TREKKING ACROSS THE ANDES
EXPEDITION THROUGH THE PASS POPORTILLO PIUQUENES
Would you like to retrace the steps of San Martin in his return to the homeland after the liberating campaign?
A trekking crossing the Andes through one of the most emblematic passes of the Argentinean mountain range, full of San Martineana history and Huarpe legends.
The expedition begins with a trip to El Manzano Histórico, a small Andean town located 120km from Mendoza City.
From there, we will hike with our backpacks the approximately 50km distance that separates us from the Plomo hot springs in Chile, ascending two 4000 meter high passes and fording the mighty upper Tunuyán river along with other streams that channel the valleys.
In this trip, we will travel for 7 days and 6 nights, we will advance in expedition format, moving the camp each day towards the border with Chile, sleeping in tents in the middle of the Andes.
In the Portillo de Piuquenes pass, the border milestone awaits us with breathtaking views towards the Chilean and Argentinean side.
From there we will descend to the Plomo hot springs where the transfer awaits us that will take us to Santiago.
All this, accompanied by homemade food, nutritious, healthy and adapted to the needs of each participant, accompanied by a team of qualified Mountain Guides who will provide the necessary assistance and safety at all times.
PROPOSAL DETAILS
| MEETING POINT | Mendoza Bus Terminal |
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| SCHEDULES | Starts at 10:00 am in Mendoza, Argentina and ends at 6:00 am in Santiago, Chile. | ||||||||||
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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This trip is rated Exigente (4) (see Huka Difficulty Table).
JOIN THE TREKKING ACROSS THE ANDES TODAY!
We do this trip in the months of April and September to have a pleasant climate. We avoid crowded dates to connect as much as possible with nature and those who inhabit it, impacting the place as little as possible.
January 11 to 17, 2026
February 15 to 21, 2026
Do you want an exclusive adventure for you and/or your own group? Book a closed departure on the date that suits you best (tailor-made quotation).
You can make your reservation 100% Online Contact us for a personalized attention!
Your itinerary for the adventure
Although we make every effort to adhere to the itinerary described below, the itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control, including weather and terrain conditions.
RECEPTION IN MENDOZA, TRANSFER AND START OF TREKKING
We will meet at 10:00hs at the bus station in Mendoza where we will board the transfer to the Manzano Histórico in Tunuyán.
We finalize details and prepare the backpacks, we will have lunch and then transfer to the Portinari refuge where we will do the migratory process (ID card or passport in hand).
Beginning of the trekking with an approximate duration of 3hs to the camping area in the vicinity of the Scaravelli refuge.
Trekking time: 4 hs approx
Kilometers: 7 km
Starting altitude: 2.400 masl
Camping altitude: 3.100 masl
APPROACH AND ACCLIMATIZATION
After breakfast and at a leisurely pace, we continue ascending for approximately 4 hours towards the Portillo Argentino, the first of the two altitude passes we will cross.
With a good acclimatization base, we will set up camp to rest early, as a demanding day awaits us the next day.
Trekking time: 3 hours approx
Kilometers: 4 km
Starting altitude: 3,100 masl
Camp altitude: 3,500 masl
PORTILLO ARGENTINO PASS
We have an early breakfast to make the most of the day in a day of approximately 8 to 10 hours of trekking. We will ascend to the 4300 meters of altitude of the old Portillo Argentino pass.
A long trek through the valley that descends towards the Tunuyán River will finally take us to our camping area, where we will replenish our energy with a good dinner and a well-deserved rest.
Trekking time: 10 to 12 hs approx
Kilometers: 16 km
Starting altitude: 3.500 masl
Height of the Portillo Argentino pass: 4.300 masl
Height of the campsite: 3.300 masl
UPPER VALLEY OF THE TUNUYÁN RIVER
Short day of recovery without much unevenness, we start early in the direction of the Upper Tunuyán River, a mighty high mountain river that we will cross with the help of animals and muleteers.
We advance towards the border with Chile until our fourth camp, surrounded by high mountains in the middle of the Andes.
Trekking time: 4 to 6 hs approx
Kilometers: 8 km
Starting altitude: 3.300 masl
Camp height: 3.200 masl
APPROACHING THE LIMIT
We will walk through increasingly impressive landscapes in the very heart of the mountain range, passing through the valley of the Yeso River towards the Piuquenes Pass.
We will set up our last mountain camp near the border.
Hiking time: 6 to 8 hours approx
Kilometers: 14 km
Starting altitude: 3,200 meters above sea level
Campsite altitude: 3,400 meters above sea level
CROSSING INTO CHILE THROUGH THE PORTILLO PIUQUENES PASS
The day starts early to reach again the almost 4000 meters of the Portillo Piuquenes pass, where the Argentinean-Chilean border milestone is located.
After saying goodbye to the muleteers and with a full backpack , we cross to Chile, where after a few hours of descent, a well-deserved lunch awaits us on the banks of the Plomo River.
We boarded the transfer to Santiago to get settled in the hostel and close the expedition.
Free night for dinner and walking around Santiago!
Trekking time: 6 to 8 hs approx
Kilometers: 10 km
Starting altitude: 3,400 masl
Height of the Portillo Argentino pass: 3,950 masl
Height of the campsite: 2,900 masl
List of required equipment
The key to your comfort during active travel is to wear layers (see Layering Clothing Basics). For maximum comfort at minimum weight, you need versatile layers that combine insulation, ventilation and weather protection.
Therefore, we created this checklist to help you choose your gear and bring only what you need. Weather and other conditions on the ground will dictate what clothing and equipment you will need to wear each day.
TREKKING AND CAMPING
- Trekking
- Large backpack (+60 liters)
- Trekking poles.
- Large plastic bag (to store all equipment inside the backpack)
- Water bottles (at least 3 lts total capacity)
- Camp
- Sleeping bag -5°c comfort (see All you need to know about Sleeping Bags)
- Insulation
- Headlamp (with spare batteries)
- Cutlery
- Personal mug for infusions/drinks
CLOTHING
- Head
- Warm hat
- Multifunction thermal collar (buff type)
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses (ideally category 3)
- Upper body
- Synthetic long sleeve t-shirt
- Synthetic short sleeve t-shirt
- Long thermal interior
- Coat (ideally fleece)
- Waterproof jacket
- Warm jacket
- Hands
- Warm gloves
- Waterproof gloves
- Undercarriage
- Thermal long underwear or tights
- Long trekking pants
- Shorts
- Underwear
- Feet
- Trekking boots or shoes
- Pair of warm socks (for the evening)
- Pair of trekking socks
- Sport shoes for stream fording
PERSONAL CARE
- Sunscreen (minimum factor 50)
- Lip balm
- Wet wipes
- Small personal garbage bag
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Personal medication
DOCUMENTATION
- Valid National Identity Card / Valid Passport
- Social security/health insurance card
- Complete medical record (provided by Huka)
DO YOU NEED EQUIPMENT FOR THE OUTING?
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