DIFROL and CONAF Permits for Ojos del Salado: Step-by-Step Guide

Climbing Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in Chile means completing four key procedures: getting the free border authorization from DIFROL (for foreign climbers or mixed teams, applied for online 30 to 60 days ahead), completing the mandatory in-person registration and safe-conduct with Carabineros de Chile at the Maricunga Border Complex, following the CONAF environmental conservation rules in the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park and Laguna Verde area, and carrying private medical insurance that covers search, rescue and mountain evacuation up to 7,000 m of altitude.

At Vulcano Expediciones, with 27 years of experience running expeditions in the Puna de Atacama, we handle our climbers' full paperwork with the Chilean authorities ourselves. In this guide we go through the current requirements, forms, key coordinates, legal deadlines and the most common mistakes that can stop an expedition at the road checkpoint.

Summary Table: Mandatory Permits and Procedures

Insider Knowledge: The Carabineros post at the Maricunga Border Complex (4,000 m) does not let any vehicle or climber through to Laguna Verde or Refugio Atacama if the official approved DIFROL resolution is missing for the foreign members of the team. Trying to go up without this document forces you to turn back to Copiapó (180 km away on gravel).

Step 1: Getting DIFROL Authorization (Directorate of Borders and Boundaries)

DIFROL is the agency under Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of authorizing scientific, sporting or exploration expeditions in border areas or areas of national security.

Who Must Apply for the DIFROL Permit?

• Foreigners (resident or non-resident): Any non-Chilean citizen who is part of an expedition to Ojos del Salado, San Francisco, Tres Cruces, Vicuñas or Incahuasi must have the authorization resolution issued by DIFROL.
• Mixed Groups: If a team is made up of Chilean and foreign climbers, the whole expedition must apply for the permit, listing the official roster of all its members.
• Exception for Chileans: Expeditions made up 100% of Chilean citizens with a valid national ID card do not need prior DIFROL authorization, although they must still complete the mandatory in-person registration with Carabineros de Chile.

Requirements and Documents for the DIFROL Portal

The application is filed digitally on the official DIFROL platform (difrol.cl). To start the process you must attach:

1. Official Expedition Application Form: Filled out in Spanish with the details of the expedition leader and of each participant.
2. Legible Copy of Passports: A clear scan of the identification pages, with at least 6 months of remaining validity.
3. Detailed Mountain Itinerary: A day-by-day schedule stating the dates of entry into the Puna, acclimatization days at Laguna Verde (4,300 m), climbs of secondary summits, stays at Refugio Atacama (5,200 m) and Refugio Tejos (5,837 m), and the estimated date of return to Copiapó.
4. Geographic Coordinates of Camps and Routes (WGS84): The exact latitude/longitude position of the overnight points and the intended summit (you can see all these points mapped on the Seismiles Route Interactive Map):
   • Laguna Verde (4,300 m): 26°52'S / 68°28'W
   • Refugio Atacama (5,200 m): 27°01'S / 68°34'W
   • Refugio Tejos (5,837 m): 27°04'S / 68°33'W
   • Ojos del Salado Volcano Summit (6,893 m): 27°06'34"S / 68°32'32"W
5. Copy of the Rescue Insurance Policy: A document proving medical and emergency evacuation coverage in the area.

Recommended Structure of the DIFROL Itinerary:
Day 1: Copiapó - Valle Chico (3,100 m)
Day 2-5: Laguna Verde (4,300 m) - Acclimatization and practice climbs
Day 6-8: Refugio Atacama (5,200 m)
Day 9-11: Summit window from Refugio Tejos (5,837 m)
Day 12: Return to Copiapó

Timing Warning: In our experience, DIFROL processing usually takes 15 to 30 business days, but in high season (December to March) heavy demand can stretch the times. At Vulcano Expediciones we start collecting our clients' documents 60 days ahead to make sure the stamped resolution is in hand before they travel to Chile.

Step 2: In-Person Registration and Safe-Conduct with Carabineros (Maricunga)

Once you have the DIFROL authorization resolution (or if the expedition is made up 100% of Chilean citizens), the next administrative step has to be done on site.

The Maricunga Border Checkpoint

Located at 4,000 m of altitude on Route CH-31 (160 km from Copiapó), the San Francisco Border Complex - Maricunga Post is the mandatory checkpoint run by Carabineros de Chile, the Policía de Investigaciones (PDI) and the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG).

Physical Documents to Present at the Post

The guide in charge or expedition leader must hand in at the window the mountain paperwork folder with the following printed documents:

• Approved DIFROL Resolution: Printed document with the digital signature and authorization stamp of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Original ID Documents: Passports for foreigners and valid national ID cards for Chileans.
• Carabineros Expedition Registration Form: A data sheet with full names, RUN/passport, blood type, chronic illnesses, and personal and immediate-family emergency contacts.
• Mountain Rescue Insurance Certificate: Physical policy showing its validity period and the 24/7 emergency phone lines of the assistance center.
• 4x4 Vehicle Documents: Registration, technical inspection, mandatory SOAP insurance and a notarized authorization to use the vehicle if the truck is rented or belongs to a company/third party.
• Satellite Communication Devices: IMEI code and active contact number of the Garmin InReach, SPOT or Iridium satellite phone carried on the expedition.

