Born in Mendoza, Manu prefers to define “planet earth” as his native land. He has made a living out of climbing, mountain biking, and scuba diving around the world. With an academic business background, he combines his life passions: adventure tourism and sustainable business development. He first climbed Aconcagua with Fernando Grajales Jr. at age 18. Since then, Grajales Expeditions has been one of his beloved “homes.” You can follow Manu on Instagram @manubustelo and Grajales Expeditions @grajales.expeditions.
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Q&A with Manu Bustelo, Chief Marketing Officer at Grajales Expeditions
Summit Journal: Grajales Expeditions made history by obtaining the first license ever granted to provide services in Aconcagua. What was the expedition and climbing scene like in the 1970s?
Manu Bustelo: That’s right, Grajales Expeditions was granted the first-ever license to operate mountaineering services on Aconcagua in 1976, which coincided with the formal system for guiding services being established.
During the 1970s, the climbing and expedition scene on Aconcagua was really nascent. Mountaineering was still considered a pioneering activity, and "adventure tourism" was not much of a thing around here. While a handful of climbers attempted the summit each year, the overall number was very low.
You can think of the 1970s as laying the groundwork for what would become a pretty big mountaineering industry in the following decades.
SJ: Who was Don Fernando Grajales?
Don Fernando Grajales (1924-2004), the founder of Grajales Expeditions, was a renowned mountaineer from Mendoza, Argentina, whose life was dedicated to the mountains.
In the 1950s, he played a big role in Argentinian mountaineering, including taking part in the expedition to Dhaulagiri, and he co-opened a challenging route on the southwest ridge of Aconcagua.
He was also involved in the local climbing scene too, working with the Provincial School of High Mountain and Trekking Guides and routinely supported expeditions to Aconcagua for the local Club Andinista Mendoza (CAM). In general, he was a mentor for many generations of climbers.
When his climbing career wound down, he started Grajales Expeditions.
Fernando Grajales, Francisco Ibáñez, and Dorly Marmillod on Aconcagua’s South summit, via the South West Ridge, January 23, 1953. Photo by Fredy Marmillod, courtesy of Grajales Expeditions.
SJ: How has the company maintained and built upon his legacy?
Fernando Grajales's legacy lives on and the company has continued to build upon his pioneering work.
For one, we continue to operate with the same core values that Fernando applied to his own climbing: integrity, social responsibility, and environmental awareness. This includes a commitment to "fair trade" practices and a dedication to creating safe, successful mountain experiences.
Beyond that, we prioritize experience — collectively, our team of mountain guides has summited Aconcagua more than 600 times. By employing guides we’ve worked with for many years, many of which started as porters, we ensure that the knowledge and principles of Fernando are passed down.
SJ: You’ve been in business for almost 50 years now, how has climbing Aconcagua changed in that time?
Over the last 50 years, climbing on Aconcagua has undergone a huge transformation, going from something very few people attempt per year to one of the most recognized mountains for high-altitude mountaineering. And we at Grajales Expeditions have been a direct witness and an active participant in this evolution.
The big thing, of course, is that the industry and mountain went from an unregulated wilderness to a formalized permit system and national park. This has definitely helped improve safety and environmental preservation.
Along those lines, in the early days, expeditions were completely self-sufficient. Today's guiding companies have transformed base camps like Plaza de Mulas into sophisticated logistical hubs. Modern camps now offer amenities that were once unimaginable, such as permanent dining domes, heated facilities, a professional medical team, and even internet access. The use of mules for gear transport is a long-standing tradition that has been refined to be highly efficient.
And I already mentioned how the mountain has grown in popularity.
SJ: What role did Grajales Expeditions play in helping to establish Parque Provincial Aconcagua?
As the pioneering expedition company in the area, we played a crucial role in the establishment of Parque Provincial Aconcagua. In 1983, Fernando and other mountaineers from his generation helped pass a law that created the Aconcagua Protected Natural Area. This led to an official registry for permits, which was a collaborative effort between the local government and mountaineering clubs.
That first season after the park's creation, there were only 263 permits sold. That grew to 639 within three years, and by the mid-1990s, it had skyrocketed to nearly 3,000, which shows just how much impact an effort like this can have.
The standard routes on Aconcagua from the south and north faces.
SJ: What can guests expect from guided trips with you?
Guests on a guided trip — and the winner of the sweepstakes — can expect a full-service experience designed to maximize safety, comfort, and summit success. We handle virtually every logistical aspect, allowing climbers to focus on the physical and mental challenge of the ascent.
In short, this includes logistical support for pre-trip and post-trip, transportation and mules to help carry expedition gear and supplies to and from base camp, premium base camps at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas (they are often referred to as a "home away from home" and include things like heated dining domes with meals prepared by professional chefs), an itinerary to help the client gradual acclimatize, and of course, industry-leading guides.