THE MOST RELIABLE NAME IN
EXPEDITIONS TO ACONCAGUA

Past Customers

Roy Belanger - USA

This is one of the "best" operations for expeditions I have ever experienced. The team at base camp are the greatest, my personal thanks to all.

Alon Stern - South Africa

Thanks very much for everything! It was absolutely brilliant service and the meals were awsome.
Keep well

Robert Graver

I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for the support you've provided to a couple of our group members over the past years (Joe Martinet, John Oster, and Dave Green). All have commended your support and we have added a link to you webpage to our group homepage.

Thanks again and if ever in the Washington DC area and looking to climb please drop us a line.

Cindy and Dean

Dear Fernando

The trip was really great. We were so impressed by your staff and by the service we received. Damian was an inspration and we felt very privelaged to be guided by him.

It was great to meet you, thanks for everything. We would love to do more climbing with Grajales in Bolivia in a year or two and will recommend your company to anyone who is considering climbing in the Andes.

With love and best wishes

Benjamin Baumann

Dear Fernando,

I just wanted to thank you for an unforgettable expedition to Aconcagua. I was with Ulises and Agustin on the December 4th trip. They were both exceptional guides, and made the trip a really fun! We almost forgot we were on the mountain sometimes! I will recommend you and your services to everyone.

Thanks again! Sincerely

Tzveta and Emil from Bulgaria

Hello!

We would like to thank you and your staff for the high quality of your services, which we used during out trip to Aconcagua.

Although we started our climb from Plaza Argentina, an emergency forced us to descend nearly from the summit to Plaza de Mulas leaving all our equipment in Camp 2 on the False Polish route.

We would like to express our gratitude and many thanks to all the people who work for Grajales Expeditions in both base camps and Penitentes, especialy to Lily in Plaza de Mulas (who arranged the transport of our luggage to Penitentes and provided us with a tent for the night) and to Gabriel who brought down all our equipment from Camp 2 to base camp (everything was in perfect condition).

We hope that we will have the opportunity to return to Aconcagua and meet again all these fine people!

We wish you all the best

Jack Call

Dear Fernando:

I wanted to thank you and your staff for the wonderful trip on Aconcagua. I believe that Ulysis and Ilan are the best guides on the mountain, period! To be honest , I was hesitant to go with a company that was not based in the U.S., but my fears were unfounded. You exceeded my expectations and I believe your guided trips offer exceptional value. I will recommend your trips to anyone who asks.

Thanks for everything.

Beat Schilter

This was quick: 4 Days from Mendoza to the top of Aconcagua. Thank you, Fernando.Without your flexible support, it would not have been possible. Thank you Ulisys, I am sure you are the only guide capable of escorting me safely to the top and coocking such delightful food in this cold night at Nido.

Recommended.

Jason Halladay

Hello Ana Lorena and Fernando,

I wanted to send a message to say thank you from our group for your wonderful help and support for our climb of Aconcagua. It was great to meet you two and a pleasure to work with such competent, knowledgeable people such as you. You were very understanding about our tough situations with the luggage and Bill's altitude sickness. Without your help our trip would have been very difficult.

Again, thank you! I will recommend your service to our friends that are interested in climbing Aconcagua.

Regards

Francisco Benhur Lucchese

Senhores(a) Contratei a equipe Grajales para transportar meus equipamentos . Quero parabenizar a todos pelo ótimo atendimento , desde Confluencia através da Srta Fernanda que é uma ótima pessoa e mais Pablo , Lili e Santiago , Andres e Maurício. Parabéns e muito obrigado a todos .

Martin Riddell

Thanks a lot guys, you made my trip with you (Dec 2004) very memorable, I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience on a guided trip, it was certainly much more comfortable than on my usual trips with friends - the food at base camp was exceptional.

The enthusiasm that Uli had whilst on the hill was great to see - someone who enjoys his tough days 'in the office'. It must be tough for him. In short, just thanks for making it a memorabel trip for me, pity about the weather but then you never really get a bad day on teh hill so I enjoyed it all anyway.

Cheers again, Slainte

Robert Rodgers

I just wanted to send you a note to tell you tell you that I had a great time on my Aconcagua climb last month. Ilan is a great guide and a great guy to climb with. Don't know if Elly and Damien work for you also but it was fun climbing with them as well.

They are excellent guides also. I found every one in your company to be very professional, helpful, and nice. I guess the only problem on the trip was that we couldn't get to the summit due to the high winds.

So of course this means I must return to try again.
Hopefully I will be able to do this in the next year or two.
I will definitely recommend your company to anyone I meet who wants to climb Aconcagua. Thanks again Fernando and I'll look forward to seeing you again in the next year or two.

