Start location: Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV), Russia
End location: Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV), Russia
Duration: 10 Days
DAY 1
ARRIVAL DAY
Group meeting at Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) at 13:00 / 1 PM Moscow time, and transfer to the hotel in Pyatigorsk city by RMH van (30 min.). Hotel check-in. Welcome briefing and orientation. Signing Waivers and required documentation. Gear check. Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 2
TRANSFER: HOTEL IN PYATIGORSK - NORTH SIDE BASE CAMP (2500 M)
Transfer from the hotel in Pyatigorsk to the North Side Base Camp – 2500 m. (4-5 hours drive). 1-hour light acclimatization hike through the valley to the Base Camp.
Overnight stay at the mountain shelter at the Base Camp.
DAY 3
ACCLIMATIZATION DAY (2500 M - 3800 M)
Transfer of personal climbing equipment to the High Camp at 3800 m. The trail goes through “Mushroom Stones” at 3100 meters above the sea level. This place is considered to be a historical and religious spot of ancient monks. Descend to the Base Camp. Overnight stay at the mountain shelter at the Base Camp.
DAY 4
ASCENT TO THE HIGH CAMP (2500 M - 3800 M)
Ascent to the High Camp at 3800 m. Overnight stay at the mountain shelter in the High Camp.
DAY 5
LENZ ROCKS (3800 M - 4800 M)
Acclimatization hike to Lenz Rocks – 4800 m. Walking in crampons training. Basic snow & ice and rope training. Descend to the High Camp. Overnight stay at the mountain shelter in the High Camp.
DAY 6
REST DAY / SELF-ARREST TRAINING
Rest day. Basic level self-arrest & rope training. Snow & ice training. Evening guides meeting with a group and client briefing. Overnight stay at the mountain shelter in the High Camp.
DAY 7
SUMMIT DAY (3800 M - 5642 M) - 17 HOURS
Summit day. Mount Elbrus Western Summit climb – 5642 m. Descend to the High Camp. Overnight stay at the mountain shelter in the High Camp.
DAY 8
RESERVE DAY
Reserve day in case of bad weather on the previous day / or descend all the way back down to the Base Camp. Overnight stay at the mountain shelter in the Base Camp. Extra option: Paragliding in Elbrus Gorge.
DAY 9
TRANSFER: BASE CAMP - HOTEL IN PYATIGORSK
Transfer from the Base Camp to Pyatigorsk city (4-5 hours drive). Hotel check-in. Cultural program and sightseeing. Festive dinner. Certificates presentation. Overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 10
DEPARTURE DAY
Departure day. Morning transfer at 10:00 / 10 AM from the hotel to Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV).
SEASON 2021
CLICK on your dates to BOOK ‘em before someone else does
EUR €2130.00
per person incl. taxes
EUR €2130.00
per person incl. taxes
EUR €2130.00
per person incl. taxes
Mount Elbrus North Route Climbing Highlights
The North side of Elbrus is remote and there is no civilization around you. Climbing Elbrus from the North you get a touch of the wild. You spend 8 days in the backcountry in the pure Caucasus Mountains wilderness.
The North Route of Elbrus is the route of the first ascenders. In 1829 on July 22nd, local Kabardian - Khillar Khachirov became the first human to climb Mt. Elbrus. It was the first ever scientific expedition to Mt. Elbrus organized and financed by the Imperial Russian army led by General Emmanuel.
Elbrus climbing via the North Route is a good physical challenge even for trained and experienced climbers.
Elbrus climbing via the North Route is a real adventure expedition in clean alpine style.
Why climb Elbrus North Route with RMH Guides?
We guarantee your maximum Safety on the trip and throughout the entire climb like no one else in the industry.
All RMH Mountain Guides are Internationally Certified and highly qualified with Russian Mountain Guides Association and ACMG, with more than 700 successful Elbrus summits.
We are locals and we always get you a whole lot closer.
Our Base Camp on the North Side is equipped with a shower and toilets for your best relaxing experience.
