Global Expeditions Chile South America

Ojos del Salado Express

Ojos del Salado Express · 6,893 m / 22,615 ft · 9 Days · Copiapó to Copiapó · Maximum 4 Climbers

9 Days Group: Maximum 4 climbers $8,500 per person

The Climb

Ojos del Salado Express · Atacama Desert · Chile

Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on Earth and the highest mountain in Chile. Our main expedition takes fourteen days to climb it. The Express takes nine.

6,893mOjos del Salado · 22,615 ft
9Days, Copiapó to Copiapó
4Climbers, maximum, with two guides
2Summit windows
4Weeks of hypoxic protocol at home
HypoxicoSystem delivered to your home

The difference isn’t that we move faster on the mountain. It’s that the acclimatization starts weeks before you fly, on a Hypoxico system in your own home. The total physiological work doesn’t shrink. It is redistributed, and part of it is done before you land in Chile.

Ojos del Salado, 14 days

  • A week acclimatizing through the Atacama
  • Siete Hermanas and Cerro San Francisco first
  • Up to six climbers

Ojos del Salado Express, 9 days

  • Acclimatization starts weeks before you fly
  • A Hypoxico system and written protocol at home
  • Founder-supported preparation
  • Two summit windows
  • Four climbers, two guides
Altitude profile of the 9-day Ojos del Salado Express: Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna Verde 4,340 m, base camp 5,255 m, Refugio Tejos 5,825 m and Ojos del Salado 6,893 mAltitude profile of the 9-day Ojos del Salado Express: Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna Verde 4,340 m, base camp 5,255 m, Refugio Tejos 5,825 m and Ojos del Salado 6,893 m
Highest point reached each day. Days 6 and 7 are the two summit windows. See the full itinerary, day by day.

That is the whole idea, and everything on this page follows from it.

Who the Express Is Built For

Almost every climber who writes to us about Ojos is capable. What many of them don’t have is two and a half weeks.

The Express is for experienced climbers whose limit is the calendar. It assumes you have been high before, that you know how your body behaves there, and that you will do the preparation we ask for.

It’s the wrong choice if Ojos would be your first mountain near this height, if you’ve had an unexplained problem at altitude, or if you can’t commit to the full pre-departure protocol. In those cases our 14-day Ojos del Salado expedition is the better program, and we’ll tell you so.

Dawn at a high-altitude lagoon camp in the Atacama, Chile

Readiness Is Built in Three Stages

At home — the hypoxic protocol. Every climber receives a Hypoxico altitude system, delivered to your home and included in the trip price, with a written protocol built around this objective and reviewed against your training history and your record at altitude. Four weeks of consistent use before departure is the standard. It has a schedule, a target and a record.

On arrival — the Atacama in steps. We don’t drive straight to the mountain. You sleep at Laguna Santa Rosa (3,800 m / 12,500 ft), then Laguna Verde (4,340 m / 14,240 ft), then Base Camp (5,255 m / 17,240 ft), then Refugio Tejos (5,825 m / 19,110 ft). Each night is higher than the last, and every step is watched by your guides.

On the mountain — two summit windows. From Tejos, summit day climbs about 1,070 m / 3,500 ft to the crater and a short rock scramble to the top. The schedule holds a second summit day, because on Ojos the wind decides more attempts than the terrain does.

What the Express Trades Away

Compressing a trip has a cost, and you should know it before you book:

  • No Cerro San Francisco. The 14-day trip climbs a 6,018 m peak before Ojos. The Express doesn’t. Your hypoxic protocol and your past altitude carry that load instead.
  • No rest day at Laguna Verde. One night at the hot springs, not two or three.
  • One spare summit day, not two. If both windows close, there isn’t a third.
  • Less time in the desert. The Atacama is half the reason people love the long trip. The Express sees it at speed.

If you want the full Atacama, more margin and a 6,000 m warm-up, the 14-day expedition is the better trip. For many climbers it is.

The Express costs more than the 14-day trip. You’re paying for compression: a Hypoxico system and protocol, two guides for four climbers, and the same logistics fitted into fewer days.

Your Preparation Is Supported by the Founders

On every Express program, the preparation phase is run personally by Willie or Damian Benegas. From the moment you’re accepted, one of them works directly with you on your training, your hypoxic protocol and how you’re responding to it.

It applies to your preparation, not to your departure. Who guides you on the mountain is confirmed in your written trip terms and never assumed.

Readiness Is a Requirement, Not a Benefit

A shorter itinerary is sound only when the preparation actually happened. A climber who uses a hypoxic system inconsistently and then stands at 6,900 m on a compressed schedule is worse off than a climber on the 14-day trip, not better off.

So your compliance and your response to the protocol are reviewed before departure. If the protocol hasn’t been met, we’ll tell you. That conversation may lead to the 14-day expedition, a later departure or a different objective. We’d rather have it months out than at Tejos.

Four Climbers, Two Guides

Teams are capped at four climbers with two guides. Guides are certified to IFMGA, AMGA and/or equivalent national standards. Local drivers and camp staff support the team; your guides run the climbing, the acclimatization plan and every turnaround decision.

You will never disappear into the group.

Safety and Logistics

Ojos is 4×4-supported. That lets us carry proper food, real camp infrastructure, and full medical and communications equipment to 5,255 m, and it means a descent is measured in hours, not days. Every departure carries a group medical kit, satellite and radio communication, and Starlink in camp. Every climber is monitored daily: pace, hydration, appetite and recovery.

A compressed schedule doesn’t buy urgency. Nobody on a BBE expedition is pushed because the calendar is tight, and turning around at the right moment is a professional decision, not a failure. No one can promise you a summit on Ojos.

Questions About the Express?

Tell us what you’ve climbed and how high. We’ll tell you honestly whether the Express or the 14-day expedition fits. We don’t simply guide expeditions. We help people build a lifetime in the mountains. Day by Day · Is This For Me? · Before You Go

Ask a guide

Day by Day

This itinerary assumes your hypoxic protocol is already complete. Nine days works because the adaptation started at home, not because anything on the mountain is rushed.

