Elbrus climb by Classic route, 8 days. Standard-comfort service.
PAYMENT POLICY
A deposit of $300 is due at time of registration to reserve a space on the expedition.
A full payment is due 60 days prior to the expedition start date.
CANCELATION POLICY
Refunds will not be issued for cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the scheduled date.
Price includes
- All land group transfers according to the program
- Accommodation (4 nights)
- Accommodation in our special huts on Elbrus (4 nights)
- Meals: full board (from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8)
- One English speaking guide + extra guides during the night of ascent (one guide per 2 climbers)
- Elbrus cable cars return tickets
- Elbrus National Park fees
- Visa invitation if needed (depending on the nationality)
- 7 Summits Club t-shirt, buff and a small foldable backpack.
- Special 7 Summits Club Elbrus medal
Price does not include
- International and domestic flights
- Moscow services
- Single supplement in the hotel
- Individual car transfers
- Personal equipment rentals
- Personal guides for the day of the ascent
- Insurance (medical and other)
- Snow Cat service on summit day. (This must be paid in cash in Rubles, though, if need be, your guides can assist in case you only hard currency. The price for a Snow Cat depends on the height and day rate. The costs will be between 5000 and 20 000 rub, which is approximately $75-300.
- Services of the assistant guides on reserve day (Day 7). If the first summit attempt (Day 6) took place but was aborted, the work of the assistant guides on Day 7 should be paid in cash on the spot (except for the case of totally bad weather on Day 6).
- Any changes in the programme initiated by the client
Caucasus, Elbrus (5642m), Mountaineering
Trip overview
Mineralny Vody - Terskol - Elbrus (5642m) - Terskol - Mineralny Vody
Why go there?
If asked about the highest and most dramatic mountains of Europe nine out of ten Europeans will answer “the Alps”. Yet, the grandest and by far the highest mountain chain of Europe (seven summits over 5000m plus Mt.Elbrus with its 5642m) is the Caucasus, stretching between the Black and Caspian seas in the continent’s south-eastern corner.
Undoubtedly, Mt. Elbrus, this white double-headed dormant volcano, is the highest, most beautiful and most alluring mountain in Russia. It is also considered as the tenth most prominent peak in the world.
The fact that Elbrus is the highest point in Europe suffices for many to go and climb it. Yet, this obvious attraction is not the main one, for Elbrus belongs to a handful of mountains with a very special and irresistible kind of beauty which lies in their shape and setting. Most of them are volcanoes, such as Fujiyama, Ararat and Kilimanjaro, and like all these, this mountain is a world apart. It stands 11km north from the Main Range and exceeds its neighbours in height by 1200-2000m.
The ascent from south (i.e. from the Baksan valley) is made easier by using the new high-speed ski-lift (cable car) and, if requested, further up by a Snow-Cat.
Elbrus is one of the 7 summits that can be climbed by anyone in reasonably good physical shape. Even if you do not have any experience in cramponning on glaciers, it is not really an obstacle, we will give you a couple of lessons right there.
We have been organizing ascents of Elbrus for 15 years. We offer the best English-speaking guides. High on the mountain we have our own hut and our own cook, who will cater for different tastes and food restrictions. Nowadays there are dozens of hotels in the Baksan valley, but we use only three of them, those with good modern services and (very important!) with English-speaking staff.
Good advice
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- One group transfer from Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) to Terskol is included in the price. Please plan your arrival to Mineralny Vody before 12PM. If you arrive much later, you should be prepared to pay 60-80USD for an individual transfer.
- For the same reason plan your return flight from Mineralny Vody to Moscow (on the last day of the trip) after 6PM.
- Most countries need a visa to visit Russia, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Russia for all details. Note that most of Latin American, South African and Israeli citizens do NOT need a visa. If you do not belong to these, we will supply the invitation letter for a tourist visa. This one will be valid for 30 days only.
- Important! All the official information concerning Covid restrictions must be checked with the Russian embassy. As a private company we cannot possibly bear responsibility for any mistakes/misunderstandings in this field.
- Special price for partners- 10% off for groups. Tour leaders's discount is 50% from the site price.
- Extra transfer for 2-3 persons - $100 per car
- Extra transfer for 4-7 persons - $200 per car
- Snowmobile drive up to 5100 m - $300 per person
- SINGLE supplement $200 per person (4 nights)
- Extra guide (or assisting guide) services during the summit push:
$300 per guide using a snowmobile drive up to 5100 m
$400 per guide climbing on foot (from a hut to the summit)
Necessary travel papers (documents)
Passport with a valid Russian visa, immigration card, voucher from the Russian tour operator (a part of an invitation letter). See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Russia for details, we will supply the requested invitation lettter/voucher.
