Mt. Elbrus climb

South Route, 9 days (Standart) - €950*

* - at reservation of tours for 2 and more paxes - discount 3%

Day 1. Meeting at Mineralnye Vody airport at 14:00. Our English-speaking guide will be awaiting you outside of the arrival hall at the airport. Bus ride (3,0-3,5 hours) to mountain hotel Snow Leopard («Snezhny Bars») in the Baksan valley near the foothills of Mt. Elbrus. There are twin and triple rooms at hotel, with toilet and shower. Single accommodation may be available for additional cost in case there are vacant rooms at hotel or if you ordered that in advance. On this day you can hire items that will be used during next view days: trekking boots, telescopic poles, glasses, jacket, thermos etc. Overnight at the hotel (2100 m).

Day 2. Acclimatization hike up to the cable car station Cheget-3 (3000 m) on Mt. Cheget (3-4 hours up and 1,5 hours down), or to Terskol Peak (3150 m) (4-5 hours up and 1,5-2 hours down). The choice will depend on physical condition of participants and weather (the decision is made by the guide in coordination with participants). Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3. Transfer to Azau valley, ascent by ski lift to cable car station Mir (3500 m). Acclimatization hike to Priut 11 (4100 m). Descent to hotel. This is the last day before you leave the valley and after hike you can visit equipment store in order to hire high-mountain and climbing equipment (mountain boots, crampons, harness, down jacket, sleeping bag, etc). Our guide will assist you by choosing right size. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4. This is the day when you move to the mountain refuge at 3800 m. You can leave all not necessary stuff at hotel. It will not be necessary to carry your backpacks self because the group will reach the refuge using ski lifts. There will be only a short distance to walk from the cable cars last station to the hut. You will be kindly asked to help the guide to load the boxes with food onto the ski lifts and then to unload it. The cook will either ascend with you or already awaiting you at the hut preparing light lunch. After having tea or coffee with sandwiches and sweeties we put on all mountain equipment and go for acclimatization hike up to 4400-4500 m. Overnight at the refuge.

Day 5. Hike up to the Pastuckhov rocks and probably higher (4800 m), 6 hours up and 2 hours down. Overnight at the refuge.

Day 6. Day of relaxation. On this day you will have ice- and snow courses with your guide not far from the refuge. The guide will teach you how to put on the crampons and how to walk in it; he will show you techniques of self-arrest with an ice-axe and you will try to slide down the slope and then fix yourself on the snow using your ice-axe and the crampons. Don't worry when you've never tried it before. Overnight at the refuge.

Day 7. Summit day. We leave the refuge about 3 a.m. for the climb of Elbrus' west summit, 5642 m. It is possible to hire a snow-cat (Ratrak) for a group. This vehicle carries climbers (12 people) up to Pastuckhov rocks and saves 4 hours and a lot of energy. Generally, for an average group, it takes about 9 hours to reach the top and 5 hours to come back to the refuge.

Generally we stay at the refuge this night. If all members of the group come back from the top before 3 p.m. we can discuss the possibility of descending to the valley and have overnight at the hotel. However this will require additional payment for hotel, because this night is paid for the refuge.

Day 8. This is a reserve day in case of bad weather on the previous day. When the group takes an attempt of reaching the summit on this day, it is necessary to descend to the valley same evening by all means, though it may be hard because the ski lifts stop working at 4 p.m. Solemn dinner with delivery of certificates on climbing Elbrus. Overnight at hotel.

Day 9. Drive to Mineralnye Vody airport early in the morning to be in time for cheking-in for the flight departing at 11:25. If you need to be at the airport earlier or your flight departs much later than 11:25, you can order an individual transfer.

Cost of the tour includes:

• Invitation letter for visa. We send this to you as soon as we get your deposit and passport copy.

• Local registration for foreigners according to the Russian law.

• Transportation. Group airport transfers airport - Terskol - airport. In order to catch the group transfer on the 1st day of the trip you need to arrive to Mineralnye Vody not later than 14:15. If you arrive later we can arrange an individual transportation for you (€70, max 3 people).

• Accomodation.
  - 3* hotel Snow Leopard shared twin or triple room in the foot of Elbrus, 4 nights
  - Mountain refuge Heart of Elbrus at 3800 m, mixed dorm (8 person), 4 nights

• Cable car tickets for two ascents and two descents on Mt. Elbrus.

• Meals. Full board during the whole trip.

• Guides. One guide for the group throughout the tour and assistant guide(s) for the summit day in ratio 1:3.

• One summit attempt. For example, when a group starts in weather conditions which allow to go, and later it changes to the dangerous ones (like storm/ heavy snowfall/ dense fog) and the group has to descend; or one/ several participants feel bad and give up on climbing this is considered as an expended attempt. You can take an additional attempt against €350 for guiding services + hut fees and food (about €50 per day for 1 person) for you and your guide.

• Climbing certificate

• Park fee

Cost of the tour does not include.

• Riding snow-cat (ratrak, a vehicle transporting people along the snow slopes). The exact cost depends on number of passengers: up to 4800 m it costs €700-800 per vehicle (max 9 clients and 3 guides free). You also can hire a snow-cat on your way down and this will be cheaper than on the way up.

• Single occupancy supplement - €120 for 4 nights at hotel.

• Hire of personal equipment (such as sleeping bag, boots, crampons etc)

• Taking an additional attempt after the first attempt has been expended (this doesn't include cases when the weather was bad from the beginning and the group hasn't started the climb).

• Cost of additional night at hotel when you decide to descend to the valley on the reserve days because this days are already paid for at the refuge. The cost of an extra night can make €20 per person (double or triple room) or €50 (single room). Meals at hotel on reserve days are also not included (only breakfast).

• Individual transfer from or to airport - €60. You require an individual transfer when you:
  - arrive to Mineralnye Vody later than 14:15 on the first day of the trip;
  - you return flight on the last day departs before 11:25 or much later than that and you don't want to wait at the airport.

• Mountaineering insurance. It is highly recommended for climbing Mount Elbrus.