CopiapóDay 1AtacamaDays 2–3BC · TejosDays 4–5SummitDays 6–7OutDays 8–9
Altitude profile of the 9-day Ojos del Salado Express: Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna Verde 4,340 m, base camp 5,255 m, Refugio Tejos 5,825 m and Ojos del Salado 6,893 mAltitude profile of the 9-day Ojos del Salado Express: Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna Verde 4,340 m, base camp 5,255 m, Refugio Tejos 5,825 m and Ojos del Salado 6,893 m
Highest point reached each day. Copiapó altitude is approximate.

The 9 Days at a Glance

Each bar shows where you sleep that night. ▲ marks the day’s high point. Tap a day to open it.

Phase 1CopiapóDay 1

1Arrive in CopiapóCopiapó

Phase 2AtacamaDays 2–3

2Into the Atacama: Laguna Santa Rosa3,800 m · 12,500 ft3Laguna Verde4,340 m · 14,240 ft

Phase 3Base Camp · TejosDays 4–5

4Ojos del Salado Base Camp5,255 m · 17,240 ft5Move to Refugio Tejos5,825 m · 19,110 ft

Phase 4SummitDays 6–7

6First summit window▲ Summit 6,893 m / 22,615 ft5,825 m · 19,110 ft7Second summit window / descentBase Camp or Laguna Verde

Phase 5OutDays 8–9

8Return to CopiapóCopiapó9DepartureFly home

In each day below, altitude reads start → high point → where you sleep. Distances and hiking times are estimates.

Climb high, sleep low

Some days climb well above where you sleep. The gap between the day’s high point and the night’s camp is how your body adapts.

Times are estimates

Hiking times change with the team and the conditions. A slow, steady pace is the plan, not a problem.

The plan can flex

Weather, how the team is acclimatizing and your guides’ judgment can change the daily plan. That flexibility is part of the plan.

Good to know

The schedule is a plan, not a promise. Weather, wind and how the team is actually moving take priority, and your guides will change the order of days when that’s the right call.

Our team meets you at Copiapó’s Desierto de Atacama Airport (CPO) and takes you to the hotel. In the afternoon: the expedition briefing and a full gear check, done here, in a town with shops, rather than at 4,000 m where nothing can be replaced.

Your guides will also want to hear how your hypoxic protocol went. That conversation is part of the expedition.

Overnight: Hotel Atacama Suites, Copiapó

Altitude: 3,800 m / 12,500 ft

We drive east into the high desert by 4×4, past the Salar de Maricunga, to Laguna Santa Rosa: salt flats, wetlands, flamingos and volcanoes on every side. An easy walk near camp in the afternoon. No hard effort today; this is adaptation, not a workout.

Overnight: expedition camp at Laguna Santa Rosa

Altitude: 4,340 m / 14,240 ft

A morning acclimatization walk above Santa Rosa, then the drive higher to Laguna Verde, a turquoise lake ringed by 6,000 m volcanoes. The natural hot springs beside camp are the best place on the trip to warm up and recover.

Overnight: expedition camp at Laguna Verde

Altitude: 5,255 m / 17,240 ft

We turn off the main road toward Ojos and drive across volcanic sand and rock to Base Camp near the Atacama Refuge area. This is the real high-altitude phase. The afternoon is for water, food, rest and a short walk above camp. Your guides watch closely: breathing, appetite, recovery.

Overnight: Ojos del Salado Base Camp

Altitude: 5,825 m / 19,110 ft

A deliberately short climbing day to the high camp, so you arrive early with time to drink, eat, organize summit gear and rest. Guides review the forecast and the wind and set the summit plan. Early dinner, early night.

Overnight: Refugio Tejos (tents, or hut space if genuinely available)

Summit: 6,893 m / 22,615 ft · Gain from Tejos: about 1,070 m / 3,500 ft

If weather, wind and team readiness line up, today is the summit. We leave between roughly 3:00 and 5:00 am depending on conditions. The route climbs steadily over volcanic terrain that can be dry scree or snow and ice. Near the top is the short rock scramble to the summit, where we use helmets, harnesses and rope as conditions require. From the top: the summit crater and the 6,000 m peaks of the Central Andes in every direction.

Descent to Tejos, or lower if the team is strong and conditions allow.

Overnight: Refugio Tejos or Base Camp

The built-in second window. If Day 6 was closed out by wind or weather, we try again today. If we’ve already summited, today is an unhurried descent instead of a forced march. A second window, with a team already positioned at Tejos, is the difference between a schedule that plans for the mountain and one that hopes.

Overnight: Base Camp or Laguna Verde, depending on how the day is used

We break camp, load the 4x4s and drive out of the Atacama. Hot shower, good food, real bed. Team dinner in town.

Overnight: Hotel Atacama Suites, Copiapó

Transfer to Copiapó Airport for flights to Santiago and home. The program ends here.

A Note on the Schedule

Nine days on Ojos is only sound when the preparation behind it is real. That is why the hypoxic protocol is a condition of joining, not an option.

Nothing in this itinerary trades safety for speed. There are two summit windows, not one. Guides turn teams around when the mountain says so, and a tight calendar has never been a reason to keep climbing.

The Climb · Is This For Me? · Before You Go

Read next: Is This For Me? · Gear List · A Day on the Mountain · What to Budget For · Dates and Prices

Questions about the itinerary or your readiness? Ask a guide.

Is This for Me?

The Express is not a faster version of our 14-day expedition. It’s a different program for a different climber, and picking the wrong one can cost you the mountain.

This page is the conversation we’d have with you before taking a deposit.

The Short Answer

The 14-day expedition is the right program for most people who come to us for Ojos. It gives you time: a 6,000 m warm-up on Cerro San Francisco, a rest day at Laguna Verde, and two days of margin on the mountain.

The Express sells that time back to you in exchange for preparation you complete before you fly. If you need the time, keep it. Nobody has ever regretted a longer itinerary on a mountain this high.

