This guide is for you if you want to see Aconcagua from Mendoza in a single day. It covers when the road and the park can close, how the ten hours are spent, how to dress for the altitude, and whether you could do it by bus.
When to go, and when the road shuts
The season decides this day more than any other choice. The road west is the main route to Chile, and in winter snow can close it. In a snowy winter the Cristo Redentor border pass can stay shut for weeks, with the road impassable from Uspallata up to the tunnel. That stretch is where Puente del Inca and the park entrance are.
The Laguna de Horcones trail is usually closed in winter too, for snow, with risk of avalanches and slides and ice up to two metres thick in places. It reopens gradually as the thaw advances. While parts of the lagoon are still frozen, walking on it is forbidden, because the ice can break.
If the mountain is the reason for your trip, the warmer months are the safer choice. In winter we check conditions the day before, and the plan follows what the road and the park allow.
The park's own information gives its opening hours as 08:00 to 18:00. Check the official site before you go, as hours and access can change with the weather.
How the ten hours are spent
Most of the day is the drive. You leave at 07:00, follow the Mendoza river into the mountains past Cacheuta and the Potrerillos reservoir, and stop for coffee in Uspallata at about 09:30. Puente del Inca, about three hours from the city, is a photo stop at around 11:00. The park entrance follows at 11:45.
From the park you take the short trail towards the Horcones lagoon, with Aconcagua at the end of the valley. The provincial government describes the full lagoon circuit as a two-hour walk with no difficulty. On this day the time in the park is shorter than that, because lunch is back down in Uspallata at about 13:30. If the full circuit matters to you, tell your driver in the morning and trade some of the lunch for the walk. You are back at your hotel at around 17:00.
Puente del Inca, in brief
The bridge is a natural arch over the river, stained orange and yellow by mineral springs. Its waters were believed to cure, and in the early twentieth century it was one of the best-known thermal centres in Argentina. Building of a hotel began in 1925. It took guests until an avalanche destroyed it on 15 August 1965, and its ruins are what you see beside the bridge.
The site has been protected since 2005 as the Reserva Monumento Natural Puente del Inca. It is also part of the Qhapaq Ñan, the Andean road system that UNESCO lists as World Heritage.
Altitude and what to wear
The park sits at close to 3,000 metres. Walk slowly, drink water and tell your driver if you feel unwell. The park treats any mountain activity as a risk and advises visitors to read up on altitude sickness, frostbite and hypothermia before they go.
The kit list from the park is written for trekkers, but most of it fits a day visit:
- A waterproof jacket with a hood.
- Walking boots or shoes with a good grip.
- A hat for sun and cold, and gloves.
- High-factor sun cream, sunglasses and lip protection.
- Water for the walk.
Add a card or local cash for the park entrance and lunch, which are not included.
By bus, or with a driver
A public bus runs up the valley from the main bus terminal in Mendoza to Uspallata, taking about two hours. When the road beyond is cut, the high mountain service can be suspended. Check the current timetable at the terminal.
With the bus, the timetable sets your day, and Puente del Inca and the park are further up the road from Uspallata. A private vehicle stops where you want, at Potrerillos, at a viewpoint, or for longer at the lagoon, and turns back early if the weather changes. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits anyone who wants the high Andes and the highest mountain in the Americas without a trek. Think twice in these cases:
- You dislike long drives. About six hours of the day are on the road. A wine day in Luján de Cuyo starts twenty minutes from the city.
- Someone in the group reacts badly to altitude. Talk to a doctor before you book.
- You travel in July or August. Have a back-up day, or a back-up plan such as the city tour, in case the road is shut.
- You are more than 16. Two vehicles travel together on one booking. Message us and we will price it.
Questions people ask
Do we cross into Chile?
No. The tour turns back before the border.
Can we hike further in the park?
Not on this day. Longer treks, such as the walk up to the Confluencia camp, need a permit and a guide.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Pick a date outside the deep winter if you can, pack for cold and sun together, and keep the next day flexible. Everything about the pick-up and inclusions is on the Aconcagua and Puente del Inca private day trip page. For the other four days out of Mendoza, see our guide to day trips from Mendoza.
