Amazing experience- a must do adventure if in Mendoza - 8:30am Our guide picked us up at our BNB home in Lujan de Cuyo for the 1 1/2 hour drive to our hike at Cordon del Plata, Mt Arenales. We submitted mountain at 4:30pm and finished at 6pm. It was in the upper 30s temperature, very cold and rainy, very rare for this area. Weather went from cold, freezing, to comfortable - and misty rain, sleet, some snow and the clouds came and went all day. -The path is extremely rocky - sometimes very heavy inclines. The smaller rocks could twist an ankle - I’d suggest boots with ankles covered and several layers of shirts with a backpack. - During lunch at summit the clouds did break a bit, but the distant views were not great. We were very excited to see a large llama (Guanaco) in the wild, he was alone. ** Our guide Agustine was so nice, patient, and informative — we all thoroughly enjoyed him and would use him again!!! This was an experience we will never forget - to be in Mendoza we had to hike the Andes - we highly recommend, a must do adventure!!

Highly recommend! - Gabriel was very informative and went at the right pace on the mountain. I went solo but joined 2 other travellers for the hike and had a great time! The views are amazing. Andes Vertical is top-notch. They were very responsive when I asked to move the date of my hike, and very reactive when I added a last-minute lunchbox. The pick-up at my accommodation and drop-off at the airport was also very appreciated. Thank you again!!

One of the best experiences I have EVER had!!! - This was one of the highlights of our trip to Argentina and I would not be exaggerating to say one of the highlights of my life! The communication with the tour company was great, the pickup was organised well, and they were punctual. Augustine is a friendly, chatty, responsible guide and we chatted the whole way whilst she told us some interesting facts about the area. We picked up a couple on the way to the hike, so in all it was a very small group, just 4 travelers and the guide. I was quite concerned that I would hold the group back as I have little experience in hiking at that altitude (3650m peak) despite being fit for my age (59). The other couple seemed to have more experience in hiking as they described their past adventures and accomplishments all over the world, including Mt Kilimanjaro. The views of the Andes on the way to the hike's starting point were incredible, this alone would have been worth it and I enjoyed the trip immensely, in particular as Augustine is a fantastic driver! Once there, we were fitted out with trekking poles and we began the hike up towards Mt Lomas Blancas. It was stunning! The hike was moderate to difficult overall, and we walked uphill for quite a while which was demanding. We did rest along the way, take photos and drink water or eat a small snack but Augustine gently reminded us not to stop too long or we would not make it to the peak. Now, relatively early in the hike it was apparent that the other two travellers were finding it too physically demanding and were experiencing difficulties. It wa evident that they wouldnt be able to make it to the described summit as they were already lagging behind. Augustine also realised this and very diplomatically suggested that as we were faster, they remain at the plateau, where she could see them, walk around a little and wait for us to return in two hours. I think she received the go ahead for the splitting of the group with a short phone call. This was handled exceptionally well and in a very professional manner which kept all parties content. It was much appreciated that the hike was not reduced as we would have been disappointed. We continued at a faster pace to the peak which we reached earlier than anticipated and it was a great feeling to have made this! We had a rest, snack and took many photos. Travellers be aware that the descent is more challenging, tough on the knees and you may slip on the very loose, gravelly stones. But the view of the valley, the Poterillos dam and the mountains are unbeatable and we could really enjoy this the whole way down. We even saw a llama who woke up from a nap and came bounding in our direction and we spotted some cows grazing and some magnificent birds. We were also lucky as the weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot, so layers are recommended. There is some crossing of streams involved so no trainers! The drive back was faster and just as scenic and we were exhausted but wonderfully happy after a great acomplishement. I thoroughly recommend this tour and thanks to Augustine for the best day ever!

Walking in Cordon del Plata with Agustin - I had a magical time walking in the pre-Andean hills with Agustin. He was the perfect guide for me. He is so polite and thoughtful. He picked me up at my hotel in Maipu, Mendoza. He drove me to the Gaucho farm, and then to the place where we started walking. The pace was perfect for me. He found the right place to cross streams so I didn't get wet feet! He taught me about making Mate and the etiquette of drinking it. An acquired taste which must grow on you the more you drink it! The walk in the hills was so peaceful, it was simply beautiful. We were blessed with the right weather for walking as well. Sunny but not hot. I thoroughly recommend Agustin as a guide. I was quite sad when we arrived back at the car, as I had enjoyed it very much.

Amazing hike with Cristina and Mathias - Exceptional hike with Christina and Mathias… We cannot thank them enough for guiding us today, for providing us poles and sharing warm clothes.. It’s started raining and Cristina gave her rain jacket to us, while walking herself soaking wet in a sweatshirt.. and she was very non chalan about it… The hike was not easy, high elevation and it was pretty cold in the mountains… I would recommend using hiking boots and brining warm clothes even in the summer.. Thank you Christina and Mathias you are wonderful.. it was a beautiful hike , with amazing views, and we enjoyed every minute of it… Elena and Vita

Amazing experience, great guide - We had an amazing time with this tour group. Pablo let the tour and was the perfect tour guide. His English was great, and he shared a lot of knowledge about the area and the mountains with us. More importantly he did a great job handling our group. We were with a very talented and fit mountain climber that zoomed around the mountains, meanwhile my wife and I found the hike much more challenging. Pablo did a great job balancing things, giving our hiking partner and more advanced hills to climb but also staying with us to make sure we were doing ok. He also took great photos! A+ for organization, knowledge and support - don’t hesitate to use great tour company.

Excellent climb to Lomas Blancas hill - It was an incredible experience thanks to Agustín, the guide who accompanied me. A boss! The climb to Lomas Blancas was my first serious mountain trekking, with an amount of snow that I did not expect, and Agustín knew how to adapt the route to my limitations, especially when it came to going down through the snow! I really enjoyed the day.

Fantastic Hiking Day - My husband and I loved this hike and experience. The drive out along the mountains and to the trailhead was beautiful, and our guide had poles for us to use. We went in the middle of May and started our hike with snow on the ground. I wore a base, 2 mids and an outer shell while my husband wore just 1 mid and shed it in the middle of the hike. I'd recommend gloves and a hat to help with the chill as well, although the snow had melted by the time we descended. We are in our 30's, pretty fit, and would call our experience mostly intermediate with parts that were hard. Our guide was fantastic and lead us to the summit of both Loma Blanca and C'Arenales. The last half hour or so up and back down from the summit of Loma Blanca was very steep and rocky. Make sure to wear hiking boots or shoes as grip is important. At the summit we sat for 10-15 mins to eat whatever lunch everyone had brought and rest before heading down and then back up to the second summit. I'd absolutely recommend this hike and company to anyone who can handle 5-6 hours of almost constant hiking, with some pretty steep and rocky terrain. It was such a gorgeous day in the Andes and something we will absolutely do again if we ever make it back down to Mendoza.

Beautiful views and moderate hike difficulty. - Great hike but a tough road downhill. Augustine was a very good guide but occasionally lapsed in helping some of us in the more difficult stretches. Going up the mountain was moderate in difficulty with no precipices and we saw several guanoco’s (?). Overall, a great hike, beautiful views and a great guide.

Mt Lomas Blanca’s day trip from Mendoza - The hike itself was amazing with great views and mountain experience. Excellent day trip if you don’t have a lot of time or if looking to acclimatise for a higher altitude mountain. We read reviews about being able to do without a guide but based on our experience, we definitely would not recommend this. We got caught in a thunderstorm and would not have made it back to Mendoza without our guide, both to get down from the mountain and out of the national park because landslides had closed the road.