Andes Crossing Expedition

On the second day of your itinerary we will transport you from Tunuyán to the tiny town Manzano Histórico (1,700 meters above sea level), where after a brief tour of this historic site we will begin our horseback adventure! 

Manzano Histórico was the place chosen by the Liberator of America, General José de San Martín, to rest after his campaign in Chile and Peru. Throughout our journey we will be riding along the same route that General San Martín did in his historic Liberation Campaign. 

From this point on we will have seven days of riding plus plenty of time to rest along the way. 

Please note that the itinerary outlined below is provisional and subject to change.

After breakfast, we pack our gear and continue our ride into the valleys. The terrain becomes more rugged as we ascend higher into the foothills.

We stop for lunch in a shaded area, resting our horses and enjoying the scenery. In the afternoon, we take a refreshing break, allowing everyone to swim and cool off before continuing our journey. 

Later, we push on to our campsite for the night, nestled among ancient trees. After setting up camp, we take time to explore the area and gather around the fire for dinner and camaraderie.

There are NO bathrooms throughout the ride. We suggest the use of wet wipes. We also take baths in cold streams of the mountain range. It is important that the waste (toilet paper, wet wipes, etc.) is thrown in a waste bag (which we will provide) and NOT on the floor; and you should use neutral soap so as not to contaminate the streams.

Today, we embark on a challenging ascent into the higher altitudes of the Andes. The air becomes crisper, and the views more stunning as we ride through rocky trails. We take breaks to hydrate and enjoy the panoramic vistas.

By evening, we reach a beautiful plateau where we set up camp. The sunset casts a golden hue across the mountains, creating a perfect backdrop for our dinner. We reflect on our journey and share thoughts on San Martín's bravery as we prepare for another day of riding.

Throughout this adventure you will be guided by an expert team of highly trained Gauchos (traditional Argentine horsemen). 

This is a pivotal day as we prepare to cross Uspallata Pass, one of the high passes that General San Martín navigated. After an early breakfast, we begin our ascent. The trail is steep and demanding, but our spirits are high as we encourage one another.

Upon reaching the summit, we take a moment to soak in the view—an expansive landscape stretching towards Chile. We descend into a valley where we set up camp for the night, celebrating our successful crossing with a special dinner under the stars.

You will experience some of the most spectacular views that our planet has to offer along the way until we reach the Chilean border high in the Andes mountain range. 

It is important to note that even though the aforementioned dates are at the height of Argentina's summer season the evenings up in the Andes are quite cool, and at that elevation (as high as 4,380 meters or 14,370 feet above sea level!) there is always the possibility of sudden snow or rainfall so you should prepare for inclement weather. 

We wake up to a crisp morning and pack up camp, ready to ride towards the Chilean border. The descent is exhilarating as we navigate through beautiful landscapes filled with unique flora and fauna. At times we may be privileged enough to see mighty condors flying overhead or guanacos (similar to lamas) running across the mountains.

After lunch, we take another break, enjoying the tranquility of nature. 

As we approach the border in the afternoon, we take time to appreciate the significance of this historical route before turning back.

We will overnight in Chile.

After breakfast, we begin our ride back towards Argentina and Manzano Histórico. The journey feels different as we retrace our steps, now familiar with the landscape.

 We stop for lunch at a scenic spot before continuing our descent.

We will spend the night in tents.

We will transfer you to Mendoza.

If you would like to spend additional time exploring Argentina we have specialized partners there who can help you to set up a tailor-made itinerary for the duration of your extended stay. This is highly recommended as Argentina is an incredibly beautiful and diverse country. The Mendoza Province is Argentina's most important wine region, and is considered the heart of the winemaking industry in Argentina with the vast majority of large wineries located in the provincial capital of Mendoza. So if you are a wine lover you should definitely plan on staying in this area a couple more days. Also the shopping for leather goods is considered the best in the world.