Vinson (Antarctica) + Aconcagua Combo Climb
Contact us for itinerary planning and pricing.
Vinson Team Climb Dates:
- Team 1: December 15th – December 31st, 2024
- Team 2: December 27th 2024 – January 11th, 2025
- Team 3: January 7th 2025 – January 22nd, 2025
Vinson Massif is one of the great mountains of the world and a truly wild adventure as the highest mountain in Antarctica and likely the coldest mountain on earth. In fact, fewer people have summited Vinson than Mt. Everest; this is because it lies deep in the heart of the mighty Ellsworth Mountains, and until recently, it was very inaccessible and a logistical nightmare to climb. It’s only in the last few decades that guided clients have been able to climb Vinson. It truly is an otherworldly experience and not one you will soon forget.
Expedition Highlights:
- Live in comparable luxury to the other outfitters at Vinson base camp, with insulated indoor dining facilities complete with tables and chairs.
- Take advantage of the warmer climbing temperatures and reduce the risk of frostbite by climbing safer with our mid-season schedule.
- Experience the rush of landing on a blue ice runway in a Boeing 757 in the heart of Antarctica.
- Be part of the amazing community of climbers, skiers, researchers, and adventures that pass through Union Glacier camp.
- Peer out over the seemingly never-ending sea of ice from high camp.
- Take in the view of the mighty and breathtaking Ellsworth range from the summit of the tallest peak in Antarctica.
All prices are in US Dollars.
CTSS requires clients to buy trip insurance for all expeditions. Please see our page on trip insurance and cancellation policy for more information.
All payments once submitted are non-refundable and non-transferable. If balances are not received by specified dates, the client forfeits their place on the program and any prior fees paid.
- Day 1: Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile
- Day 2: Team Breakfast, gear checks, expedition briefing
- Day 3: Luggage Check-In and Cocktail Evening with Antarctic Flight Service
- Day 4: Fly to Union Glacier, Antarctica
- Day 5: Fly from Union Glacier to Vinson Base Camp
- Day 6: Carry to Low Camp
- Day 7: Move to Low Camp
- Day 8: Carry to High Camp
- Day 9: Rest
- Day 10: Move to High Camp
- Day 11: Summit Vinson and descend to High Camp
- Day 12: Descend to Vinson Base Camp
- Day 13: Fly to Union Glacier, Antarctica.
- Day 14: Contingency Day
- Day 15: Scheduled flight from Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile
- Day 16: Fly to Mendoza, Argentina
- Day 17: Gear Check and Guide Briefing
- Day 18: Permits and Travel to Puente del Inca
- Day 19: Mule-assisted day hike to the first camp, Pampa de Leñas
- Day 20: Mule-assisted day hike to the second camp, Casa de Piedra
- Day 21: Mule-assisted hike to Plaza Argentina Base Camp
- Day 22: Rest and acclimatization day at Base Camp
- Day 23: Load carry to Camp 1 and return to Base Camp
- Day 24: Rest in Base Camp
- Day 25: Move to Camp 1 with gear
- Day 26: Carry to Camp 2 and return to Camp 1
- Day 27: Move to Camp 2 with gear
- Day 28: Rest day in Camp 2
- Day 29: Move to Camp 3
- Day 30: 1st potential summit day of Aconcagua
- Day 31: Descend to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp, completing the traverse
- Day 32: Trek out from Base Xamp to the park entrance and drive to Mendoza, arriving late.
- Day 33: Fly home
- Day 34: Contingency day
- Day 35: Contingency day
Included:
- Professional mountain guides
- Flights to Union Glacier, Antarctica from Punta Arenas, Chile and flights to Vinson base camp from Union Glacier
- Hotels: 3 nights lodging double occupancy in Punta Arenas (2 nights before the expedition and 1 night after). Any additional nights due to delays etc will be at your own expense.
- Food: All expedition (on Mountain) food is covered including breakfast, dinner, snacks and hot drinks, and breakfast at the Hotel in Punta Arenas. While in Mendoza and on Aconcagua all daily breakfasts and all expedition (on-mountain) food is covered including breakfast, dinner, snacks, and hot drinks. Lunch and in-town restaurant meals in Mendoza are your own expense.
- Reliable, professional mule support from the best local outfitters
- One or two nights lodging (depending on your program) in Mendoza on arrival, one night lodging at Penitentes and one night lodging in Mendoza upon our return (Accommodation on unused contingency days are your responsibility.)
- All group transportation while on the expedition. If you depart early then the added expenses for transport, lodging, rescue, and evacuation is your own responsibility.
- All group gear, including four-season tents, cooking gear, group duffels, stoves, and first aid equipment, etc.
- Satellite phone used to update the CTSS blog and available to clientele at $3/min
Excluded:
- Flights to and from Punta Arenas, Chile
- Flight costs to and from Mendoza, Argentina
- All in town restaurant meals (breakfast is provided), Penitentes dinner, and specialty mountain lunch food
- Transportation from and to the airport in Punta Arenas and Mendoza.
- All porters on Aconcagua
- Mountain climbing permit fee ($700-$1,000 depending on season)
- All personal climbing gear is the responsibility of the client
- In the event of a rescue, evacuation, or early departure from the group, any rescue expenses incurred or excess expenses above and beyond our normal trip costs including transport, hotels, evacuation, flight changes, and gear shipping are the responsibility of the client.
- Unused contingency day hotel nights in Mendoza
- Guide and porter tips (customary but optional)
- Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS above and beyond the normal expedition costs
- Required trip insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
Porters on Aconcagua
Porters on Aconcagua operate differently from most mountains. Rather than being attached directly to a particular expedition or climber, porters work for the on-mountain logistics companies and can carry loads for several people, or expeditions, day to day or even on the same day.
Porters live at base camp and ascend up to our camps whenever needed, carry their load to the next camp, and return back to base camp the same day. You will be amazed at how fast they move and how hard they work!
A standard porter load is strictly 20kg and charged at a flat rate up to 20kg (i.e. if you only have 17kg you’ll still be charged the 20kg rate). If you have additional weight to be carried you will be charged a pro-rated amount for all extra kilograms.
Personal porters are not included in our private and custom climbs. If you would like a porter to assist in carrying your gear we highly recommend purchasing our Porter Add-On. Your guides can usually arrange a porter for the next day at any point along the trip above base camp via radio, as long as there are porters available for the last-minute carry. During peak season porters can be very busy so it is best to prepurchase the porter add-on in advance to lock in your porters and guarantee their availability.