Survivors of the Andes Tragedy organize an expedition to the Cordillera

The survivors of The Andes Tragedy-a plane crash that occurred in the province of Mendoza, Argentina, on October 13, 1972 - will undertake a new expedition to the place where the events occurred 46 years ago, with the aim of paying tribute to the victims. The organizers of the activity, which will be held on 23, 24 and 25 February, have opened a call to add more expeditionists who wish to share this unique experience with the protagonists of the event.

The expedition will arrive to the place with the remains of the plane/ Source

Spaces are limited and only 40 people will take part in this expedition that will take Carlitos Páez, a survivor of the tragedy, and his family on the last trip they will make to this place. Páez is one of the most well-known faces of this tragedy, as he is the son of the renowned Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró (1923 - 2014), whose most emblematic work in Punta del Este is the famous Casapueblo.

Those who wish to participate in this experience to the Cordillera should know that physical conditioning is important. While there is no technical requirement, it is recommended to train before the departure date, as the final section includes a 12-hour walk between the beginning and the end point. Due to geographical and climatic difficulties it is essential to have all the mountain gear and equipment.

A story of survival

On Friday, October 13, 1972, an Uruguayan Air Force plane left Montevideo with 45 people on board and crashed in the mysterious Andes Mountain Range. The group was made up of young rugby players, their friends and relatives. Survivors of the impact were trapped by the snow-capped mountains at almost 4,000 meters of altitude, without enough food, water, adequate clothing and bearing temperatures below freezing.

To survive, they organized themselves under the name of the "Snow Society" and managed to overcome 72 days of hunger, pain and despair. One of the most well-known and highlighted facts by the tabloid press was the survivor’s decision to eat the flesh of the deceased bodies so that they wouldn’t die of starvation.

Finally two of the survivors managed to cross the mountain range on foot that separated them from the Chilean valley and after walking for 10 days, they met a livestock herder, Sergio Catalán, who assisted them and found a rescue group.

Information about the expedition and how to participate

Where: Valle de las Lágrimas “Valley of Tears”, El Sosneado, Mendoza province, Argentina.

Duration: 4 days and 3 nights

Difficulty: Moderate

Maximum height reached: 3.700 meters above sea level.

Organizers: the Uruguayan company Latitud Aventura and Aventura en la Montaña, originating from Mendoza, Argentina are the organizers of the expedition. Both companies have become references of adventure tourism in the south of the continent, especially for offering tourist proposals out of the ordinary, with circuits and tours to less known places. Its directors, Octavio Romano and Francisco "Pancho" Salonia, have more than 30 years of experience as mountaineers and their successful expeditions are based on taking care of every detail of the activities they organize and the passion that motivates them to undertake all their adventures.

Itinerary:
- Day 1: Reception and check-in at San Martin Hotel & Spa in the city of San Rafael
- Day 2: Departure to Puesto Araya crossing on horseback and arrival at base camp. A total of 12 kilometers will be covered.
- Day 3: Hiking to the Memorial where the remains of the plane are located. 13 hours of hiking in total including the way there and the return trip. Return to the camp and then back to San Rafael, Mendoza.
- Day 4: After breakfast at the Hotel & Spa San Martin, the expeditionists will attend the exclusive conference that will be held by Carlitos Páez.

Services included:
- Transfer San Rafael - El Sosneado - San Rafael
- Two Nights of Lodging in Hotel and Spa San Martin with Breakfast included
- Breakfast at San Martin Hotel and Spa
- Horses and mules for loading
- Local Guides
- Mountain Guides
- Access permits to the Valley of Tears.
- Full meals in the mountains (breakfasts, energy bars, lunches, snacks, dinners)
- Complete kitchen equipment
- Equipment and First Aid Kit
- VHF communication equipment, satellite phone and Spot satellite
- Camping tents
- Dining tents in Cb El Barroso (fully equipped)
- Informative meetings
- Advice on gear and necessary equipment and clothing

Services not included:
- Trip to San Rafael
- Expenses caused by abandoning the Expedition
- Dinner on the first and last night in San Rafael
- Tips
- Extra expenses such as meals and drinks not described in the itinerary, satellite phone calls and other services not listed as included.
- Travelers Insurance

How to participate in the expedition: To reserve your place in the Cordillera Expedition, you just need to send your personal information and information about your trip to Argentina to the email: hola@daytours4u.com.You can pay the expedition online through Daytours4u and our Customer Service team will answer all your questions, send you a detailed list with everything you need to bring for the trip and request from you any other pertinent information.

By: The Content Team at Daytours4u