they have made in the past to prove they have the requisite experience to climb Aconcagua. They must sign an affidavit assuming all responsibility for the risks of the expedition. They are obliged to list the equipment they will be using. They must show a valid insurance policy that covers rescue and subsequent medical care.

The clock starts ticking when you enter the park, whereupon the permits will be marked at the checkpoint in Horcones for the Normal Route or Pampa de Leñas for the Polish Glacier Traverse Route. You will also be presented with bags for trash and your bodily waste – in common parlance, a sh-- bag. These are numbered and surrendered upon exit. Failure to do so incurs a $200 fine.

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