High desert below the volcanoes of the Atacama, Chile

The Express at a Glance

ExperiencePrevious high-altitude experience required
Highest pointOjos del Salado, 6,893 m / 22,615 ft
Highest sleeping altitudeRefugio Tejos, 5,825 m / 19,110 ft
Summit dayAbout 1,070 m / 3,500 ft of gain from Tejos, starting 3:00–5:00 am, with a short rock scramble at the top
Pre-departure protocolFour weeks on a Hypoxico system at home, included and required
FamiliesWelcome
Team sizeMaximum four climbers, two guides

The Experience We’re Looking For

Previous high-altitude experience is required. We don’t set a single elevation cutoff, but most Express climbers have already slept above about 4,500 m and climbed above about 5,500 m. What we’re really looking for is three things:

  • Real time at altitude. You know how your body behaves up high from experience, not theory.
  • The ability to sustain long days. Early starts, cold, a pack, and doing it again the next morning.
  • The right attitude. Honest about how you feel, coachable, and steady when a plan changes.

Climbs that build that background include Kilimanjaro, the Ecuador volcanoes, Pico de Orizaba, Elbrus, Bolivia, Peru and high Himalayan trekking peaks. Tell us what you’ve done and we’ll give you a straight answer.

If your altitude history includes an evacuation, an unexplained collapse in performance, or AMS you never got a clear answer about, tell us. That doesn’t automatically rule you out. Concealing it does.

What Makes Ojos Hard

The technical climbing is moderate. The altitude is not.

Most of the route is hiking over volcanic terrain, scree and, depending on the season, snow and ice. Near the summit there’s a short rock scramble where we use helmets, harnesses and rope. Previous crampon experience is strongly recommended.

What makes Ojos serious is everything working together: extreme altitude, wind, cold, very dry air and poor sleep above 5,000 m. On the Express there’s less time for your body to catch up, so the margin comes from your preparation.

The Hypoxic Protocol Is a Condition, Not a Perk

Every Express climber receives a Hypoxico system at home, with a written protocol built around this objective. Four weeks of consistent use before departure is the standard. Completing it is a condition of joining.

Your compliance and your response are reviewed before departure. If the protocol hasn’t been met, we’ll tell you, and the outcome may be the 14-day expedition, a later departure or a different objective.

You Won’t Be Preparing Alone

The preparation phase is run personally by Willie or Damian Benegas. From acceptance onward, one of them works directly with you on training, protocol and how you’re responding. If you’re close but not sure, start the conversation early.

This applies to your preparation, not to your departure. Who guides you on the mountain is confirmed in your written trip terms.

Fitness: Can You Do These?

  • Climb about 900 m / 3,000 ft with a 30–40 lb pack at a steady pace, and feel able to go again the next day.
  • Move for 10 hours or more on your longest training day.
  • Start in the dark and the cold. Do at least two pre-dawn starts before the trip.
  • Keep your footing when you’re tired. Train long descents at the end of hard days.

You don’t need to be fast. You need to be consistent.

When the 14-Day Expedition Is the Better Choice

Choose the 14-day expedition if:

  • You’ve never been above about 5,000 m, or you’re unsure how you respond
  • You can’t commit fully to the hypoxic protocol
  • You want a 6,000 m warm-up before Ojos
  • You want time in the Atacama, not just on the mountain

Neither program outranks the other. They’re built for different people.

Health

If you have a heart, lung or other medical condition, talk to your physician about extreme altitude before you commit. Every climber completes a medical history form, and we may ask for a physician’s clearance.

Questions About Whether You’re Ready?

With four places per departure, there’s time for a real conversation before you book. The Climb · Day by Day · What to Budget For

Ask a guide

Before You Go

On a nine-day trip there’s no time to fix problems after you land. Climbers who arrive ready have four things sorted well before they fly: their DIFROL permit, insurance that covers 7,000 m, four weeks on the Hypoxico system, and boots tested on real training days. This page puts everything in order.

Your Preparation Guides

1. Permits, Visas & Required InsuranceYour DIFROL permit has a hard 20-day deadline. Your rescue cover must reach 7,000 m. Both are yours to sort, early.2. Flights & Getting to CopiapóFly to Santiago, then north to Copiapó. Leave three to four hours for the connection, and arrive a day early if you can.3. Where You’ll StayCopiapó, Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna Verde, Base Camp and Refugio Tejos, night by night.4. Life on the MountainThe rhythm of nine fast days: camp life, food and water, summit day, and the altitude symptoms to report straight away.5. Ojos del Salado Gear ListDouble boots, an expedition sleeping bag around −29 °C / −20 °F, and a wind system that works at 6,900 m. Rentals at least three weeks ahead.6. What to Budget ForChilean pesos, what’s already covered, and tipping guidelines for your team.

Ojos del Salado Express at a Glance

Trip length9 days, Copiapó to Copiapó.
SummitOjos del Salado, 6,893 m / 22,615 ft. Two summit windows, Days 6 and 7.
Where you sleepTwo hotel nights in Copiapó and six nights in 4×4-supported expedition camps, the highest at Refugio Tejos, 5,825 m / 19,110 ft.
TeamMaximum four climbers, two guides.
ExperiencePrevious high-altitude experience required.
Pre-departureFour weeks on a Hypoxico system at home. Included, and required.
SeasonThe austral summer. Departures run from late January to early March.
Fly intoCopiapó (CPO), usually via Santiago (SCL). Both airport transfers in Copiapó are included.
VisaNone for US tourist passports, for stays up to 90 days.
PermitDIFROL border-zone authorizationYou apply yourself, it’s free, and it’s due at least 20 days before you enter Chile.
InsuranceRescue and evacuation cover is required on this expedition, valid to at least 7,000 m.
CashChilean pesos for tips and personal spending, drawn in Copiapó before we leaveThere are no banks in the Atacama.