At Russian Mountain Holidays, we work hard to guarantee you the best possible Elbrus climbing experience to our guests and it is impossible when there are too many people in the group. That's why we keep our groups small. We close the booking when there are 8 guests in the group and work with a ratio of 1 Guide to every 3 guests on the Summit Day.
All our groups are always very international, so during the expedition you have a unique opportunity to practice your foreign language and meet interesting people from all around the globe.
All our Elbrus climbing trip packages are truly unique and all-inclusive. Everything is already included in the trip package price and you won't spend a cent more once on spot.
At Russian Mountain Holidays, our mission is to guarantee you flawless quality, deep family style approach, and Safest Elbrus climbing experience while making your dream a reality.
At Russian Mountain Holidays, your Safety is our primary concern and do care about that. We register every group in the local Elbrus Rescue Service Department and operate in close cooperation with certified rescuers in every group.
At RMH, we do care about your maximum comfort and provide you single occupancy supplement at the authentic Soviet hotel in Pyatigorsk, in the historic downtown of the city.
PLEASE, CAREFULLY READ THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW
Invitation letter for the Russian Visa. We email it to you immediately after we get your deposit payment and a scanned copy of your passport.
All local registration fees. For foreign citizens according to the Russian legislation.
National Park fees.
Climbing Permit.
All transportation by RMH van:
1. Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) — Pyatigorsk city (hotel accommodation) — Dhzily Su Base Camp.
2. Dhzily Su Base Camp — Pyatigorsk city (hotel accommodation) — Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV).
Accommodation in Pyatigorsk city. Authentic Soviet hotel in Pyatigorsk in the historic downtown of the city. Single occupancy supplement.
- Base Camp accommodation. Mountain shelter. Mixed dorm.
High Camp accommodation. Mountain shelter at 3800 m. Mixed dorm.
High-Quality meals. All meals during the entire trip.
Cook. For the entire trip.
RMH Lead Guide. For the entire trip.
RMH Second Guide. For the summit day only.
Porters. For kitchen equipment and group food.
Rescue Service Check-in.
- 2 Summit Attempts. Above 5000 meters is one attempt. In case if the weather conditions got bad during the Summit day, we try again the next day if possible.
- Completion Certificates.
- Authentic Caucasian experience.
- Awesome atmosphere and a lot of fun.
- Any flights.
- Russian Visa costs.
- International Medical & Evacuation Insurance for Alpine Climbing.
Rental of personal climbing equipment.
Porter service for your personal equipment. Available for a small fee.
Additional (Private) Mountain Guides.
Additional or individual transfers from /or to Mineralnye Vody airport. You might need it in case if your flight arrives later than the time when our RMH transfer van departs from the MRV airport on the first day of the trip, or if your return flight out of MRV departs much earlier or much later than the time to which our RMH transfer goes to the airport on the final day of the trip.
Alcohol drinks.
- Any changes in the released on RMH’s website trip program which lead to additional expenses.
Weather conditions:
Please, keep in mind, in the mountains the weather is unpredictable and changes very fast. Depending on the snow and the weather conditions the trip itinerary may be changed in consultation with the group. We want to see all our guests reaching the summit, however, when the conditions become dangerous for climbing we don’t take any risks. It is important to understand that before booking this trip.
Arrival / Departure Instructions:
On the first day of the trip, we meet you at the Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) at 12:30 Moscow time. We wait for you outside the arrival hall of the MRV airport in RMH t-shirts and greet you with smiles.
Our RMH van departs from the main parking of Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) at 13.00 (1 PM). All guests are requested to arrive according to this time. If you arrive later, or much earlier, we can order you a taxi or organize a private transfer for you to Pyatigorsk. It is 30 minutes drive from the airport. Approximate price to get from the airport to the hotel in Pyatigorsk by taxi is about 30-50 EURO. In this case, we meet you upon arrival at the hotel.
