Russia · Mountain Exploration

9-Day Mount Elbrus Traverse and Summit Climb from South to North

9 Days Round trip from ул. Аэропорт Hard pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Acclimatise on scenic hikes to Cheget and Maid's Braids waterfall
02 Reach the observatory at 3100 m and Pastukhov's Rocks up to 4700 m
03 Traverse Mount Elbrus from south to north in a full summit expedition
04 Climb both the west summit at 5642 m and east summit at 5621 m
05 Descend to the northern side of Elbrus and continue to Emmanuel clearing

Embark on an unforgettable expedition to Mount Elbrus, combining essential acclimatisation hikes with stunning mountain scenery at Cheget and Maid's Braids waterfall. Build steadily toward the ultimate challenge as you ascend both Elbrus's west summit at 5642 m and east summit at 5621 m on a south-to-north traverse. With a dedicated rest day, careful preparation, and a descent to the northern side before returning to Mineralnye Vody, this journey offers a complete high-altitude Elbrus experience.

Climb to the west summit of Elbrus (5642 m) and the east summit of Elbrus (5621 m).

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 9 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Hard

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

City Mount Elbrus

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival and Transfer to the Baksan Valley

Arrive at MRV Airport and transfer 200 km (3 hours) to the hotel in the Baksan River valley, almost on the very slope of Elbrus.
Gather for dinner and an instruction session.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 02

Acclimatisation Hike to Cheget

Begin your acclimatisation hike to Cheget.
Descend on foot to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 03

Maid's Braids Waterfall and Observatory Acclimatisation

Set out on an acclimatisation hike to Maid's Braids waterfall (2700 m) and continue on to the observatory (3100 m).

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04

Lift to the Hut and Hike to Pastukhov's Rocks

Take a lift up to the hut and set up camp.
After a snack, continue on an acclimatisation hike to 4400 m, reaching the lower part of Pastukhov's Rocks.

Overnight at the hut.

Day 05

Acclimatisation Hike to Pastukhov's Rocks at 4700 m

Start an acclimatisation hike to Pastukhov's Rocks (4700 m).

Overnight at the hut.

Day 06

Rest Day and Final Summit Preparations

Relax for the day before making the final preparations for the Elbrus summit.

Overnight at the hut.

Day 07

Summit Day on Elbrus West and East Peaks

Climb to the west summit of Elbrus (5642 m) and the east summit of Elbrus (5621 m).
Descend to a hut in the north for an overnight stay.

Day 08

Descent to Emmanuel Clearing and Transfer

Descend to the Emmanuel clearing.
Transfer to Mineralnye Vody.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 09

Departure from Mineralnye Vody

Departure from the airport.

Where this trip takes you

Mount Elbrus, Cheget, Maid's Braids waterfall, Pastukhov's Rocks

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from ул. Аэропорт 1 city · 9 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Guides
Services of a cook
Hotel accommodation in double rooms
Accommodation in huts
All transfers mentioned in the itinerary, including lifts, from and to the airport/station
Meals three times a day throughout the trip before Mineralnye Vody
Dinner on the first day
Breakfast on the last day
Breakfast in Mineralnye Vody
All necessary permits and registrations
Equipment for the group (ropes, ice screws, radios, first aid kit, satellite navigator/GPS)
Rental of a duffel bag for rental and personal equipment during the ascent

What's Not Included

Snowcat on summit day
Single accommodation
Early check-in/late check-out from the hotel before/after the program (we always try to negotiate with our partners about additional bonuses for our guests, and early check-in/late check-out is often allowed free of charge)
Personal equipment
Any changes to the original itinerary
Lunches and dinners in Mineralnye Vody
Any costs caused by changes to the program

What to bring

Documents:
- Valid passport
- Airline tickets
- Voucher (a form sent to you to obtain a visa)
- Insurance cover
Personal equipment:
- Backpack
- Sleeping bag
- Ski/touring poles should have rings of at least 70 mm
- Crampons
- Ice axe
- Climbing lanyard
- Climbing helmet
- Harness
- Five carabiners
- 7 metres of 5 or 6 mm rope
Clothing and shoes:
- Windproof and waterproof layer - trousers and jacket, for example Gore-Tex
- Fleece trousers and jacket
- Thermal underwear layer - top and bottom
- Down jacket
- Gloves or mittens
- Thick gloves
- Thin gloves
- Neckerchief
- Warm hat
- Underwear, socks, etc.
- A pair of warm socks for summit day
- Balaclava
- Windproof face mask
- Gaiters
- Trekking shoes/boots
- Double or triple boots
Travel accessories:
- Headlamps
- Shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush
- Sunglasses
- Ski goggles
- Vitamin tablets
- Thermos (1 litre, preferably without a lid)
- Sunblock and lip balm
- Personal medical kit
- Extra pair of contact lenses or glasses
- Knee support

Know before you go

The hotel regulates check-in and check-out times: check-in is from 15:00, and check-out is until 11:00-12:00. You can leave your luggage at the hotel reception and walk around the area or, if technically possible, pay extra for early check-in or late check-out.
Any exit from the shelter on the day of the ascent is considered an attempt.
For foreign citizens, if necessary, we provide guest invitations for our tours.
We recommend evening departure flights so that if you have a late descent on day 8, you can arrive in Mineralnye Vody on the morning of day 9.
The order of the summits can be changed by agreement between the guide and the group.
The condition of the route on summit day is also important.
An early start, at 2:00-4:00 am, allows the use of the snowcat.
The client-to-guide ratio is always 1:3.

Logistics