This is our classic program for climbers with little or no experience in high altitude mountaineering. Before our summit day, you will have enough time to both acclimatize and learn technical climbing skills (rope teams, use of ice-axe, self arrest, walking with crampons).
On this trip you can choose the airport in the Caucasus you will fly to – Nalchik or Mineralnye Vody.
The best time for this trip is June – early September.
- Day 1Fly to Moscow:
- We will meet you at Moscow International Airport in the afternoon and bring you to our hotel in the city. Before dinner, we will go for a short sightseeing tour in the city center, where you will see Red Square and St. Basils Cathedral, among other things. In the evening you are free to sample any variant of Moscow's diverse night life.
- Day 2Fly to Mineralnye Vody or Nalchik:
- In the morning we will be transferred to the airport and fly to Mineralnye Vody or Nalchik. The flight takes two hours, the transfer to Terskol four hours once. In Terskol we will check in to our hotel, have dinner and rest for our next day.
- Day 3Acclimatize in the valley:
- Today we will do an acclimatization hike up to 3000 m. From here you will have your first wonderful view of Mt. Elbrus. We will spend the night in our hotel.
- Day 4Acclimatize with cable car:
- After breakfast we will go to the Elbrus Cable Car Station and take the gondola up to the Mir Station at 3500 m. From here we will do an acclimatization hike to 4100 meters, to the site of the Prijut-11 mountain hut, which burnt down in 1998. After descending with the gondola, we will be transferred back to our hotel.
- Day 5Hike to Prijut-11 and higher:
- Today we will leave our hotel in Terskol for a few days and go up to the Barrel Camp at 3900 m, taking the gondola and a chair lift. After a light lunch at the camp, we will hike up to 4500 m, a point in between the Prijut-11 and the Pastukhov Rocks. Today we will focus on crampon techniques. Tonight we sleep at the camp at 3900 meters.
- Day 6Hike to Pastukhov Rocks:
- After breakfast, we will hike up to Pastukhov Rocks at 4800 meters, again sleeping at the camp.
- Day 7Day for technical training:
- Today we will go up to the new Prijut Hut (located near the old Prijut-11). Here we will have lunch, later we will do some technical training (using crampons, ice-axe, self-arrest, and rope techniques). Before an early dinner, you can take some rest. We will spend the night in the hut at 4100 meters.
- Day 8Summit day:
- We will have breakfast at 2 a.m., and leave the hut at 3 a.m. As an option it is possible to take the snowcat up to the Pastukhov Rocks, making the ascent to summit much easier (this is an extra service, cost not included in the program). From the hut it takes usually 6 to 10 hours, to get to the summit. Weather permitting, we have a view of the whole Caucasus mountain range. The descent back to the hut usually takes us 4 to 6 hours; so we are usually back at the hut between 3 and 6 p.m. We will spend the night at the hut.
- Day 9Reserve day:
- Today we will descend to Terskol and check into our hotel. If day 8 was not used as summit day (e.g. because of bad weather), today can be used as reserve day, and the program will be the same as day 8.
- Day 10Relax or extra reserve day:
- After a late breakfast, we will have a relaxing day hiking or rock climbing somewhere in the valley. If day 9 was used for the summit attempt, today you will descent to Terskol. In the evening we will have a big dinner party to celebrate our climb. If on days 8 and 9 the weather was too bad for the summit attempt, this day can also be used for the summit. In this case we have to return to the Terskol in the evening.
- Day 11Fly back to Moscow:
- In the morning you will be transferred to the airport in Mineralnye Vody and fly back to Moscow. In the evening you will have time for some sightseeing in the city. You will stay overnight in the hotel.
- Day 12Fly back home or extension for sightseeing:
- Depending on your personal flight schedule, you will either leave the hotel for Moscow International Airport or, if wanted, you can extend your journey in Moscow for a few more days. Please tell us in advance.
This trip is a good solution for the experienced Seven Summits climber with less time. Not recommended for beginners or those who have had trouble with acclimatization.
Best time: June – early September.
This program can be scheduled with flight from Moscow, or direct flight Munich – Mineralnye Vody (which flies once a week on Fridays).
Contact us for help with custom dates.
- Day 1Fly Munich - Mineralnye Vody:
- After your arrival in Mineralnye Vody we will meet you at the airport and transfer you via minibus to Terskol. The ride takes about 4 hours. You will stay overnight in local hotel.
- Day 2Acclimatize in the valley:
- After breakfast, we will go on an acclimatization hike up to 3000 m. Spend the night in the hotel.
- Day 3Acclimatization hike to Prijut-11:
- Today we will go to the Elbrus Cable Car Station and ascend to the Barrel Camp at 3900 m via the gondola and a chair lift. After a light lunch at the camp, we will hike up to Prijut-11 at 4100 m. The night we will stay at our camp at 3900 m.
- Day 4Acclimatization hike to Pastukhov Rocks:
- After breakfast, we will hike up to the Pastukhov Rocks at 4800 m, and again spend the night at our camp.
- Day 5Day for technical training:
- Today we will hike up to a new hut near the Prijut-11, where we will have lunch. After lunch we will provide you some technical training: use of crampons, ice-axe, self-arrest, rope techniques. Then we will have dinner and stay the night at the hut at 4100 m.
- Day 6Summit day:
- On a normal summit day, we will have breakfast at 2 a.m. and leave at 3 a.m. It is possible to take the snowcat up to Pastukhov Rocks (this is an extra service, cost not included in the program). Time to the summit is normally 6 to 10 hours, and the descent to the hut takes another 4 – 6 hours, bringing us back at 3 to 6 p.m. The night we will spend at the hut.
- Day 7Reserve day:
- In the morning we descend to Terskol. If today is used as reserve summit day we will have to go down to Terskol in the evening. In the evening we will have a celebration dinner. You will spend the night at the hotel.
- Day 8Fly home:
- Early in the morning, at 3 a.m., you will leave for Mineralnye Vody for your flight to Moscow or Munich.