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A six-day traverse across the eastern flank of Mercedario, this trek combines turquoise glacial streams, high camps, and a long summit-day to the Balcón de los Seismiles. Expect steep gains, moraine walking, and panoramic views across Argentina's central Andes.
A six-day traverse across the eastern flank of Mercedario, this trek combines turquoise glacial streams, high camps, and a long summit-day to the Balcón de los Seismiles. Expect steep gains, moraine walking, and panoramic views across Argentina's central Andes.
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Operated by Posta Inca Adventures Expeditions · Barreal, San Juan
The high desert opens like a page turned by wind: stony ridges, a stubborn ribbon of turquoise water, and a line of peaks that climb until the air tastes thin. You meet the trip in Barreal, where a last cup of coffee and the guide’s gear-check are the final gestures before the road climbs through the Valle del Río Los Patos. From the vehicle the landscape changes fast—cactus and scrub give way to grey scree and then to moraine and permanent snow. By the second day you’re pitching tents at Laguna Blanca (≈3,100 m), waiting as mules shoulder the heavy loads and the sky grows cold and clear.
challenging.
6 days.
Participants should have high aerobic fitness and previous multi-day trekking or high-altitude experience; expect sustained uphill efforts and load carrying.
Minimum age is 13; all minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Yes—a current, valid passport is required on the day of travel for registration and logistics.
No technical climbing equipment is required for the Balcón route described, but the ascent involves significant altitude and exposed sections—experience in high-altitude trekking is important.
Expect up to ~1,200–1,300 m of ascent on the Balcón day; gradual acclimatization days are built into the itinerary to reduce altitude sickness risk.
Yes: breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included as listed in the itinerary, along with hotel pickup and 4x4 transfers between Barreal and Laguna Blanca.
Full refund available if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure; see booking terms for details.
The traverses echo routes pioneered by Polish climbers in the 1930s–1940s who opened key ascents in the central Andes and worked with local muleteers to establish high routes.
High-altitude ecosystems are fragile—pack out all waste, avoid trampling vegetated oases, and use existing campsites to limit impact.
Posta Inca Adventures Expeditions operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
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