what are the hard costs of doing aconcagua solo from Mendoza things like permit, mules, buses

I am not convinced going solo is significantly costlier than going in a group. I climbed with a friend in Jan 2008 and the costs were as follows:

permit: 1000 pesos for 20 days (~300 US)

mules: I do not recall exactly, but I would expect about 100+ US per person - really expensive compared with other mule packing operations in south america - however, the price is pretty standardized between companies and depends on weight and whether or not you choose to hire mules for the way out

buses: fairly inexpensive - we sort of scored a ride up there and bought a bus ticket back - I do not remember specifics, but public transportation is easy and usually costs 3-4 US per hour - it is a four hour bus ride, so expect 25-30 US roundtrip

lodging: add another 10 US for a hostel in puente del inca on the way in - a convenient easy way to acclimatize a bit more, but not necessary

etc: mule costs include human waste disposal and trash pickup at base camp, as well as reserving a campsite and clean water at base camp (sort of)

so overall, you should be able to do it for under 500 US - of course, this does not include airfare, food, gear, and lodging in mendoza - such things obviously vary depending on your experience and style - lodging should be 30-50 pesos per night, unless you go fancy - gear depends on what you already own - food is not cheap, but still considerably less than north american or european prices

oh yeah, and save a few pesos for a steak at base camp after the climb

good luck, I hope this helps

My costs in Dec 2005 were similar:

Permit $200 (depends on when you go)
Mules $120 (2 ppl, 1 way)
Bus $30
Hostel $10

thanks for the cost info..I assume most people bus from Santiago to Mendoza....what does that cost and are there visa costs for us citizens?

Santiago-Mendoza by bus is around USD$15-20 and takes about 6-8hrs depending on traffic and customs at the border. They DO search luggage, so dried meat may get picked up, though I've got it through every time.

The buses go from the main station in town, departure times are clustered around late morning and late evening (?) and most buses go within 20min of each other, so it doesn't matter too much who you go with. The big buses take longer to get through customs but the seats on them are more comfortable than the smaller mini-buses.

Don't think you need a visa for Arg, but flying in to SCL you pay a reciprocity fee (based on what Chileans pay to enter USA) which is now around $130. You don't pay this returning into Chile by land.

Mendo-SCL always takes longer than SCL-Mendo for some reason. You usually tip the luggage guy a dollar or so for loading/unloading your bags at the station, plus the driver often comes through collecting coins to give to the luggage guys at the customs post - it's accepted, it's not a scam.

D

I'm pretty sure for the high season this year the permit cost is $500 USD

http://www.aconcagua.mendoza.gov.ar/tarifas.htm