Parque Provincial Aconcagua is a protected area in the Argentinean Andes, on the Chilean border. It’s home to snow-capped Mount Aconcagua, South America’s tallest peak. A trail leads from the park’s entrance to Los Horcones Lagoon and the Durazno Ravine. Huge Andean condors thrive in the high altitude. Nearby is the Puente del Inca, where an orange rock formation makes a natural bridge over Las Cuevas River.
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I don't think you need tickets to walk the shorter trail anymore. When I arrived there was no one there to check the tickets and I walked all the way to the bridge and back without anyone asking. The other folks didn't show tickets either. I had spent two hours in the morning reserving, trying to find an ATM that accepts gringo cards, then paying for the reservation. If you're in Mendoza and don't want to risk skipping this process, then I recommend reserving online to get your barcode, going to the Carrefour supermarket (off Belgrano and Heras) where you can withdraw cash from the ATM inside, then pay for the ticket right there at the Pago Fácil booth (show them barcode and pay in cash). I can't recall ever going through an annoying process like this to pay for a 5 dollar ticket.
The park itself is beautiful and worth it even with the ticket purchasing process. It's an easy walk to the bridge and back, maybe a few hours in total for the entire trip. Great views and fresh mountain air. I recommend renting a car if able - the drive up there is almost as enjoyable as the...
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We hiked to base camp Confluencia in about 6.5 hours. The hike is easy but with the altitude you need frequent breaks depending on how it affects you. The views of the valley and Aconcagua are beautiful. When you reach Confluencia base camp the view of the mountain is small but we would still recommend the hike. The hike costs 30000 per person. You can select your tickets through the gov website and then go to Pago to pay in person. Be sure to bring your receipt to the park to sign in. I think you can pay by cash at the park. We took a bus from Mendoza and stayed the night in Uspallata. We got an 8am bus from Uspallata to the park entrance (the bus driver will drop you there instead of Puente Del Inca). There is a 5pm bus back to Uspallata which you can also get from outside the park entrance. We stayed 2 night total in Uspallata before taking a 8:30am bus to Santiago. This was a nice way to split up the bus journey from Mendoza...
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5 stars for the park - 1 star for the reservation / payment / access process
The access procedure is soooo complicated but absolutely worth it!. Please make sure to preregister your visit on the Parque Aconcagua site. When you get to the main entrance you will need this in order to pay your entrance to the park. Once the payment is completed then you have to go to the office next door to show proof of payment where you will receive the ticket to access the park. Honestly, too many steps that could be combined in just one.
If you are driving, you will be able to access the park for around 1 km, then you will have a 15 minute walk to the first lookout at about 3,000 meters. From here you have an amazing view of the Aconcagua. For those fit individuals, you can keep walking for another 45 minutes to another...
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