Best wishes

Bernard Bruyere

Hello Fernando and Ilan Thanks you very much for your impeccable organization and the very good reception. And it’s a very agradable and a good

Bob Masucci

Fernando, I just returned to the U.S. from S. America a couple of days ago and wanted to Email you to say "Thank you" for a GREAT time down there when I had the privilage to climb with the 2 best guides anyone could ask for. "Uli" ( A Mountain god) and Augustine ("Tinto"), an up and coming Mountain god). I couldn’t have asked for more from you, them or your company. Please pass my comments on to them and let them know I appreciated all they did for our group. Also, please feel free to use my comments and Email on your web page so if others want to contact me for recommendations I will gladly recommend your company to them. Once again "THANK YOU" and may God bles you, your family and your company. Bob Masucci 909-821-5549

Andrew

Dear Fernando,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you for the wonderful experience I had with your company and climbing Aconcagua. The trip was amazing and the professionalism shown by your organization was fantastic. Everyone was exceptional and friendly from porters, to base camp managers, to cooks and of course our amazing guide Marcos Sokolovsky. Marcos (Coco) was the best climbing guide I have ever had the pleasure to meet!

Thank you again for a truly once in a life time experience.

Many thanks

Marta

Dear Fernando, Hi there...it's Marta from Italy. I hope you are fine, not too stressed out and that your business is running smoothly, though I know you must be very busy!

I just wanted to thank you (a bit late!) for everything you did for us. We had a really amazing time in Argentina...nothing could have better. Not only was Anibal a wonderful guide and a really nice person, but also the Colorado Valley was stunningly beautiful...so much more than anything we could have expected! it's difficult to get back in to the swing of ordinary life after an experience like that...I continuously have images of valleys and peaks running through my head...but my students keep me on my toes and bring me back to reality!

Take lots of care and best of luck with your work.

Much love

Gabrielle Savard

Hello Fernando

I would like to thank you and all your incredible staff for making our Aconcagua journey such a memorable (and successful) one.....Your coworkers and staff are not only hard working but were consistently SO helpful and friendly...without any exceptions....:-)

Thank you also for all the work you did on behalf of our American friends Tinos and Joe who sadly lost their climbing partner John Watcher....Our little Canadian team was very touched by the story Tinos and Joe told of you translating for them at the Prosecutor's office.....

You lead an outstanding organization, Fernando - congratulations on all your efforts.....I will certainly pass on your information to all I know who will be traveling to Argentina.....

Warm regards and best wishes for 2011......

Leifur

Dear Fernando

The Icelandic team from Aconcagua is back in Iceland. All service was excellent an we like to thank you and all your staff. I will be in contact for 2012

Best regards, Leifur

Barry Lynn

Hello Fernando

I am back safely in my hotel in Mendoza and have been reflecting on my Aconcagua trip. Firstly I would like to say that my choice of Grajales was completely the right one - everything your company offered me both on and off the mountain has been first class. Should I make any future mountaineering trips to anywhere in Sth America I would consult with your company first and only.

I would like to point out the following to you - Guillermo Fuentes was an absolutely brilliant guide -he was 100% professional but also a very entertaining & good companion. He was outstanding. We were also in the company of Uli and his clients for a lot of the time. Uli is a maestro of mountaineering and very entertaining - he made one of the funniest remarks I have ever heard on a mountain -at 7 in the morning at Camp 2. I will allow him to give you the details but I will be ensuring that all my friends in British mountaineering know of the remark - a true and genuine classic remark.

Other people from you company I would like to praise to you -Anna and Grizelda at Plaza Argentina; Pablo at Mulas and even Florencia when we stopped briefly at Confluencia - they were all, without exception, friendly and efficient in a true manner, not the McDonalds Have a nice day insincere rubbish. Even the big burly man at Los Penitentes was friendly and welcoming while we waited for our bags from the mules on New Year's Day - all your company's staff really were exceptional.

I had many opportunities to see how other companies worked on Aconcagua - and many times I quietly told myself that I was grateful for choosing Garjales and not any of the others - this includes guides and logistic staff - and even the porters.

At the very least anyone attempting Aconcagua should only ever consider using Argentine guides. Or be very careful over choice of guides with genuine experience on the mountain.

Please feel free to use this as a testimonial if you so wish, take whatever you wish - I have nothing but praise for your company.

Thank you for your attentions

Sally Adams

Dear Fernando,

I have just arrived back in England, ready for work again tomorrow morning!

I MUST write to you to say a big 'thank you' for the holiday of a life time!!!!

I am so VERY impressed by your company Fernando! You provide good hotels, excellent transport and everything you do seems to be properly planned and organized!

I would like to say a special 'thank you' to Ilan. Mountain guides just cannot come better than Ilan and I sincerely mean this. I have been trying to work out why he is so superb in his job and I think it is because he loves what he does!