Your Preparation Timeline

When You Book

  • Have your screening call. Your founder-supported preparation starts here.
  • Complete your Trip Application & Medical History Form, liability waiver, emergency contacts and passport copy.
  • Buy your rescue and evacuation cover in the first week or two.
  • Check your passport is valid for your whole stay, ideally six months beyond your return.

3–5 Months Before

  • Check boots, gloves, sleeping bag and wind layers against the gear list. Break new boots in on training days.
  • Send us your proposed flights. Book once your departure is confirmed in writing, and favor changeable fares.
  • Talk to your physician about extreme altitude and any medical conditions.

6–8 Weeks Before

  • Your Hypoxico system is delivered. Set it up and confirm your protocol with us.
  • Send rental requests (at least three weeks before the trip).
  • Send us your flight itinerary and insurance certificate.

4 Weeks Before

  • Start your hypoxic protocol and keep the record. Four weeks of consistent use is the standard.
  • File your DIFROL application now. The deadline is 20 days before you enter Chile; don’t cut it close.
  • Put in your biggest back-to-back training days, including pre-dawn starts.

The Final 2 Weeks

  • Full pack-out: every item, packed the way it will travel.
  • Keep the protocol going right up to departure.
  • Ease off your training. Arrive rested.

Arrival Day

Our team meets you at Copiapó Airport and takes you to the hotel. That afternoon: your briefing, a full gear check, and a review of how your protocol went. Tomorrow we drive into the Atacama.

Still Deciding?

This section assumes you’re going. If you’re still working out whether the Express is right for you, read Is This For Me? · Your Questions

Questions While You Prepare?

Ask early. Small questions are easiest to solve months out.

Ask a guide

Your Expedition Checklist

Getting into Chile is simple for most travelers. Two things need real attention: your DIFROL permit, which has a hard deadline, and rescue insurance that reaches 7,000 m. On a nine-day trip, sort both early.

Your Paperwork at a Glance

Everything BBE needs from you, in the order you’ll do it. Tick items off as you go; your ticks are saved on this device. The details for each item are below.

Step 1At booking, in the registration formDone together with your deposit

Step 2Buy, then send to BBEEmail climbing@benegasbrothers.com

Step 3Arrange and carryNeeded on the trip

Your DIFROL Border-Zone Permit

Ojos del Salado sits on the Chile–Argentina border, and Chile requires non-residents to hold authorization from DIFROL (the Dirección Nacional de Fronteras y Límites del Estado) before climbing in a border zone.

  • You apply yourself, through DIFROL’s online Expedition Authorization System. We tell you exactly what to put on the form.
  • It’s free. If you see a fee quoted online, it isn’t DIFROL’s.
  • Apply at least 20 days before you enter Chile. That is DIFROL’s stated minimum, and there’s no fast track if you miss it.

You’ll need your passport details, the itinerary and peaks, the dates, your contact details and an emergency contact at home. On arrival in the region, the team checks in with Carabineros de Chile, who verify permits. Your guides handle that step; a valid permit in your name is your responsibility.

Requirements can change. We confirm the current rules for every departure.

Required BBE Documents

We send every form after booking:

  • Trip Application & Medical History, including your altitude history. Be thorough and honest.
  • Liability Waiver.
  • Emergency Contacts, at least one, ideally two.
  • Passport Copy, your photo page.
  • Flight Itinerary, with flight numbers.
  • Insurance Certificate.

Send everything to climbing@benegasbrothers.com as soon as you have it.

Passport and Entry Into Chile

US citizens don’t need a visa for tourism and are admitted for up to 90 days. You’ll receive a Tourist Card on arrival. Keep it with your passport; you hand it back when you leave.

Chile requires your passport to be valid for your stay, with a blank page. We recommend six months’ validity beyond your return anyway, because airlines and connecting countries often ask for it. Other passports: check your own requirements before you book.

Food and Agricultural Declarations

Chile’s agricultural controls are strict. Declare animal and plant products on arrival, and when in doubt, declare. Expedition food (jerky, nuts, dried fruit, homemade snacks) is exactly what gets flagged.

Health and Medication

Talk to your physician early. Nearly 7,000 m is a serious physiological environment, and climbers with heart, lung or other significant conditions should discuss the trip before booking. Discuss any altitude medication with your physician, and don’t start a new medication for the first time on the mountain. Bring your prescriptions in your carry-on, plus several extra days’ supply.

Tell us about any medical condition. A condition we know about can usually be planned for. One we discover at 5,800 m is much harder to manage.

Common Questions

Do I need a permit to climb Ojos del Salado?

Yes, a DIFROL border-zone authorization. You apply yourself, it’s free, and it’s due at least 20 days before you enter Chile.

Do I need a visa for Chile?

Not on a US tourist passport. Other nationalities should check their own requirements.

Will my travel insurance cover Ojos?

Probably not without checking. Most policies exclude mountaineering or stop well below 6,893 m. You need cover to at least 7,000 m.

Can I bring energy bars into Chile?

Yes, but declare them.

Questions About Documents or Coverage?

Trip Insurance & Evacuation Coverage

Two kinds of cover apply to this expedition. One is required. One is strongly recommended.

Required by BBERescue and evacuation coverage

Required on every BBE international expedition. It pays to get you off the mountain and to proper medical care. The coverage it must include for this trip is listed below.

Strongly recommendedTrip insurance

Protects the money you’ve spent if illness, a family emergency or a travel disruption stops or cuts short your trip.

Rescue and Evacuation Insurance — Required on This Expedition

Every climber must carry rescue and evacuation coverage valid to at least 7,000 m. Your policy should explicitly cover:

  • High-altitude mountaineering, with no activity exclusion
  • Rescue and evacuation from remote terrain, by ground and by air where possible
  • Hospital treatment in Chile
  • International medical transport or repatriation

On Ojos, evacuation usually means descending, then hours of 4×4 travel to medical care in Copiapó. Your cover needs to support that whole chain, not just advertise helicopter rescue. Many adventure travel policies stop well below 6,893 m. Read the altitude limit, and ask the insurer in writing if the wording is unclear.