On the final day of the trip, our RMH van departs from the hotel in Pyatigorsk to Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) in the morning at 10.00 (10 AM) Moscow time. We can also order you a taxi or organize a private transfer for you from the hotel if your return flight departs earlier or much later.
For climbing Elbrus via the North Route, RMH highly recommends that all guests have a complete set of their own personal climbing equipment! Some technical gear like boots, crampons, climbing harness and ice-axe can be rented in Pyatigorsk on the first day of the trip after your arrival at the hotel.
Required Elbrus Climbing Equipment:
We recommend that all guests have their personal current climbing equipment to ensure the best possible experience on Elbrus climb. In your personal climbing gear, you feel more comfortable during the entire climb and get the most out of it. However, some heavy technical gear such as boots, crampons, harness, and ice-axe can be rented in Pyatigorsk on the first day of the trip after your arrival at the hotel. Below we have listed the checklist of all the required equipment for your successful Elbrus climbing experience. Please, check it out and make sure that you already have everything that is listed below or let us know the list of items you need to hire in advance. You can also visit our Elbrus Climbing Equipment page for more detailed gear list with descriptions and good examples.
High-mountain boots for use with crampons (double or insulated)
Crampons (Crampons must check fit with climbing boots prior to trip)
Ice axe (Ice axe with a leash. Light weight)
- Lightweight Climbing Helmet
Climbing harness (Alpine climbing harness. Should have adjustable leg loops and fit over all clothing)
Sunglasses (Glacier glasses 100% UV protection with side shields or very good sunglasses with wrap around coverage)
Ski goggles (For wind and snow during the bad weather conditions and summit day)
Headlamp with new batteries
Extra batteries
2 Locking and 2 non-locking carabiners. Larger is better for harness (pear-shaped carabiner is the best, screw gate type recommended)
Self-belay leash (2-meter sling or prusik cord)
Trekking poles (Adjustable)
Comfortable backpack for climbing (a minimum of 30 liters)
Warm sleeping bag (down or synthetic sleeping bag rated to 0 F or -15 to C.)
- Inflatable mat for your sleeping bag (Thermarest or Exped)
Bottle for water (1 liter wide-mouth Nalgene)
Thermos (1-liter small stainless steel thermos)
Personal crockery (knife, fork, spoon, mug)
Small personal first aid kit (with your personal doctor recommended medications)
Several various pairs of warm thermal socks
1-2 pair of liner socks (polypropylene or wool)
2-3 pairs of lightweight trekking socks (polypropylene or wool)
2 pairs of medium to heavy wool socks for the upper mountain, check boot fit with liner and wool socks on.
Thermal underwear
2 long sleeve polypropylene or wool shirts lightweight, we highly recommend light colors for base layers.
2 pairs of lightweight to mid-weight long underwear bottoms.
- Trekking / Hiking pants. 2 pair pants. At least one pair should be simple nylon trekking pants for the walking on acclimatization days and relaxing.
The second pair can also be nylon or lightweight soft shell climbing pants for on the mountain.
- Shorts. 1 pair nylon shorts for city days and base camp.
- Sandals. 1 pair sandals (Optional but nice on warm days in Pyatigorsk and at the base of the mountain lodge)
Fleece jackets. 1 Soft Shell or intermediate thickness fleece jacket or wind shirt.
Fleece pants. 1 pair fleece pants or light synthetic insulated pants.
This is OPTIONAL for extra warmth on summit day and also on the lower mountain for Base Camp evenings.
Down jacket. Down or Synthetic Sweater or Jacket or 300/400 weight Fleece Jacket.
Essentially an additional mid-weight warm layer for cold days in your layering system.
Usual warm clothes, in which you feel comfortable
Gore-Tex Jacket (an effective waterproof and breathable fabric. The uppermost layer of your clothing) — Check out this link to see how it works.
Gore-Tex Pants
Several pairs of gloves (A minimum 1 pair of very warm gloves)
Buff (bandana that protects your neck and face from the wind and snow)
Several hats (A minimum 1 warm wool or synthetic hat, that cover your ears)
Cap
- Sunscreen with at least SPF 40. SPF 50 is better
- Lip care with at least SPF 30, 2 sticks. A string to hang around the neck is helpful.
