Departures
Every day on request, November to February
Starting / Finishing Points
The trip starts at your hotel in Santiago at 09:00 hrs and finishes on day 5 at your hotel approximately at 19:00 hrs.
Included
- All transportation as indicated in the itinerary
- English speaking mountain guide
- Spanish speaking mountain assistant if more than 3 participants
- Mules as pack animals
- Common camping & mountain equipment - Standard equipment includes 2 person mountain tents, a kitchen/dining tent, tables & stools, light, cooking equipment & utensils, first aid kit.
- Meals:
Day 1: BL, D
Day 2: B, BL, D
Day 3: B, BL, D
Day 4: B, BL, D
Day 5: B, BL
Not Included
- Insurance (it is mandatory you purchase appropriate insurance for this trip)
- Voluntary tipping of guides and staff
- Sleeping bags or mats (please contact us for rental rates)
- Individual mountain gear or items of a personal nature.
Accommodation Details
The tents arranged for this program are typical mountain tents with enough room for 2 people overnight in comfortable conditions. We provide all the camping gear but you have to bring your own mat and sleeping bag (please ask us for mats and bags rental rates). Our team will be responsible for setting up the tents at the camping site. There will be also a big and comfortable dining tent for enjoying dinner and breakfast.
Group Size & Guiding Staff
Guide to client ratio: 1:4 We frequently use the services of a local cook-guide who assists the mountain guides at the lower camps.
Transport
We use comfortable minivans or 4x4 vehicles.
Weather
During a summer day, daytime temperatures can be pleasant, ranging between 10°C - 20°C (50ºF - 68ºF). Night-time temperatures will most likely be in the -10°C - 5°C (14ºF - 23ºF), nevertheless in places not reached by the sun and/or where the wind blows strongly the temperature might drop dramatically. Even in summer, the constant snow and glacier evaporation forms midday clouds that cover the summit, and sometimes snow storms or hail could fall in the upper sector.
Physical Demands
Climbing El Plomo requires more physical preparation than most vacations. On this trip you will be trekking in very high altitudes mostly on dry rocky terrain. On the fourth day reaching the summit at 5.424 mt (17,795 feet) is very demanding and a high level of fitness is imperative. Guides will always have oxygen tanks at disposition if someone feels sick. Something to have in mind is the temperature drop at night. All these conditions can affect both body and morale so coming in good physical condition is fundamental to enjoying this stunning trip to El Plomo Mountain.
What you need to bring
The expedition demands technical gear such as: sleeping bag (comfortable to -20ºC /-4ºF); full length sleeping pad (ice); a high mountain backpack 90 liters (6.000 cubic inches); high performance mountain boots; ski poles; personal clothing (feet, upper & lower body, hands, head, etc); ice axe & crampons. Please contact us for mountain gear rental suggestions in Santiago.
Itinerary Modifications
We reserve the right to change the order of the itinerary at the discretion of the trip guide and based on operational considerations. The trip guide can modify, change or eliminate part of the itinerary based on safety/weather considerations.