At 4,370m (14,337 ft), Plaza de Mulas is more than just a camp on Aconcagua, the mountain in Argentina known as the “Rooftop of the Americas.” It’s a temporary city built into thin air every single year. It was only after I arrived at Plaza de Mulas that I learned it’s also the second-largest base camp in the world, after Mount Everest Base Camp.
After going twice to Plaza de Mulas, I can assure you that it’s truly a village, full of surprising amenities. I thought every camp on Aconcagua would feel remote and quiet, but I was wrong. I was about to learn why some hikers make Plaza de Mulas a destination in itself.
Two Approaches: The Normal Route or the 360 Route
I’ve been to Aconcagua twice. The first time, I did what’s called the “Normal Route,” in which you approach Plaza de Mulas base camp from the Horcones Trailhead, passing through a lower base camp called Confluencia. On the Normal Route, we used Plaza de Mulas as our base while hiking up and back to continue acclimating. That gave me plenty of time to soak up the energy of the camp and explore all over.
For my second attempt at Aconcagua, I went via the “360 Route,” which approaches the summit from another valley and only passes through Plaza de Mulas on the descent from the higher camps. I have to say, on my second Aconcagua expedition, I missed staying at Plaza de Mulas for days. Our group had only one night there on our descent, and saying goodbye that last time was harder than I expected.
Getting to Plaza de Mulas: A Steep, Long Hike
If you’re a mountaineer and your dream is to climb Aconcagua, you’ll end up in Plaza de Mulas one way or another if you go through an expedition group, as I did. I’ll never forget the treacherous hike up to Plaza de Mulas on my first attempt in February 2024. At the end of an 8+ hour hike from Confluencia Camp, one last challenge stood between my group and the base camp: a series of steep switchbacks.
And as we started up this last huge elevation gain in the final leg of that day’s hike, the temperature started dropping. The sky darkened. Our guide grew worried, urging us to go faster. A storm was coming, and we’d better get up to the camp and inside fast before things got ugly.
In the last half-hour of the hike, we pushed harder and harder as the snow began to fall. I didn’t stop to put on my Gore-Tex jacket (although I probably should have) because the climb was so aerobic. My first memory of the base camp, which I cherish to this day, was arriving, freezing, snow falling, and snapping a few photos before rushing into our tent.
It was such a wonder to be in Plaza de Mulas. Even under stormy skies, I felt the electric energy of that place, a refuge high up the mountains, surrounded by incredible Andean peaks. And it’s not called “Plaza de Mulas” for nothing; it’s the last main stop or hub for the mules that carried our expedition gear. They constantly came in and out of the camp, shouldering up to 90 kilograms (200 pounds) of supplies.
Tents, Bathrooms, Amenities, & More
The first time I went to Aconcagua, my stay in Plaza de Mulas felt more like glamping than anything. We had a small gas heater in our tent, which was actually a semi-permanent structure, filled with two sets of bunk beds. (My second time, to my despair, the gas heater for our tent was not functioning.)
And walking through the camp, I found several bathrooms on the outer edge, like semi-permanent port-a-potties. I learned that all the human waste must be taken down the mountain and disposed of properly to keep the mountain clean. Some of the helicopters that flew in and out of Plaza de Mulas (I saw a few fly in and out during my time there) made trips to haul away all the human waste.
The expedition agency I used built semi-permanent domes for all of our amenities. We had a dining dome, then there was a huge dome with the kitchen and breakfast bar, and stations inside for hot and cold water. There was even a dome with phone charging stations, a mini bar (beer and wine only, to my knowledge), and a cafe. This lounge-type dome was also stocked with games and books.
Visiting the Highest Art Gallery in the World
On my first visit, I learned of a painter who resided at Plaza de Mulas during the climbing season (December-February). I had to see for myself what was dubbed the “Highest Art Gallery in the World.” This painter’s name is Miguel Doura, and I had the great pleasure of meeting him and seeing his work. He was working on one painting, barefoot despite the cold weather, chatting with a couple of his friends as I perused his artwork. In just a small tent, he had dozens of paintings—large and small—hung up all over, each going for hundreds of U.S. dollars.
One of my favorite moments during my stay in Plaza de Mulas was in that gallery. Miguel asked me where I was from, and I told him I was from Miami. He said it was such a curious thing—a person traveling to this exact spot, sure to freeze in the cold and suffer in the altitude, from the warm, faraway beaches of Miami. Surely, he’d met thousands of foreign travelers during his time in Plaza de Mulas, but he evidently never lost that sense of wonder for every visitor’s journey.
Dreams of the Aconcagua Summit Are Celebrated or Mourned
In Plaza de Mulas, there are three types of people: people on the way up, hoping to reach the summit; people on the way down who didn’t reach the summit; and people on the way down who did reach the summit. And at night, I heard celebrations of the groups who were fortunate enough to stand on the highest point in the Western Hemisphere. Laughter, a sense of relief, music, and champagne bottles popping.
Contrast that with the quiet resignation of those who gave their all, only to leave without the coveted summit photo. Early bedtimes, subdued conversations, and ambitions that will have to wait until later. In any event, Plaza de Mulas is more about what happens while you wait for the summit. You are forced to learn something and sit in it as you wait in Plaza de Mulas, whether you’re waiting to go up or waiting to finally exit the park. This seasonal city of tents is a transformational place that leaves you with something intangible that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
<p>The post Plaza de Mulas: Inside Aconcagua’s High-Altitude Base Camp first appeared on Travelbinger.</p>