- Extra batteries for your headlamp
- Toiletry kit
- A small supply of personal toilet paper in Ziploc for an emergency. We provide paper while at huts.
- 3 large plastic bags for keeping your gear dry
- Extra Ziplocs for keeping small things protected
- Earplugs. Highly Recommended! We sleep in a mountain shelter with other climbers!
- Hand wipes for personal hygiene
- Favorite snacks, a combination of salty and sweet. Candy bars like snickers are available at the base of the mountain in shops.
Bring about 1.5 kilos or 2+ pounds. For summit day and walking days.
- Paperback books and some magazines for travel within Russia and for stay at the mountain shelters
- iPod or MP3 with extra batteries
- Camera with extra batteries or charging cords
- Waterproof wallet for travel documents, money & passport, Russia Visa
- Power bank
Important! Special requirements for Elbrus climbing participants:
- Medically fit and physically trained for alpine climbing at high altitudes. We will need to have a look at your medical examinations, which should indicate that you have no contraindications to engage in this type of activity in the mountains and that you are completely healthy and in an adequate mental state.
- Before arrival in Russia, please carefully check all the necessary information for foreign citizens entering the country. This information could be found on the website of the Russian Federation embassy of your country. For example, if you are a Canadian citizen, you have to check the website of the Russian Federation embassy in Canada, etc. Some laws are very new and constantly changing and may differ for citizens of certain countries! Please keep in mind, it is your responsibility to be aware of the necessary requirements for entering the country! Russian Mountain Holidays LLC will not be responsible for ANY problems that may arise upon the violation of customs laws of the Russian Federation.
- Age limit — not less than 18 years old, and not older than 55 years old.
Mandatory! Required documents:
- International Medical & Evacuation Insurance for Alpine Climbing which includes helicopter evacuation in case of emergency. PLEASE, KEEP IN MIND, IN CASE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO INJURY WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE HELICOPTER EVACUATION EVEN IF THE GUEST DOES NOT HAVE EVACUATION INSURANCE.
- Passport.
- Russian Tourist Visa.
- A Medical Examination Certificate which indicates that you have no contraindications to engage in this type of activity in the mountains at high altitudes and that you are completely healthy and in an adequate mental state. We need to look at your Medical Examination Certificate at least 3 months before your arrival. The results should be fresh. We accept the usual medical certificate from your family doctor for an overall health check + cardiologist check. Please, take it seriously! WITHOUT MEDICAL EXAMINATION WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE YOUR BOOKING AND SELL YOUR SPOT IN THE GROUP TO THE NEXT PERSON ON THE WAITING LIST.
Signing the WAIVER OF CLAIMS:
Alpine climbing or mountaineering always comes with a certain risk that we can’t completely control and is dangerous. Our job is to reduce this risk to a minimum as much as possible, but it’s still there as this is a wild nature. Climbing Mount Elbrus we spend 5 to 6 days in the backcountry. Buying this trip you have to understand and be aware of the seriousness of the Mount Elbrus climbing program and the possibility of the risk. Upon arrival at the hotel in Pyatigorsk on the first day of the trip, every guest will be asked to read and sign the RELEASE OF LIABILITY, WAIVER OF CLAIMS, ASSUMPTION OF RISKS AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT.
ANY COPYING OF MATERIALS FROM OUR WEBSITE IS PUNISHABLE BY LAW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ЛЮБОЙ ПЛАГИАТ И ЛЮБАЯ КОПИЯ МАТЕРИАЛОВ С НАШЕГО САЙТА БУДУТ РАСЦЕНИВАТЬСЯ НАМИ КАК НАРУШЕНИЕ ПРАВ ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛЬНОЙ СОБСТВЕННОСТИ И БУДУТ ПРЕСЛЕДОВАТЬСЯ ПО ЗАКОНУ РФ.