Mt. Elbrus, Russia (August 15-27, 2024)

MT. ELBRUS, Russia
8 days SOUTH POLE ROUTE
PART OF 7 SUMMITS IN THE WORLD

GENERAL ITINERARY
Suggested Flight Details
14 days VISA
August 13 Arrival in Moscow, Russia
August 27, 2024 Departing Moscow or St. Petersburg, Russia

August 13, 2024 (Tuesday)
Arrival in Moscow, Russia

August 14, 2024 (Wednesday)
Buffer Day

August 15, 2024 (Thursday)
0400H Meet the Team at
MOSCOW, RU (DOMODEDOVO) Airport

• Fly to MRV – Mineralnye Vody, Russia
  -Arrival at Mineralnye Vody airport. Our English-speaking guide will be awaiting you outside of the arrival hall at the airport. Bus ride (3.0 hours) to a mountain hotel Snow Leopard («Snezhny Bars») in the Baksan valley near the foothills of Mt. Elbrus. There are twin and triple rooms in the hotel, with toilet and shower. Single accommodation may be available for additional cost in case there are vacant rooms in hotel or if you ordered that in advance. This day you can take in a hire what will be necessary in days of acclimatization (trekking boots, telescopic poles, glasses, jacket, thermos etc). Overnight at the hotel (2100 m).

August 16, 2024 (Friday)

• Acclimatization hike up to cable car station Cheget-3 (3000 m) on Mt. Cheget or Terskol Peak (3150 m), depending on a physical condition of participants and weather (the decision is made by the guide in coordination with participants). This is the last day before you leave the valley and after hike you can visit equipment store in order to hire something. Your guide will assist you by choosing right equipment. Overnight at the hotel.

August 17, 2024 (Saturday)

• Today we are going to the mountains. You will not need to carry your backpacks on your own, because the group will get to the shelter on the ski lifts. Climbing by cable car from Azau station to Old Krugozor station, accommodation in the comfortable Hotel Chipper Azau, located in a very picturesque place at an altitude of 3000 meters. After lunch, an acclimatization walk to the Sarykaya-Su waterfall located just above the hotel, Mir cableway station (3500 m), and a beautiful glacial lake. Overnight at the hotel Chipper Azau.

August 18, 2020 (Sunday)

• This is the day when you move to the mountain refuge “Heart of Elbrus” at 3800 m. Hike up to the Pastuckhov rocks and probably higher (4800 m). Ice- and snow courses with your guide.

August 19, 2024 (Monday)

• Day of relaxation. If necessary – additional ice- and snow courses with your guide. Overnight at the refuge.

August 20, 2024 (Tuesday) Summit day. We leave the refuge about 3 a.m. for the climb of Elbrus’ west summit, 5642 m. It is possible to hire a snow-cat (Ratrak) for a group. This vehicle carries climbers (12 people) up to Pastuckhov rocks (4600-4700 м) and saves 3-4 hours and a lot of energy. Generally, for an average group, it takes about 7-9 hours to reach the top and 3-5 hours to come back to the refuge.
Generally we stay at the refuge this night. If all members of the group come back from the top before 3 p.m. we can discuss the possibility to descend to the valley and have overnight at the mountain hotel. During a hot season we are forced to reserve and pay places in advance in a shelter therefore in case of descent in hotel additional payment of room rate in hotel can be necessary (about 20 euros from the person).

August 21, 2024 (Wednesday)

• This is a reserve day in case of bad weather on the previous day. When the group takes an attempt of reaching the summit on this day, it is necessary to descend to the valley same evening by all means, though it may be hard because the ski lifts stop working at 4 p.m. Solemn dinner with delivery of certificates on climbing Elbrus. Overnight at hotel.

August 22, 2024 (Thursday)

• Departing Vody, Russia or another day to explore the city.

August 23-27, 2024 (Buffer day or flight back to Philippines, side trip in St. Petersburg exit.

SLOT CONFIRMATION
To confirm your slot, kindly deposit as soon as you can as our slot is based on first come first serve basis upon deposit received. Your slot will only be confirmed when down payment is received as the status and price for slot availability changes very fast from time to time. To avoid disappointment, we strongly encourage you to make your reservation at your earliest possible before booking a flight.
After deposit made, send scanned image of transaction and keep the original. Your Complete name, mobile number, contact person in case of emergency and mobile number.

Note: After been committed to join the climb, automatically the downpayment is non refundable. We, “Team Challenge the Summit” already consider size in planning to pay the advance hotel accommodations, Transportation, campsite, number of guides and in the computation of the budget including all costs for organizing the trip (i.e. communications, logistics).