The mountaineer and Arctic walker, who left for Chile on Saturday, hopes to make the first of two 120-mile, six-hour flights across the South American range on Wednesday.

To add to the excitement his Norwegian companion Rune Gjeldnes is planning to parachute from the balloon, Typhoo Challenger, as it soars to heights of 30,000ft and land on the 23,000ft Mount Aconcagua.

The trip is going ahead despite the Foreign Office's advice that Britons should not go travel to Chile unless their visit is essential.

British badges removed

Mr Hempleman-Adams brushed aside the risk.

"I have been to Chile a lot of times. The people are fantastic. I have never got involved in the politics over there. We are just simple adventurers and I am sure we will be accepted as such," he said.

"To be honest, though, I have taken off the British badges on the balloon just in case."

Hempleman - Adams: Little ballooning experience

In the past the 42-year-old explorer has climbed the highest summit on each continent as well as walking to the geographic and magnetic poles at each end of the globe.

He says he does not intend to allow his relative inexperience as a balloonist hold him back in his latest endeavour.

"I have only had around 30 hours flying experience, I am a novice really, but I am used to the altitude thanks to my mountaineering and I have had some great advice from very experienced balloonists," he said.

"We will be making two flights across the Andes from Chile to Argentina.