By air and by land
From Moscow to Mineralny Vody you will fly with a Russian air company. Normally it is "Aeroflot", but there might be alternatives. Please plan your arriving to Mineralny Vody before 12.00 in order to join our group transfer from the airport to Terskol (departure at 13.00/1 PM). If you arrive much later, be ready to pay extra for individual transfer (60-80USD).
For land transfers we have comfortable private buses or minivans. To get to our Refuge we use Elbrus Cable-way; from 3750m to 4600m/5100 on the Elbrus summitt we normally take a Snow Cat (not included in the price!).
Accommodation
A hotel in the Baksan Valley.
On Elbrus: our special huts. From 2019 we will use our new hut, which has single beds: no more dangerous and annoying bunk beds with moving upstairs neighbours, enough space for your boots, clothes and gear!
Meals
Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8.
Staff
An English speaking guide from 7 Summit Club for the whole program and extra guides for the Elbrus summit day (2-3 clients per guide); a cook at the hut.
Health and medical insurance
Health-care on the mountain is limited to the first-aid kit the guide carries. Down in the valley in case of serious health problems the local hospital and your insurance policy are to take over. Your policy must cover climbing to 6000m/20,000ft.
Weather
As on any high mountain a wide range of weather conditions and temperatures should be expected: from freezing-cold nights (down to -5/-10ºC, 20-10F), to sizzling hot afternoons if it's still and sunny (especially on the snow); from a delicious calm under a blue sky to a hurricane slashing your face like a whip. The higher you go, the harsher the conditions. So, the range of your clothes and footwear must comply with any of such possibilities. For details see our gear list below.
Extra expenses
In Caucasus meals are relatively cheap: you can have a decent additional meal with meat and beer for 8-10USD.
Internet, phone
Wi-fi access to Internet in each room in our hotel; cell phone works in the Baksan Valley and on Elbrus up to 5000m
Possibility of renting personal equipment
Any climbing gear you can rent in our office in Terskol.
Personal gear
Heavy-weight fleece jacket
Light/medium-weight, synthetic long underwear shirt (polypropylene/capilene)
Water proof / breathable jacket with hood (Gore Tex is strongly recommended)
Long sleeve, light weight shirt for sun protection (preferably synthetic)
Down or synthetic fill jacket with hood, must fit comfortably over your fleece jacket
Fleece pants (full side zips allow ventilation)
Thermal under wear
Wind- waterproof and breathable pants with full length zips
Liner socks - 2-3 pairs
Wool or poly socks (medium-heavy thickness) - 3 pairs
Light weight trekking boots, or strong shoes
Climbing boots, plastic of leather – must be right for step-in crampons
Gaiters
Liner gloves - 2 pairs
Medium weight fleece gloves
Wool or fleece mittens
Wind-stop shell overmittens
Wool or fleece hat
Balaclava
Glacier glasses with side flaps
Extra pair of your normal glasses, or lenses
Climbing gear:
Double climbing boots
Crampons (must fit your climbing boots)
Collapsible ski poles
Down or synthetic sleeping bag good for -10ºC/-20F
Sleeping closed cell foam pad
Rucksack (40-50liters)
Harness
Prussik ropes
Karabiners with screwgate lockers - 3 items
1-1.5 liters thermos
Personal first aid kit
Head torch
Water bottle
Lip balm (spf 25+) and glacier cream (spf 40)
Pocket knife
Favorite snacks
- We work since 2005 and our company has one of the biggest record of successful climbs and expeditions all over the world
- Our guides are top-rated proffecionals doing their job with practically 100% of safety. They lead our groups on the most serious climbs of the Seven Summint programme: Everest, Denaly, Vinson and many other ones in Himalayas and Karakorum. The guides specializing on Elbrus have as many as dozens climbs in their record. Your physical shape and weather permitting, the success is practically guaranteed.
- Our main concern is safety, so on Elbrus we never have the ratio clients/guide more than three. And our guides will never venture on the ascent without a more or less good forecast.
- For our loyal clients we offer the scheme of noticeable discounts
- Last but not least: the comfort. Our services in the Base Camp under Everest are recognized as the best. Also we always try to keep a good balance between the highest possible comfort and acceptable price
- A neccesary note. From time to time we get this question from would-be clients: "Why your prices are considerably higher than those of some local companies?" They quote 700-600 and even 500USD for a climbing trip to Elbrus. The answer is simple: do-it-yourself approach will be even cheaper, just the flights and ground transport costs. But then please keep in mind that, being technically easy, soft-looking Elbrus may be cruel and merciless! Its yearly death toll is 20-30 lives, mainly young. And practically all this toll is provided by self supporting inexperienced climbers and members of those cheap local companies' large groups, sometimes led by chance guides with pretty vague climbing and guiding background.