Buy it soon after booking. Many providers waive pre-existing-condition exclusions only if you buy within a set window after your first payment.

Trip Insurance

Strongly recommended. It covers cancellation, interruption, delays, missed connections and baggage. On a nine-day trip, a lost day costs more.

Ask a guide · Back to Before You Go · climbing@benegasbrothers.com

Flights & Getting to Copiapó

The Express starts and ends in Copiapó, in northern Chile. Most climbers fly to Santiago, then connect north. On a nine-day trip there’s no buffer day at the start, so your flight timing matters more than on the 14-day expedition.

Getting to Copiapó

Fly into Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), then take a domestic flight to Copiapó’s Desierto de Atacama Airport (CPO). The domestic flight is about 1 hour 20 minutes, and several normally run each day. Schedules change, so check when you book.

The Santiago Connection

In Santiago you clear immigration, collect your bags, pass customs and agricultural inspection, and recheck for the domestic flight. Allow at least three to four hours, and more on separate tickets.

If you can, book both legs on one ticket. Then the airline rebooks you when the first leg runs late. On separate tickets, nobody owes you anything.

When to Arrive

Day 1 is arrival, the briefing and the gear check, and on Day 2 we drive into the Atacama. Arrive in Copiapó by early afternoon on Day 1.

We strongly recommend arriving a day early, in Copiapó or in Santiago. It buffers delays, missed connections and late bags. We can book an extra night at the Copiapó hotel; ask when you book.

When to Fly Home

The team returns to Copiapó on Day 8. Book your flight out of Copiapó on Day 9. Avoid a tight same-day international connection in Santiago.

Two rules, same as every BBE program: book once your departure is confirmed in writing, and favor changeable fares.

Baggage

Most climbers travel with an expedition duffel, a carry-on and a day pack. Domestic allowances in Chile can be lower than international ones, so check the Santiago–Copiapó baggage rules on your ticket.

  • Wear or carry on your boots, and anything that must fit you. A bag that’s a day late can cost you the trip.
  • Checked bags only: crampons, ice axe, trekking poles and knives. Cover sharp points.
  • Don’t pack fuel. We supply it in Chile.
  • Put a tracker in each checked bag.

Airport Transfers

We meet you at Copiapó Airport on Day 1 and take you back on Day 9. Both transfers are included. All transport in Chile from there, including the 4x4s, is handled by BBE.

If Something Goes Wrong

Flight cancelled or bag delayed? Email climbing@benegasbrothers.com straight away, before you rebook if you can.

Common Questions

How long should I allow in Santiago?

At least three to four hours, more on separate tickets.

What day should I fly home?

Day 9, from Copiapó.

Is the airport transfer included?

Yes, in Copiapó, both ways.

Questions About Routing or Timing?

Ask before you book.

Where You'll Stay

Eight nights in six places. You start and finish in a hotel in Copiapó. In between, your sleeping altitude rises one step each night, in 4×4-supported expedition camps, up to Refugio Tejos at 5,825 m.

Camp under the stars near Ojos del Salado

Night by Night

Night 1 · Copiapó · Hotel Atacama Suites

Our base for arrival, the briefing and the gear check.

Night 2 · Laguna Santa Rosa · 3,800 m / 12,500 ft

An expedition camp beside the lagoon, near the Salar de Maricunga. Open and exposed, with big swings between day and night temperatures.

Night 3 · Laguna Verde · 4,340 m / 14,240 ft

Camp beside the turquoise lake, with natural hot springs close by. Your one chance on the trip to warm up and clean up properly.

Night 4 · Ojos del Salado Base Camp · 5,255 m / 17,240 ft

Near the Atacama Refuge area. Cold, dry and remote. Because the vehicles reach this camp, we bring a full kitchen, real tents, and medical and communications equipment.

Night 5 · Refugio Tejos · 5,825 m / 19,110 ft

The high camp. One of the highest mountain huts in the world stands here, but its condition and capacity vary, so we never plan around it. We carry tents and stay self-sufficient, and use hut space only if it’s genuinely available.

Night 6 · Refugio Tejos or Base Camp

Depending on summit timing and how the team is moving.

Night 7 · Base Camp or Laguna Verde

Depending on how Day 7 is used.

Night 8 · Copiapó · Hotel Atacama Suites

Hot shower, real bed.

How Rooms and Tents Work

Hotel rooms are double occupancy. A single room may be available for an extra charge; ask early. In camp, we use expedition tents and avoid overcrowding them. BBE provides all tents and camp infrastructure; you bring your sleeping bag and pads.

If availability ever requires it, we use a comparable hotel and tell you in advance.

Sleeping at Altitude

Sleep above 5,000 m is lighter and more broken than at home. That’s normal. Warmth, food and water matter more than hours logged.

Toilets and Hygiene

Lower camps have organized toilet and hygiene systems. Higher up, everything simplifies. Bring wet wipes and hand sanitizer; one stomach bug at 5,800 m affects the whole team.

Common Questions

Will we sleep in the Tejos hut?

Maybe. We carry tents and use hut space only if it’s genuinely available.

Do I need to bring a tent?

No. You bring your sleeping bag, pads and sleeping clothes.

Can I shower on the trip?

Not after Copiapó. The hot springs at Laguna Verde are the one real chance.

Questions About Where You’ll Stay?

Life on the Mountain

“Take care of the mountain, and the mountain will take care of you.” It is the Benegas Brothers’ motto, and the rule we climb by.

Nine days move quickly, and you gain altitude every night until Tejos. Knowing the rhythm in advance makes the hard days easier.

Climber at a high-desert lagoon below Ojos del Salado

The Rhythm of the Express

Approach days (Days 2–5). A 4×4 move most mornings, an easy walk, then camp. Each night is higher than the last. The goal isn’t to stay busy. It’s to arrive at Tejos with energy left.

Summit day (Day 6, or Day 7). An early start, a long climb, and a long descent.

Return (Day 8). Out of the Atacama and back to Copiapó.

