Cerro Vallecitos expedition, 5,468 m, Cordón del Plata, Mendoza — MONS Actividades de Montaña
Muy Exigente Alta Montaña

Cerro Vallecitos Expedition – Mendoza

Information updated:

Duration 7 days
Difficulty Muy Exigente
Max. altitude 5,468 m amsl
Meeting point Mendoza
Price From U$D 980 · 1 options
Book with a depositU$D 245, no credit card
In-house financingFixed installments, direct with MONS
Credit & debitGetnet — Credit, in installmentsGo Cuotas — Debit, no interest
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UPCOMING DEPARTURES

Available dates

Price per person. Message us on WhatsApp to confirm availability and get quick answers.

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Expedición Completa

U$D 980

Financiación Propia

Payment plan — In-house financing

No credit card or bank requirements: book with the deposit and pay the rest in fixed installments, directly with MONS.

Deposit U$D 245
Installment 2 U$D 245
Installment 3 U$D 245
Installment 4 U$D 245

- Financiación propia en pesos y en dólares. - El total de la expedición debe quedar cancelado 3 días antes del inicio.

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THE EXPERIENCE

What it is actually like

Vallecitos is a Mendoza glaciology-training peak within the Cordón del Plata; expect Potrerillos/Luján meeting cities rather than Córdoba assembly points.

If Cerro Plata is the “university,” Vallecitos is the perfect preparatory school. At nearly 5,500 meters, it’s the ideal mountain to test your body and mind at altitude without the extreme demands of a six-thousander.

Two women with trekking backpacks pose on a slope overlooking the valley

Over 7 days, you’ll experience the real rhythm of a high-altitude expedition. We’ll set up camp, carry gear to higher elevations, and share the raw silence of the Andes as the sun sets behind the glaciers.

Every detail of the logistics is carefully designed to ensure safe acclimatization, allowing you to fully experience the Cordón del Plata in a landscape that feels truly otherworldly.

Muy Exigente Physical demand

This is a very demanding expedition, designed for people with excellent aerobic fitness and prior experience in multi-day trekking. Throughout the expedition, we will cover approximately 30 kilometers in high-altitude terrain. To help you understand the level of effort, here are the real conditions of the Cerro Vallecitos ascent: - Sustained physical demand: the entire approach and acclimatization phase is done carrying your own backpack, with around 14 kg of personal equipment - Load carries: during the first days, we perform strategic carries, transporting gear to higher camps (such as El Salto at 4,200 m) to help the body adapt to reduced oxygen levels - Extreme altitude: we will spend nights above 4,600 m, where cold temperatures and low atmospheric pressure require strong mental resilience - Summit day: the ultimate challenge — long hours of continuous effort ascending from base camp to reach the 5,468 m summit It’s essential to understand the physical intensity of this journey. This is not a conventional hike — high-altitude mountaineering demands both determination and a body prepared for sustained effort. To ensure safety and proper protection, our logistics are structured in two stages: - Night 1: mountain refuge at the base of the Cordón del Plata (2,900 m), offering very basic services but essential shelter and warmth to begin the expedition - Nights 2 to 6: shared high-altitude tents, designed to withstand strong winds and sub-zero temperatures Far from traditional tourism, this experience allows you to live mountaineering in its purest form and prepare for even greater objectives — because there are silences that can only be heard above 5,000 meters.

What's included

  • Meals: from lunch on Day 1 to dinner on Day 7
  • Trail snacks: dried fruit, cereal bars, chocolate, etc.
  • Accommodation: 5 nights in shared high-altitude tents and 1 night in a mountain hut
  • Transfers: Mendoza – Cordón del Plata Provincial Park – Mendoza
  • MONS Mountain Guides: professional guides with specific training in wilderness first aid
  • VHF communication equipment
  • First aid kit
  • Insurance: personal accident and civil liability coverage

Not included

  • Additional meals and drinks not specified in this program
  • Accommodation before and after the trek
  • Costs incurred due to early withdrawal from the program
  • Personal gear and clothing
  • Personal gear transport: available upon request (please consult with the organization)
Before you decide

Is this for you?

Yes, if any of these sounds like you:

  • Personas con experiencia en altitud que buscan ascender a las cumbres más imponentes de Argentina.
  • Quienes buscan desconectarse de la ciudad y reconectar con la naturaleza
  • Grupos de amigos o familias que quieren vivir una experiencia compartida
  • Personas con buena condición física general y ganas de superarse
DAY BY DAY

Itinerary

1

DAY 1 MENDOZA - MOUNTAIN HUT

We meet in Mendoza to carry out a detailed gear check. Then, we transfer to the Cordón del Plata Provincial Park and ascend to our refuge at 2,900 m, beginning the acclimatization process.

2

DAY 2 MOUNTAIN HUT - VEGUITAS SUPERIOR

Distance: 1,6 km · Elevation gain: + 320 mts

We leave the comfort of the refuge and begin our ascent toward Veguitas Superior (3,400 m). We set up our first high-altitude camp and spend the night in tents under a vast mountain sky.

