Ten days on horseback across one of the great mountain crossings on earth. From Mendoza into the high Andes, over the pass, and down into Chile.
Most travelers see the Andes from a plane window. This journey takes you through them, on horseback, over ten days that follow routes through some of the most rugged and beautiful mountain terrain in the world.
You depart from Mendoza, one of Argentina’s finest wine cities, and ride deep into the mountains toward the province of San Juan. From there the expedition begins in earnest. Your horses and mules are waiting at Las Hornillas with the local arrieros who will guide you through every stage of the crossing. Over the days that follow, you ride through river valleys, cross high passes, camp beside mountain streams, and slowly make your way toward the Chilean side of the Andes.
The moment that defines the whole journey is Paso Espinacito, at approximately 4,500 meters above sea level. From that height, with Aconcagua — the highest peak in the Americas — visible in the distance, the scale of what you are doing becomes completely clear. You are not sightseeing. You are crossing a continent.
The expedition ends in Santiago, Chile, after ten days that most travelers describe as the most physically and emotionally rewarding experience of their lives.
“Crossing the Andes on horseback is one of South America’s most unique adventure experiences — following historic mountain trails between Argentina and Chile surrounded by the immense beauty of the mountains.”
— The Beagle Experience
You arrive at Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport in Mendoza, where a private transfer is waiting to bring you to the hotel. Mendoza sits at the foot of the Andes and is one of Argentina’s most celebrated wine destinations — with tree-lined boulevards, a relaxed pace, and the permanent backdrop of the mountains just a short drive away.
After check-in, the afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace. Walk through Mendoza’s charming streets, visit the local shops, or simply settle in and rest before the journey ahead.
In the evening, you sit down to a traditional Argentine dinner accompanied by a live folklore and tango show — regional music, dance, and gastronomy together in one authentic Mendoza setting. A memorable way to begin the crossing.
Your adventure begins early. You depart Mendoza by vehicle heading toward the province of San Juan, traveling through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the region. The route passes through Potrerillos, the scenic Uspallata Valley, and the vast Pampa del Leoncito before arriving in Barreal for lunch.
After lunch, you continue toward Las Hornillas, where the local arrieros are waiting with the horses, mules, and all the expedition equipment essential for the days ahead. The arrieros know these mountains as well as anyone alive. They will guide you every step of the way from here.
Dinner is served as the sun drops behind the peaks, and you spend your first night in tents — fully immersed in the silence and immensity of the Andes.
Distance: approximately 348 km (216 mi) by vehicle. Driving time: approximately 7 hours.
The first day on horseback begins early. You cross the Río Aldeco and begin climbing through the dramatic landscapes of the Black Pampa — a vast, high-altitude expanse surrounded by the silence and scale of the Andes that is unlike anything most riders have ever seen.
As the trail climbs higher into the mountains, you reach the plains of Manantiales, a remarkable natural setting at approximately 3,000 meters above sea level. The air is thin and cool, and the views stretch in every direction.
In the evening, camp is set up beside a mountain stream. Dinner is prepared over an open fire, and you sleep in tents beneath a sky full of Andean stars.
Distance: approximately 17 km (11 mi). Riding time: approximately 5.5 hours.
This is the defining day of the expedition. After breakfast you begin the most challenging and most rewarding ride of the journey, descending along a rocky trail that follows the Las Leñas River before beginning the long ascent toward Paso Espinacito.
At approximately 4,500 meters above sea level, Paso Espinacito is the high point of the entire crossing. From this remarkable position, you can see the majestic Aconcagua — at 6,961 meters the highest peak in the Americas — and the immense mountain range that forms the border between Argentina and Chile. Few viewpoints anywhere in the world compare.
After crossing the pass, you descend into the valley, riding through Vegas del Yeso and Vegas de Gallardo before arriving at camp in Vega Larga. Dinner is served in the evening calm.
Distance: approximately 31 km (19 mi). Riding time: approximately 9 hours.
After breakfast and preparation of the horses, you continue descending through the Andes, passing Cerro Yeso on the way toward the spectacular Valle de los Patos. Along the route you also pass the historic Gendarmerie Shelter, a structure that stands as a reminder of the long history of mountain crossings through these passes.
The ride continues across wide open plains until you arrive at Valle Hermoso, where camp will be set for the next two nights. During your time here you have the opportunity to look up at Aconcagua again — now seen from the Chilean side — as well as the impressive Cerro La Mesa and the surrounding glacier.
Distance: approximately 22 km (14 mi). Riding time: approximately 8 hours.
There is no riding scheduled today, and the rhythm of the day slows to match the peace of Valle Hermoso. This is a moment to rest, breathe the mountain air, and fully absorb a setting that very few people ever see.
A hearty lunch is served during the day, and in the evening you gather for a traditional Argentine gaucho barbecue under the open mountain sky.
Optional activities are available throughout the day. You can fish in the nearby waters, explore the area on foot, or spend time with the local gauchos learning to throw boleadoras — the traditional weighted ropes used by Andean horsemen for centuries. It is one of those afternoons that stays with you long after the journey ends.
