Andes Survivors 

Historical Experience Hosted by Alpine Expeditions

Visit the site of the famous “Alive!” story in the company of one of the survivors, Eduardo Strauch!

December 2023 (for exact dates, contact us)

Science in the Wild is excited to join survivor Eduardo Strauch and mountain guide Ricardo Peña (Alpine Expeditions), the host and leader of this expedition, for a special visit to the crash site of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. This was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a Uruguayan rugby team, their friends, family and associates, that crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972. More than a quarter of the passengers died in the crash, and several others quickly succumbed to cold and injury. The last 16 survivors were rescued on December 23, 1972, more than 2 months after the crash.

The survivors had little food and no source of heat in the harsh conditions at over 11,800 ft. (3600 meters). Faced with starvation and radio news reports that the search for them had been abandoned, the survivors fed on the bodies of deceased passengers that had been preserved in the snow. Rescuers did not learn of the survivors until 72 days after the crash, when passengers Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, after a 10-day trek across the Andes, found Chilean Sergio Catalán, who gave them food and then alerted the authorities to the existence of the other survivors.

This expedition is full of adventure, beauty and a wealth of information about the story of the Andes Survivors – here’s your chance to experience it and ask questions! Learn about the science of survival – how did the 16 survive more than 2 months in extreme conditions? What kind of geological terrain did they land in and how did they escape? How does the glacier of today compare with 1972, using archival photography? Help us collect GPS points of wreckage still left on the surface of the glacier.  Don’t miss an opportunity to experience this unique trip!

Includes: hotel and lodging in Argentina during itinerary; group gear (tents (shared), cooking utensils, etc.); all meals while on the mountain; horses; 4×4 vehicles; guides and support team; Eduardo Strauch (Andes Survivor), exclusive for the team.

Excludes: round trip airfare: US or point of origin – Mendoza, Argentina; hotel in Mendoza for days before or after itinerary; excess baggage charges and airport tax; personal gear; meals (other than breakfasts) in Mendoza or San Rafael; tips (restaurants, hotels and others); tips for guides; charges incurred as a result of delays or changes in the itinerary beyond our control.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY:
·         $1000 Deposit will be fully refunded if applicant is not accepted.

If accepted, the following applies: $200 non-refundable registration fee.
·         Full refunds, less registration fee will be provided if requested 90 days prior to expedition departure.
·         50% refund will be provided if requested 60 to 89 days prior to expedition departure.
·         No refunds will be provided 59 days or less prior to expedition.