He is very kind, cheerful and patient with a terrific sense of humour. He is also very knowledgeable, COMPLETELY trust worthy and very safe and careful in the mountains. We all had a lot of faith in Ilan and respected his instructions. He is also an excellent 'nurse' and will drop anything at any time, day or night to help members of his group. He always puts others first. Best of all, he is 'great fun' and it is this which makes each and every one of us feel happy and relaxed in spite of some of the inevitable hardships one might experience on such a holiday!

I am returning to work tomorrow feeling a much healthier and happier person thanks to my very 'fulfilling' holiday!

Thank you again to you and your team. Keep up the good work and I shall thoroughly recommend your company to any of my friends who may consider climbing Aconcagua!

All four members of our group are so pleased we made the summit this time........we have Ilan and your company to thank for this!

Best wishes

Midula

Hi Fernando,

Happy New Year.

I would like to thank you for an amazing experience. Although I didn't make the summit (I was short by 300 metres) I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Luco and Rogriguez were fantastic guides, and I was very lucky to have been part of their team.

The support staff from Florencia to Paolo and his team at base camp were amazing. The energy, enthusiasm, time and effort which they spent looking after us was second to none. On the mountain the "Fernando Grajales" experience was clearly the best expedition and outfit.

Many thanks again. I will be back to conquer Aconcagua with Luco and Rogriguez!

Best wishes

Terence

Fernando,

No thank you and your wonderful staff for making it possible. All of your staff were incredibly professional and friendly. You have a great organisation. A friend referred me to you and I will be sure to recommend you to my friends. I know Dave Betz feels exactly the same.

Thanks again

Regards

Damien Stork

Fernando,

I wanted to drop you a note to say that our experience on Aconcagua with Uli and Felipe was absolutely outstanding.

As you know we summited, which was way beyond our expectation. It was educational, emotional and physically exhausting, and all the time Uli and Felipe simply inspired. I cannot say enough about them (especially Uli of course). We knew from the very beginning that we were very lucky to have Uli, and know for a fact that we were guided by the best guy on the mountain. Thank you!

I also thought your base camp and Confuenzia camp were first class - way beyond my usual mountain experiences! Both Pablo and Flor represented you in the most professional manner, but we also felt they were really there to support - even extending to hugs of good luck and congratulations before and after ascending! You have a big family, and a very professional one, and we were proud to be part of it.

I will of course be recommending your business to everyone I know. And who knows, may do the unthinkable and come back to try from the other side! :) ALL THE BEST and thank you again,

Damien

Damien Stork

Director

Ochre House Ltd

Fernando:

It has been about 1-month since my brother and I returned from Aconcagua. I usually like to wait a while and digest the trip before sending back my comments and feedback.

Let me simply start by saying THANK YOU for organizing one of the best mountaineering trips I have taken. Having climbed in Nepal, Europe, Bolivia, North America, and also a few times before on Aconcagua (with another company), I can still say that the trip organized by Grajales was one of the best. Thank You.

Most important, and without question, the best part of the trip was our wonderful guide Ulyses. With 44 summits, he is without doubt the most experienced and accomplished Aconcagua guide. In fact we learned he has trained the majority of the other guides which was evident from the fact all the other guides called him teacher. Without Ulyses our trip would not have been successful. He inspired confidence, safety, focus and fun in both of us. In his quiet way, he trained us, coached us and helped us achieve success. THANK YOU for having Ulyses be our guide, considering this was a repeat trip for us. I would urge you to consider Ulyses as more than just a senior guide for Grajales -- he is your best ambassador. I hope he can play an even more important role in your organization in this capacity as "Grajales Ambassador". He is an amazing person.

Beyond Ulyses, we were completely impressed by the Grajales infrastructure and facilities up and down the Mountain. Having experienced other companies on Aconcagua, I can say without doubt that Grajales has superior facilities, better food, and importantly better safety mechanisms. We saw first hand the poor safety practices of other companies who abandoned their clients. The large network of Grajales guides, porters, etc. all over the mountain were always available in an emergency. Your exclusive camps at various sites also made the trip feel less crowded and more enjoyable. Even the support staff and hotels in Mendoza were excellent.

Fernando, once again thank you for a most wonderful trip. I am happy to serve as a reference for Grajales, should any future client have any questions. I can recommend without any doubt. Please convey my deepest thanks to Uly (send me his email if possible). Please let him know that his inspiration has convinced me to continue my climbing expeditions. In fact, I am off to Everest this Spring, where I hope to get to 7500m at Camp 3.

Muchas Gracias Fernando !

Shivesh Ram

More references

Some of our memorable Clients

  • Jean Mark Boiven (First descent in delta-wing from the summit of the Aconcagua)
  • Ivon Chouinard
  • Wanda Ruskieviz (First western woman in ascending Mt. Everest)
  • Thomas Bubendorfer (solo ascent record up the south wall of Aconcagua)
  • Reinhold Messner.