Services included in the prices:
- All land group transfers according to the program
- Accommodation in a hotel on the double room basis
- Accommodation in high hut on Elbrus
- Meals: full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8
- One English speaking guide and extra guides for theday of ascent of Elbrus (3-4 clients to one guide), cook at hut
- Local registration, visa support
- Elbrus cable-way return tickets
- Luggage storage when trekking or climbing
- Ropes for climbing
Not included:
- Moscow services
- Return air fare to Mineralny Vody
- Single accommodation supplement
- Individual car transfers
- Personal equipment rentals
- Extra (personal) guides and porters
- National Park fees
- Insurance (medical and other)
- Any changes in the program entailing extra expenses
- Snow Cat service on day of the ascent
Good advice
Note: Group tranfers are included in price. Please plan your arriving to Mineralny Vody before 1pm, so that you are in time for the transfer to hotel in the mountains. Group transfer from Airport to Terskol start at 1pm. If you arrive much later (20-30min will not be a problem) be ready to pay extra for individual transfer: about 50USD.
Necessary travel papers (documents)
Passport with a valid Russian visa, immigration card, voucher from the Russian tour operator (a part of an invitation letter)
By air and by land
From Moscow to Mineralny Vody we fly with a Russian air company. Normally it is "Aeroflot". Please plan your arriving to Mineralny Vody before 2PM for organizing group tranfer. Group transfer from Airport to Terskol start at 2AM. If you arrive after 2 PM be ready to pay extra for individual transfer 100USD and more.
For land transfers we have comfortable private buses or minivans. To get to Garabashi huts we use Elbrus Cable-way; from 3750m to 4600m on the day of ascent we take a Snow Cat
Accommodation
3 stars private hotel in the Baksan Valley (one of the best in the area), on the double (or triple) room basis. This hotel is pretty small, the number of double rooms is limited, so for big groups one or two triple rooms can be the only way out to keep the group in one place
On Elbrus: a bunk in a Garabashi hut (Bochki), which sleeps 6.
The number of places here is very limited, so at the peak of the season we can guarantee Bochki for early bookings only (a couple of months in advance at least). For late comers we do guarantee lodging on Elbrus – in some other and probably less comfortable hut.
Meals
Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 9.
Staff
An English speaking guide from 7 Summit Club for the whole program and extra guides for the ascent day (3-4 clients to one guide); cook at Garabashi huts.
Health and medical insurance
Health-care on the mountain is limited to the first-aid kit the guide carries. Down in the valley in case of serious health problems the local hospital and your insurance policy are to take over. Your policy must cover climbing to 6000m.
Weather
As on any high mountain a wide range of weather conditions and temperatures should be expected: from freezing-cold nights (down to -5-10ºC), to sizzling hot noons if still and sunny (especially on snow); from a delicious calm under a blue sky to a hurricane slashing your face like a whip. The higher you go, the harsher the conditions. So, the range of your clothes and footwear must comply with any of such turns. For details see our gear list.
Extra expenses
In Moscow: prices for meals in good cafes and restaurants are higher than in Western Europe; prices for fast food are much lower; Metro and buses are cheap (less than 1euro for any distance)
In Caucasus everything is considerably cheaper: you can have a decent meal with meat and beer for 6-7euro.
Internet, phone
Wi-fi access to Internet in each room in our hotel; cell phone works in the Baksan Valley and on Elbrus up to 5000m
Possibility of renting personal equipment
All Climbing gear you can rent in our office in Terskol.
Personal gear:
- Heavy-weight fleece / pile jacket
- Light/medium-weight, synthetic long underwear shirt (polypropylene/capilene)
- Water proof / breathable jacket with hood (Gore Tex is strongly recommended)
- Long sleeve, light weight shirt for sun protection (preferably synthetic)
- Down or synthetic fill jacket with hood, must fit comfortably over your fleece jacket
- Fleece pants (full side zips allow ventilation)
- Thermal under wear
- Wind- waterproof and breathable pants with full length zips
- Liner socks - 2-3 pairs
- Wool or poly socks (medium-heavy thickness) - 3 pairs
- Light weight trekking boots, or strong shoes
- Climbing boots, plastic of leather – must be right for step-in crampons
- Gaiters
- Liner gloves - 2 pairs
- Medium weight fleece gloves
- Wool or fleece mittens
- Wind-stop shell overmittens
- Wool or fleece hat
- Balaclava
- Glacier glasses with side flaps
- Extra pair of your normal glasses, or lenses
Climbing gear:
- Double climbing boots
- Crampons (must fit your climbing boots)
- Ice-axe (glacier walking type, not a short "tool" for ice climbing!)
- Collapsible ski poles
- Down or synthetic sleeping bag good for -10ºC
- Sleeping closed cell foam pad
- Rucksack (40-50liters)
- Harness
- Prussiks
- Karabiners with screwgate lockers - 3 items
- 1-1.5liters thermos
- Personal first aid kit
- Head torch
- Water bottle
- Lip balm (spf 25+) and glacier cream (spf 40)
- Pocket knife
- Favorite snacks