The horseback journey continues toward the border between Argentina and Chile, following historic Andean trails surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. Along the route you visit the Sanmartinian Memorial, a symbolic site that commemorates General San Martín’s historic crossing of the Andes in 1817 — one of the defining moments in South American history. To ride through this same landscape is to feel the weight of that story.
At the border crossing point, horses are changed due to Chilean phytosanitary regulations. After meeting the Chilean arrieros and enjoying a snack together, you continue descending alongside the Rocín River toward the Carabineros de Chile outpost in Vegas del Ciénago, where border and immigration procedures take place.
After the controls, one final hour of riding brings you to Lagunitas Camp, where the expedition staff are waiting with a warm, comforting meal.
Distance: approximately 27 km (17 mi). Riding time: approximately 6 hours.
After breakfast, the expedition continues following the course of the Rocín River until reaching Paso La Colorada, located at approximately 3,500 meters above sea level. From this extraordinary viewpoint, the panorama takes in the Andes Mountains, the Costa mountain range, and the broad central valleys of Chile spread out far below.
Following a well-earned rest at the pass, the trail begins descending alongside the Estero Chalaco, where the landscape gradually changes and the characteristic greenery of the Chilean side begins to appear — a noticeable shift from the dry, high-altitude terrain of the Argentine approach.
A lunch box is provided during the ride before continuing toward Maitén Bonito, where camp is set up in the late afternoon. You close the day with dinner around a bonfire.
Distance: approximately 28 km (17 mi). Riding time: approximately 7 hours.
The last day in the saddle. After breakfast, you set off along the Estero Chalaco for the final descent toward Los Patos, with one last opportunity to take in the Andean scenery that has surrounded you for the past week. The trail offers a quiet, reflective quality today — a natural moment to absorb everything the crossing has been.
Upon arrival in Los Patos, documentation and luggage controls take place with the International Police of Chile (PDI). A lunch box is provided during the ride before the transfer continues by road toward Santiago, approximately two hours away.
Distance: approximately 18 km (11 mi) on horseback and 200 km (124 mi) by vehicle. Travel time: approximately 8 hours.
Breakfast is served at the Best Western Premier Marina Las Condes before check-out. This is the last meal of the expedition — and a quiet chance to sit with the other riders and absorb what you have just accomplished together.
After breakfast, a private transfer takes you to Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport for your departure flight. The Andes Crossing is complete.
The crossing combines nights in Mendoza and Santiago hotels with nights in tented camps deep in the mountains. The camp nights are a central part of the experience — sleeping in the Andes, beside rivers and beneath open sky, is something no hotel can replicate.
Your arrival and departure hotel in Mendoza, located in the heart of the city with easy access to restaurants, parks, and the tree-lined streets of one of Argentina’s most elegant provincial capitals. Night 1 is spent here before the expedition departs into the mountains the following morning.
Your final night of the expedition is spent in Santiago at Best Western Premier Marina Las Condes, a well-appointed hotel in one of the Chilean capital’s most sought-after neighborhoods. After nine days of mountain riding, the comfort here feels well-earned.
For seven nights, you sleep in tented camps set up each evening by the expedition team in the valleys, passes, and high plains of the Andes. All meals are provided at camp, prepared fresh by the support team. Each camp is set in a location specific to the route — beside a river, at the foot of a pass, or in the open valley. These nights are not a logistical convenience. They are the heart of the crossing.
The route across the Andes on horseback follows trails that predate the roads and railways that now cross these mountains. General San Martín led his army along paths not far from where you will ride. The arrieros who work these passes have guided travelers through for generations. The landscape has not changed.
This is not a journey that can be replicated in any other way. A car crosses the Andes in a few hours through a tunnel. A plane crosses it in minutes. On horseback, the full scale of the range reveals itself over days — the way the altitude builds, the way the valleys shift from dry rock to green meadow as you descend into Chile, the way the air and the light and the silence change at each camp. There is nothing else quite like it in South America.
The expedition begins in Mendoza, Argentina and ends in Santiago, Chile. Most international travelers fly into Mendoza from Buenos Aires, Miami, or Santiago depending on their origin. Beagle Flights can arrange the most practical inbound and outbound routing for your expedition dates, including any pre or post-trip nights in Buenos Aires or Santiago.
Every meal throughout the expedition — from the first dinner in Mendoza to the final breakfast in Santiago, including all camp meals prepared by the expedition team.
All horses and mules for the riding days, plus saddles, equipment, and the expertise of the local arrieros who guide you through the mountain passes.
High-quality mountain tents and all necessary camping equipment for seven nights in the Andes, set up and broken down by the expedition support team at each location.
One hotel night in Mendoza at the start of the expedition and one hotel night in Santiago at the end, both including breakfast.
Private transfers in and out of both airports, the full-day drive from Mendoza through San Juan to Las Hornillas, and the vehicle transfer from Los Patos to Santiago.
A traditional Argentine dinner with a live folklore and tango show on Night 1, plus a safe for storing passports and important documents throughout the expedition.
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Speak with a Beagle advisor to plan your expedition. We will match you to the right departure dates and handle every detail of the journey.
This is a private guided expedition. Departure dates and group sizes are limited. Contact us early to confirm availability.