A Typical Camp Day

Wake-up, a hot drink and breakfast, pack, a clothing check and a team briefing, then the move. Afternoons are for drinking, eating, resting and organizing. Dinner is early, and so is bed.

Food and Water

All meals are included, in Copiapó and on the mountain. Because the vehicles reach every camp up to Base Camp, we carry real food and a proper kitchen. Bring the snacks, gels and electrolytes you already rely on for climbing days.

The air is extremely dry, and dehydration builds without you noticing. Drink constantly. On summit day, carry at least two liters in insulated bottles; hoses freeze.

Sleep at Altitude

Light, broken sleep, vivid dreams and periodic breathing are common above 5,000 m. They’re normal and not a reason to stop. Warmth and water matter more than hours.

Summit Day

We leave Tejos between roughly 3:00 and 5:00 am, depending on wind and conditions. Hot drink and food first, every layer on, headlamps, then a steady pace up volcanic terrain to the crater, and the short rock scramble to the top with helmets, harnesses and rope as needed. The descent is where focus slips; guides hold full discipline until everyone is back in camp.

Acclimatization and Altitude

Headache, poor appetite and tiredness are common and usually settle. Tell your guide right away if you have:

  • A headache that keeps getting worse or won’t go away
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Loss of coordination or confusion
  • Shortness of breath at rest

On a compressed schedule, reporting early matters even more. When symptoms escalate, going down is always the right call, and the 4x4s make a descent fast.

Weather

Ojos is climbed in the austral summer, when the high Atacama is at its most stable. Wind is still the main variable. That’s why there are two summit windows.

Staying in Touch

Normal mobile signal ends after Copiapó. We carry Starlink in camp, run when conditions and power allow, and satellite communication for operations and emergencies. Treat Starlink as a connection, not normal signal, and tell your family that quiet stretches are normal.

Common Questions

What time does summit day start?

Between about 3:00 and 5:00 am from Tejos, depending on wind.

Will I have internet?

Usually, through Starlink in camp, when conditions and power allow.

What if I feel sick at altitude?

Tell your guide immediately. Escalating symptoms mean going down.

Questions About Life on the Mountain?

Ojos del Salado Gear List

You come to the Express with altitude experience, so you probably own much of this already. The question is whether it’s right for nearly 7,000 m in wind, cold and very dry air. On a nine-day trip there’s no time to replace something that fails.

What Makes Ojos Different

Wind. It’s the factor most likely to end a summit day. Your outer layers have to block it.

Dry cold. The lower Atacama can feel warm in the sun. Tejos and summit morning are well below freezing, colder in the wind.

Volcanic terrain. Scree, rock, and snow or ice depending on the season, with a short rock scramble at the top.

Where It’s Worth Investing

  • Double mountaineering boots built for 6,000–7,000 m peaks, fitted properly and broken in. A light single boot isn’t our preferred choice here. Warm feet at this altitude are a safety issue.
  • A sleeping bag rated around −29 °C / −20 °F, plus two sleeping pads.
  • High-altitude mittens, plus a glove system with spares.
  • A layering system with a real windproof shell and a warm down parka.
  • Category 4 glacier glasses, plus a backup pair.

Technical Gear

Crampons compatible with your boots (check at home), an ice axe, harness and helmet. Your final list confirms what conditions require.

What BBE Provides

Expedition tents, kitchen and dining systems, group rope and safety systems, a medical kit, satellite communication and Starlink, fuel and all food.

Renting

Some items can be rented in Chile, but don’t plan to rent your whole high-altitude system. Boots, sleeping bag, gloves and glasses should come from home. Arrange any rentals at least three weeks before departure; they’re paid directly to the shop. Ask us before you buy anything expensive.

We Check Everything

Your guides run a full gear check in Copiapó on Day 1. Because we drive into the Atacama the next morning, check everything against the list at home first.

Common Questions

Do I need double boots?

We strongly recommend them for Ojos.

What sleeping bag rating do I need?

Around −29 °C / −20 °F. Ratings vary between makers, so ask us if yours is marginal.

Can I use a hydration bladder?

Not on summit day; hoses freeze. Bring insulated bottles.

Unsure About an Item?

It’s easier to fix a gear question at home than at 5,800 m.

Download the gear list (PDF)

What to Budget For

The trip fee is on Dates and Prices. This page covers everything beyond it.

Beyond the price, most climbers spend$1,300–3,000

Insurance, tips and personal spending.

Tips$400–725

Per climber.

Emergency reserve$1,500–2,000

Access beyond your planned costs.

Your Budget at a Glance

RequiredCosts every climber pays
  • Rescue and evacuation insuranceCover to at least 7,000 m$400–900+
  • Flights, including Santiago–CopiapóYou book theseVaries
  • TipsPer climber, in total$400–725
Strongly recommended
  • Trip insuranceCancellation, interruption and medical$250–700+
Personal spending
  • Snacks and personal spendingAcross the trip$250–650

The short version: your Hypoxico system, every meal, both hotel nights, every camp and all 4×4 transport are already in the fee. The DIFROL permit is free. What’s left is flights, insurance, tips and personal spending.

Tips: How They Work

Tips aren’t included, and they should reflect the quality of the guiding, not whether the mountain let you up. Planning guidelines, per climber:

Lead guide$200 to $350
Second guide$100 to $175
Local staff pool (drivers, cooks, support)$100 to $200
Recommended total$400 to $725

Cash is simplest for local staff. Your lead guide explains the process near the end of the trip.

Cash and Cards

Chile uses the Chilean peso (CLP). Visa and Mastercard work widely in Santiago and Copiapó. Withdraw what you need for tips and extras in Copiapó on Day 1. A few hundred dollars’ worth of pesos plus cards covers most climbers.

Contingency

Have access to $1,500 to $2,000 beyond your planned costs, for a missed flight or anything unexpected.