Carabineros will issue an Ascent Safe-Conduct that the group must carry for the whole stay in the Puna.

Critical Safety Point (Mandatory Check-out): When you finish the descent and head back to Copiapó, it is strictly mandatory to check out in person at Maricunga. If the expedition does not register its exit at the post within the declared dates, Carabineros automatically activates search and rescue protocols with the GOPE (Special Police Operations Group) and Bolivian/Chilean Andean Rescue, which triggers costly and unnecessary emergency deployments.

Step 3: CONAF Environmental Rules and Nevado Tres Cruces National Park

The Laguna Verde area and the surrounding massifs border the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park, an important nature reserve managed by the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) that protects high-altitude wetlands, salt flats and vulnerable birdlife such as Andean flamingos.

Mandatory Environmental Rules for Climbers

Unlike Aconcagua Provincial Park in Argentina, climbing Ojos del Salado in Chile does not currently require paying a commercial summit fee or permit. However, CONAF actively enforces the environmental rules:

1. Total Trash Removal (Leave No Trace): It is strictly forbidden to bury, burn or leave behind any solid, packaging or organic waste in the Puna. All trash generated at Laguna Verde, Refugio Atacama and Refugio Tejos must be kept in reinforced airtight bags and carried back to Copiapó.
2. Biological Management of Human Waste: At the high camps (Refugio Atacama at 5,200 m and Refugio Tejos at 5,837 m), extreme temperatures prevent organic matter from breaking down naturally. Expeditions must use high-mountain biological waste bags such as WAG Bag / Cleanwaste to carry human waste back to the city and avoid contaminating the frozen ground.
3. Total Ban on Off-Road Driving: 4x4 trucks must stay strictly on the main established vehicle tracks. Driving off-track in the desert destroys the delicate biological crust of the volcanic soil, leaving marks that last for decades.
4. Protection of Wildlife: It is forbidden to approach, feed or disturb the habitat of vicuñas, guanacos, culpeo foxes and waterbirds in the lagoons of the Puna.

You can find more details about the geography of the area in our Definitive Guide to the Seismiles Route.

Step 4: Medical Rescue Insurance and Satellite Equipment

The Chilean authorities do not allow high-mountain expeditions into the area unless they have an independent emergency response plan backed directly by funds.

Minimum Policy Requirements

• Operating Altitude Limit: The policy must state in writing that it covers mountaineering activities up to 7,000 m of altitude. Standard travel assistance policies often limit coverage to 3,000 m or 4,500 m, which makes the insurance void for Ojos del Salado.
• Ground/Air Search and Rescue: Coverage of the operating costs of deploying ground rescue patrols or helicopter air evacuation (recommended minimum: USD $50,000 to USD $100,000 of coverage).
• Medical Expenses for Accident or Altitude Sickness: Coverage of hospital care, hyperbaric chamber and intensive care in medical centers in Copiapó or Santiago de Chile.
• Medical Repatriation: Full coverage of emergency medical transport to your country of residence.

Insurance companies accepted at Chilean border checkpoints include Global Rescue, Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance, ITRA and World Nomads (Explorer Plan with the mountain sports extension).

Guided Expeditions and Acclimatization in the Puna

At Vulcano Expediciones we take care of 100% of the permit paperwork with DIFROL, Carabineros and CONAF, so you can focus your energy entirely on physical and mental preparation.

We combine Ojos del Salado with technical acclimatization itineraries on the most important volcanoes of the Atacama Region. Our main offer is the guided expedition to Ojos del Salado Volcano (6,893 m), plus progressive climbs of Nevado Tres Cruces Norte (6,030 m), Nevado Tres Cruces Central (6,629 m) and Nevado Tres Cruces Sur (6,749 m).

To plan without surprises, we suggest you read about the real cost breakdown, look at the 4x4 and hut logistics and compare the options in unguided vs. guided expedition.

Frequently Asked Questions About Permits for Ojos del Salado

What happens if a foreigner tries to enter the mountain area without the DIFROL permit?
When you reach the Carabineros post at Maricunga, vehicle and foot passage will be blocked immediately. There are no exceptions on site and no emergency in-person processing at the border; a participant without an approved resolution will have to leave the area.

How long before the expedition should I start the DIFROL application?
We recommend filing the application on the DIFROL digital platform 30 to 60 days before the date set for entering the Puna de Atacama, which leaves enough margin in case of remarks or corrections to the form.

Can an urgent DIFROL permit be requested in Copiapó?
No. DIFROL operates centrally from Santiago de Chile. Carabineros in Copiapó or Maricunga have no legal authority to grant border resolutions.

Does the DIFROL permit cost anything?
No. The expedition authorization procedure with DIFROL is 100% free. However, preparing the cartographic folders, policy translations and medical certificates is usually handled by mountain operators to make sure the application is approved without delays.

Do you want to climb the roof of Chile without the bureaucratic hassle or logistical risks? At Vulcano Expediciones we take care of 100% of the DIFROL permit paperwork, Carabineros registrations, mountain insurance and 4x4 logistics.

Explore our Guided Expedition to Ojos del Salado or contact us to plan your custom itinerary.