Climbing Elbrus from the south with the accommodation in the best hotels

Plan for the day: arriving in Mineralnye Vody, transfer to Terskol, checking into the hotel, lunch in the hotel, rest, checking personal equipment, dinner and short briefing.

Meeting at the Mineralnye Vody airport near the fountain from 12:00 to 13:00 and transfer to the Terskol village. If you arrive earlier or later, it is possible to organize an individual transfer (~4000 rub per car).

Then we proceed to checking into the hotel. There is everything you need for a comfortable stay: cosy rooms, hot water and the Internet.

Note: Transfer: about 180 km (approximately 3 hours). Half of the route we will drive along the most beautiful mountain gorge of the Baksan River.

Plan for the day: breakfast, trekking to lake Donguzorun-Kel, ascending to the top of Mount Cheget, lunch on Cheget, descent by cable car, dinner and briefing.

Today is our first acclimatization hike. In the morning after breakfast, we will go along the eco-path towards the Cheget Glade. Then we will go up to the most picturesque mountain lake Donguzorun-Kel under the glacier Seven. Having some rest done, we will continue climbing to the top of Mount Cheget, 3461 m. A beautiful view of Elbrus and the Caucasus Range will open up in clear weather. There we will get acquainted with the route of climbing Elbrus.

We will stay at the height for lunch for better acclimatization and taste raspberry pies and pasties in the iconic patty café on the top. If possible, we will descend by cable car to save your knees.

Before or after dinner, we will have an organizational meeting about the next day.

This will be your first day of acclimatization, so it is highly recommended that you follow these instructions:

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Drink 4 litres or more of water daily (better to drink little but often)

Note: Cheget Glade is about 2.5 km away. In total, it is about 10 km from the hotel to the top of Mount Cheget with a stop at Lake Donguzorun-Kel, the elevation difference is 1350 m.

Plan for the day: breakfast, transfer to Azau, a cable car to Mir Station, trekking to the Shelter 11, lunch at a cafe on Gara-Bashi, descend and transfer to Terskol, rent equipment, dinner and breifing.

Today we have an acclimatization hike to Elbrus. In the morning, after breakfast, we will drive to Azau. Then we will go up by cable car to Mir Station at an altitude of 3500 m and then move on to Gara-Bashi at a height of 3850 on foot. If the weather is good, we will be above the Shelter 11 at the altitude of 4200 m.

We will stop at Gara-Bashi for a better acclimatization and have lunch at the Balkaria café. After lunch, we will go down on foot to Mir Station and further to Azau by cable car.

As we return to the hotel, we will have time to relax, and then we’ll go to rent necessary climbing equipment. The rent office is 5 minutes from the hotel, though collecting the equipment for the whole group may take a couple of hours. We will come back to the hotel with the rented stuff, have dinner and hold an organizational meeting regarding the next day.

Note: From Mir Station to Gara-Bashi it is about 1.8 km, the elevation difference is 350 m. It is about 3.1 km from the Station Mir to the Shelter 11, the elevation difference is 600 m.

Plan for the day: breakfast, transfer to Azau, a cable car to Gara-Bashi, checking into the schelter, lunch, training on snow and ice, dinner, briefing.

Today we are moving from the hotel to the shelter on Elbrus. After the breakfast, we’ll pack our bags and leave for Azau. 
Then we will go up by cable car to the Gara-Bashi station to a height of 3900 m. There a snowcat will pick us up to the shelter, we will check in and have lunch.
After the lunch, we will have a training lesson on snow and ice, self-retention on the slope and walking in crampons with an ice axe on the glacier. It is going to be our first overnight stay at an altitude of 3900 meters.
We will have dinner and hold an organizational meeting regarding the next day.

Note: At night, you may feel uncomfortable because of the acclimatization: due to a decrease in breathing activity, oxygen is supplied even less than during the day, and with the height taken into account, the likelihood of nausea and headache increases significantly. Therefore, be attentive to your condition and contact your guide at the first signs of altitude sickness.

Plan for the day: breakfast, acclimatization ascend, descend and lunch in the shelter, dinner and briefing.

Today we are going to have the most important acclimatization outing. We must climb above the Pastukhov rocks, the height of the lower edge of the Pastukhov rocks is 4550 meters, the upper edge is 4750 meters. According to our plan, we will climb to the site of snow groomers at 5000. We will have early breakfast and then we’ll go.

Your task will be to learn how to work at the altitude above 4000 m and adapt your body to a new height. We will also master the technique of correct movement in crampons and the downhill technique.

We will come back to the shelter for a late lunch. Then we’ll have time to rest, have dinner, and hold an organizational meeting.

Note: The distance between the shelter and the Pastukhov rocks is 3.8 km, the elevation difference is 1000 m. The distance from the shelter to the frozen snowcat is 4.4 km, the elevation difference is 1250 m.

Today we will rest. It is necessary to recover before the summiting.

We will rest during the day, prepare all the equipment, hold a meeting, and at night at 22:00 we will start summiting.

Plan for the day: summting, lunch in the shelter or in Azau, transfer to Terskol, checking into the hotel, returning the equipment, dinner in the village.

At 22:00, after dinner and getting ready, we will start summiting the Western peak of Elbrus 5642 m.

We will walk slowly all night long to ensure optimal distribution of energy during the ascent. According to the plan, we will meet the dawn on the “Oblique shelf”, and arrive at the top at about 9 a.m.
The ascent usually takes 10–11 hours. The descent is about 3–4 hours more. The return to the shelter is planned at around 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

On the same day, we will descend to Azau, return the equipment and check into a hotel. We will have lunch in a café in Azau or in the shelter.

Note: Ascend: the Shelter (3900 m) > Western peak Elbrus (5642 m)
Distance: about 6 km (about 14 hours of trekking).

This is a reserve day in case of bad weather. This will increase our chances of a successful ascent. In case of a successful summiting on the previous day and descent to the village, this day will be devoted to rest and sightseeing. You can go to the waterfalls or to the glade of Narzans, visit a local market and go to the bathhouse.

For dinner, we will gather in the iconic climbing café, have dinner, share our impressions and present certificates to the ascended participants.

Plan for the day: breakfast, checking out, transfer to the Mineralnye Vody airport.

In the morning after an early breakfast you will have a transfer to the Mineralnye Vody airport. The estimated time of arrival at the airport is 12:00 (the time may vary if there are more participants). If you are leaving earlier or later, it is possible to organize an individual transfer (~4000 rub per car).
 

Note: Transfer: about 180 km (approximately 3 hours).