More cost details for this trip

What Your Trip Fee Includes

  • A Hypoxico altitude system delivered to your home, with a written four-week protocol
  • Founder-supported preparation with Willie or Damian Benegas
  • Two guides for a maximum of four climbers
  • Two nights at Hotel Atacama Suites in Copiapó, on a shared-room basis
  • All expedition camps, tents and camp infrastructure
  • All meals, in Copiapó and on the mountain
  • Airport transfers in Copiapó and all 4×4 transport
  • Group climbing and safety equipment, a medical kit, satellite communication and Starlink in camp

What Isn’t Included — Plan for These

International flights and the Santiago–Copiapó connectionVaries

You book these yourself. Send us your itinerary before you buy.

Personal gearVaries

Depends on what you already own. Rentals are paid directly to the shop.

Rescue and evacuation insuranceRequired

Estimated $400 to $900+, for cover to at least 7,000 m.

Trip insuranceStrongly recommended

Estimated $250 to $700+.

Tips$400 to $725

for the whole team. See Cash, Extra Costs & Tipping.

Snacks and personal spending$250 to $650

Drinks, personal snacks, baggage fees and extras.

Extra hotel nightsRoughly $100 to $250+ per night

We recommend arriving a day early.

A single roomExtra cost, if available

Budget Summary

Beyond the trip fee, typical ranges in US dollars:

Rescue and evacuation insurance (required) — $400 to $900+

Trip insurance — $250 to $700+

Tips — $400 to $725

Snacks and personal spending — $250 to $650

Most climbers spend about $1,300 to $3,000 beyond the trip fee, plus flights, gear and any extra hotel nights.

Cash, Extra Costs & Tipping

Almost everything on the Express is already paid for. The main cash you need is for tips and personal spending, and you need it before we leave Copiapó. There are no banks in the Atacama.

What’s Already Covered

Your trip price includes your Hypoxico system, both nights in Copiapó, all camps, all meals, airport transfers in Copiapó, all 4×4 transport, and group equipment. The DIFROL permit is free.

What you’ll actually spend money on:

  • Your flights, including Santiago–Copiapó
  • Alcoholic drinks and personal snacks
  • Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
  • Airline baggage charges
  • Gear rentals, paid directly to the shop

Keep a Reserve

Have access to roughly $1,500 to $2,000 beyond your planned costs, for a missed flight, an extra night or anything unexpected.

Common Questions

How much should I tip?

About $400 to $725 per climber in total, split as above.

Do I tip if we don’t summit?

Yes, if the guiding was good. Weather decides summits; guides decide how well you were looked after.

Can I use ATMs in the Atacama?

No. Withdraw what you need in Copiapó.

Questions About Money?

For the full cost picture, see What to Budget For.

Questions About Costs?

Ask a guide

Private & Custom Expeditions

If our scheduled dates don’t work, or you want the mountain to yourselves, a private Express is built around you: your dates, your team, your pace. The hypoxic protocol and founder-supported preparation come with it.

What a Private Express Can Look Like

  • The same nine days on your own dates
  • An extra day or two for another summit window or more acclimatization
  • Cerro San Francisco (6,018 m) added back in before Ojos
  • A 1:1 guide ratio for a single climber or a pair

Who Private Trips Suit

  • Couples, friends or small teams who want to climb together
  • Climbers with fixed dates around work or family
  • Climbers preparing for Aconcagua, Denali or the Himalaya who want Ojos built around that goal

Led by Willie or Damian

A private expedition can be personally led by Willie or Damian on request. A founder takes part only when it’s confirmed in your written trip terms, never assumed.

How Pricing Works

Every private expedition is priced individually, based on the days, the size of your group and the level of support. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll send a proposal.

Common Questions

Can we add an extra summit day?

Yes. On a private trip we can build one in.

Can Willie or Damian guide our climb?

A private expedition can be personally led by Willie or Damian on request, confirmed in your written trip terms.

Ready to Start Planning?

Dates & Prices

Everything you need to book. Still deciding? Start with Is This For Me?. Every climber speaks with us before booking.

Expedition price$8,500

USD per person.

Deposit to book20%

Of the expedition price. Includes a $350 non-refundable booking fee.

Balance120 days

Due 120 days before departure. Inside 120 days, you pay in full at booking.

Departures

Every departure runs Monday to Tuesday: arrive in Copiapó on Monday, fly home the following Tuesday.

2027

Monday, January 25 – Tuesday, February 2, 2027

Open.

Monday, February 22 – Tuesday, March 2, 2027

Open.

2028

Monday, January 31 – Tuesday, February 8, 2028

Open.

Monday, February 21 – Tuesday, February 29, 2028

Open.

Each departure takes a maximum of four climbers and runs with a minimum of two. When a departure is full, it closes. If a departure hasn’t reached two climbers, we’ll tell you well before your final payment is due, and you’ll have the choice of another date or a full refund.

Price

$8,500 USD per person

What’s Included — and What Isn’t

Included in the price

Before you go
  • A Hypoxico altitude system delivered to your home, with a written four-week protocol
  • Founder-supported preparation with Willie or Damian Benegas
  • A screening call, an equipment consultation and the gear list
In Chile
  • Airport transfers in Copiapó on arrival and departure
  • Two nights at Hotel Atacama Suites, Copiapó, on a shared-room basis
  • All meals, in Copiapó and on the mountain
  • All 4×4 transport
On the mountain
  • Two guides for a maximum of four climbers
  • All expedition camps, tents, kitchen and camp infrastructure
  • Group climbing and safety equipment and a group medical kit
  • Satellite communication, and Starlink in camp
  • Summit forecast monitoring and two summit windows

Not included

  • International flights, and the Santiago–Copiapó connection
  • Rescue and evacuation insurance (required) and trip insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Personal climbing gear and clothing
  • Tips for guides and local staff
  • Alcoholic drinks and personal snacks
  • A single room (extra cost, if available)
  • Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
  • Personal expenses

Your DIFROL permit is free, and you apply for it yourself at least 20 days before you enter Chile. See Permits, Visas & Required Insurance.

What the other costs typically run is on What to Budget For.