3

DAY 3 Gear carry to El Salto Base Camp

Distance: 8,4 km · Elevation gain: + 930 / − 930 mts

A true team effort. We carry supplies and technical gear up to El Salto Base Camp (4,200 m) to help the body adapt to altitude, and then descend back to Veguitas for the night.

4

DAY 4 Ascent to El Salto Base Camp

Distance: 4,2 km · Elevation gain: + 930 mts

We pack up camp at Veguitas and move up to El Salto (4,200 m), where we establish our final base camp facing the glaciers.

5

DAY 5 REST AND ACCLIMATIZATION

A dedicated day to hydrate, recover, fuel the body, and prepare mentally for the challenge ahead.

6

DAY 6 SUMMIT DAY

Distance: 11 km · Elevation gain: + 1.300 mts

The longest and most demanding day. We start very early with headlamps on, ascending steadily to reach the 5,468 m summit of Cerro Vallecitos. We celebrate at the top and return to base camp.

7

DAY 7 DESCENT AND RETURN TO THE CITY

Distance: 5,8 km · Elevation gain: − 1.160 mts

We pack up camp for the final time and descend all the way back to the vehicles. From there, we return to Mendoza, sharing the experience and closing an expedition that marks a before and after in your mountaineering journey.

Real track · Recorded by MONS guides

Route map

The exact GPS track we walk on every trip to Cerro Vallecitos Expedition – Mendoza.

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Elevation profile — slide to explore the route
Real GPS track recorded by our guides on expedition Cartografía © OpenTopoMap · OpenStreetMap · Esri · Terreno Mapzen / AWS Open Data
What participants say

Reviews

R
Roman Ripoteau Enero 2025

Germán and Dani were the perfect guides! We did the ascent of Vallecitos (5,500 m / 18,045 ft), and it was my first time. They are attentive, provide excellent advice, and besides being true professionals, they are very friendly. Thanks to them, I had an unforgettable experience!

Google review
BEFORE YOU GO

FAQ

BEFORE YOU GO

Gear you'll need

Clothing

Pants
- 1 Hiking pants (trekking pants recommended)
- 1 Thermal base layer 
- 1 Waterproof pants
Pants - 1 Hiking pants (trekking pants recommended)
- 1 Thermal base layer
- 1 Waterproof pants
Socks
3 pairs
Socks 3 pairs
Mid-layers / fleeces
Mid-layers / fleeces
T-shirts
- 3 T-shirts for hiking
- 1 Spare T-shirt
T-shirts - 3 T-shirts for hiking
- 1 Spare T-shirt
Jackets
- 1 Waterproof / windproof jacket
- 1 Insulated jacket
Jackets - 1 Waterproof / windproof jacket
- 1 Insulated jacket
Footwear
1 pair of trekking footwear
1 pair of summit boots (double boots or semi-rigid boots recommended) 
1 pair of lightweight footwear for resting
Footwear 1 pair of trekking footwear
1 pair of summit boots (double boots or semi-rigid boots recommended)
1 pair of lightweight footwear for resting
Cold & sun accessories
- Wool or synthetic beanie
- Liner gloves
- Mittens rated to -15°C 
- Neck gaiter or buff-style neckwear
- Cap or sun hat
Cold & sun accessories - Wool or synthetic beanie
- Liner gloves
- Mittens rated to -15°C
- Neck gaiter or buff-style neckwear
- Cap or sun hat

Equipment

60 L Backpack or larger
60 L Backpack or larger
Sleeping bag & sleeping pad
Sleeping bag & sleeping pad
Water Bottle
Capacity for at least 2 liters
Water Bottle Capacity for at least 2 liters
Headlamp
Headlamp
Sunscreen
Sunscreen
Personal medication
Personal medication
Bags
Bags
Trekking poles
Trekking poles
Sunglasses
Sunglasses
Utensils
Utensils
Snacks
Snacks

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8 years leading trips
200+ departures run
1,500+ people have chosen us

LET'S TALK PRICE

We're not the cheapest option

You can do this mountain for less. This is what sits inside the MONS price:

Before you go

  • An assessment before the quote We look at your fitness together and send you the full dossier: we want to be sure this is the right trip for you
  • The exact gear list Once you book we tell you what to bring, item by item, and what you do not need to buy
  • Physical preparation We guide you on arriving in shape, with whatever time you have before departure
  • Your diet, sorted in advance Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan: we take it down when you book and cook that way on the mountain, at no extra cost

Who you go with

  • Licensed guides Registered, with wilderness first-response training
  • VHF radio Our own radios where there is no mobile signal

What we handle for you

  • All meals As listed in the proposal
  • Accommodation Booked by us: you are not left hunting for a place
  • Trail food What you eat on the move, already sorted

If something goes wrong

  • Insurance and assistance Personal accident and civil liability cover
  • First aid kit With guides trained to use it

That's what the difference costs.

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Under Argentina's right of withdrawal you can cancel your booking within 10 calendar days of purchase (Art. 34, Law 24.240).

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