Mendoza High Mountain Circuit Aconcagua

At 4,400 meters, the road to Plaza de Mulas base camp doesn’t mess around – it’s the highest vehicle-accessible point in the Western Hemisphere. This technical circuit starts in Mendoza, follows RN-7 through Uspallata, then branches onto mining access roads that climb relentlessly toward Aconcagua’s north face. The track to Confluencia and beyond demands respect: loose scree, river crossings, and altitude that’ll leave you gasping while wrestling the wheel through hairpin turns carved from mountainsides.

Expert-level difficulty requiring modified 4WD with low-range gearing, skid plates, and emergency gear. December through March offers the only viable window when snow clears from upper elevations. Provincial permits mandatory for Aconcagua Provincial Park access. Fuel and provisions in Mendoza – nothing above Puente del Inca. What you get: standing where climbers stage for the highest peak outside Asia, views across the Andes spine, and bragging rights for conquering roads that humble most rigs.