Your Total Trip Cost

The expedition price is the biggest number, not the only one. Typical ranges per climber, in U.S. dollars:

Trip price$8,500
Rescue and evacuation insurance (required)$400–900+
Trip insurance$250–700+
Tips$400–725
Snacks and personal spending$250–650
Typical total, before flights and gearabout $9,800–11,500

Not included in that total: flights, gear and any extra hotel nights. The full breakdown is on What to Budget For.

Payment & Cancellation

Deposit: $1,700 (20% of the trip price), due at booking. $350 of it is a nonrefundable booking fee.

Balance: $6,800, due 120 days before the start date. Booking within 120 days? Full payment is due at booking.

How to pay: bank transfer/ACH (no fee), wire transfer (you pay the bank fees) or credit card (3% surcharge). All prices are in U.S. dollars.

If you cancel:

  • 121 days or more before the start date: full refund, less the $350 booking fee
  • 90 to 120 days: 50% refund, after the $350 booking fee
  • 89 days or fewer: no refund

Can’t make it? Send a qualified climber in your place at no BBE fee.

Insurance: medical and rescue/evacuation coverage required. Trip cancellation insurance strongly recommended.

Once the trip begins, payments are nonrefundable.

Read the full Payment & Cancellation Policy →

Private Departures

A private Express runs on your dates, with your group, and can add days. Each one is priced individually.

Founder-led expedition: guided by Willie or Damian Benegas, on request. Confirmed in your written trip terms.

Why Book Early

Preparation time. The Express asks for structured training and a four-week hypoxic protocol before you fly, and with four places per departure, booking early also secures your spot.

Ready to Book?

Book this trip

Your Questions

These are the questions climbers ask most before booking the Express. For the practical side (permit, flights, gear, cash), start with Before You Go.

Yes. Most Express climbers have already slept above about 4,500 m and climbed above about 5,500 m. If you haven’t, the 14-day expedition is the right program.

No advanced skills. The route is mostly hiking over volcanic terrain, with a short rock scramble near the top where we use helmets, harnesses and rope. Crampon experience is strongly recommended.

We deliver a Hypoxico system to your home, with a written protocol built around this climb. Four weeks of consistent use before departure is the standard, and completing it is a condition of joining. One of the founders works with you through it.

We’ll tell you before you fly. Depending on where you stand, the outcome may be the 14-day expedition, a later departure or a different objective.

The 14-day trip adds Cerro San Francisco (6,018 m), a rest day at Laguna Verde and more margin. The Express gets you to the summit in nine days if you arrive prepared. If you have the time, the longer trip is more forgiving.

Not as a packaged extension. If you want both in one season, talk to us about a private plan.

No honest guide can give you a number. Preparation, acclimatization, a small team and the wind on your day make the difference. That’s why there are two summit windows.

Then the mountain made the decision. There isn’t a third window on the Express.

Then your guide made the right call for that day. It’s a professional decision, not a failure. The trip fee isn’t refunded for a missed summit.

A maximum of four climbers, with two guides.

Yes. You’ll share a room in Copiapó, or take a single room at extra cost if available.

One of them supports your preparation. On the mountain, not on a scheduled departure unless confirmed in your written trip terms. Founder-led climbs are available as private trips.

You’re paying for compression: a Hypoxico system and protocol, two guides for four climbers, and the same logistics fitted into fewer days.

The Express follows BBE’s standard cancellation policy for international expeditions. Full terms are on Dates and Prices. Trip insurance is strongly recommended.

Yes, including extra days. See Private & Custom Expeditions.

Nine days. The work starts at home.

A Hypoxico protocol before you fly, two summit windows, and four climbers with two guides.

Price$8,500 per person
Private & Custom Your dates. Your team.

This trip can run privately, on the dates that work for you.

Scheduled departures
  • Monday, Jan 25 - Tuesday, Feb 2, 2027Full payment at booking
  • Monday, Feb 22 - Tuesday, Mar 2, 2027Open
  • Monday, Jan 31 - Tuesday, Feb 8, 2028Open
  • Monday, Feb 21 - Tuesday, Feb 29, 2028Open

Questions first? Ask a guide

Location:
Chile
Group:
Maximum 4 climbers
Duration:
9 Days
Skill:
Intermediate
Activities:
Expeditions
Pricing

All prices are in US dollars.

Nine days. The work starts at home.

A Hypoxico protocol before you fly, two summit windows, and four climbers with two guides.

Book now

Private & Custom

Make Ojos del Salado Express your own expedition

Every trip we run can also run privately: on your dates, with your people, built around your goal. Same guides, same safety standard as our scheduled departures.

Your dates

We set the departure around your calendar, not the other way round.

Your people

Family, friends, a company team, or just you and a guide.

Your goal

Training for a bigger peak, a winter or speed attempt, a film, or a route that runs from summit to ocean.

Your price

Private trips are quoted for your group size, dates and plan.

Plan a Private Trip
See what private can look like

Ojos del Salado Express

Scheduled Departure

Maximum 4 climbers · 2 guides · 9 days
Price per Person $8,500

Nine days, Copiapó to Copiapó: a Hypoxico system and four-week protocol at home, founder-supported preparation, hotel nights, all meals, 4x4 transport, camps, Starlink and two summit windows.

Book now

Private & Custom

Your dates · Your group
Priced individually On request

A private Express on your dates, with your group, and extra days if you want them.

Book now

The BBE Advantage

Ojos del Salado

The Work Starts at Home

A Hypoxico system delivered to your home, with a written four-week protocol reviewed against your altitude history.

Ojos del Salado Expedition — Chile

Two Summit Windows

Day 6 is the first window and Day 7 the second, so one windy morning does not end the climb.

Ojos del Salado Expedition — Chile

Four Climbers, Two Guides

Calibrated to experienced climbers who have already done the work.

Professional Mountain Standards

Our guide team includes internationally and nationally certified mountain professionals.

AMGA — American Mountain Guides Association logo
IFMGA / UIAGM — International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations logo
AAGM — Asociación Argentina de Guías de Montaña logo

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