Caucasus campsite
The lowest-cost valley option with shared campsite facilities.
49,900 RUBMOUNT ELBRUS · SOUTH SIDE · 9 DAYS · 2026–2027
9-Day Mount Elbrus Climbing Tour.
Made simple.
A nine-day south-side ascent for first-time climbers. A separate Arrival Pack is available for travellers who only need their airport transfer, first valley night and rental-fitting request arranged.
5,642 mWest summit
1:3Maximum summit-day guide ratio
9 daysStaged programme with reserve procedure
FIRST ELBRUS ASCENT
One route.
Three ways to stay.
The high-altitude refuge, climbing programme and safety standard stay the same. You choose the level of comfort in the valley: campsite, shared hostel or hotel room.
No mountaineering experience is required. Preparation, suitable health and the ability to follow the guide’s safety decisions are required.
Panda hostel
A shared-room valley option with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.
54,900 RUBSalam / Smile hotel
A private-room valley option, subject to confirmed allocation for the selected date.
64,900 RUBIN EVERY ASCENT PACKAGE
The bed changes. The route and safety system do not
- Programme leader and mountain guides
- Maximum 1:3 summit-day guide ratio
- Group airport and local programme transfers
- Selected valley accommodation on nights 1–3 and 8
- High-altitude refuge on nights 4–7
- Cable-car sections used by the programme
- Valley breakfasts, plus provisions and a cook working with the group at the refuge
- Group registration, communication, first-aid kit, equipment check and turnaround procedure
SEPARATE OR VARIABLE
Shown before payment, never hidden in the small print
- Personal equipment rental and rental deposits
- Mountaineering insurance
- Optional snowcat service
- Lunches and dinners in the valley
- Flights, visas and travel to Mineralnye Vody
- Personal spending and unplanned extra nights
- National-park entry fee: 200 RUB is the current reference to 30 Nov 2026; for 2027 starts it is indicative and recalculated in writing before payment
First payment15,000 RUB
Only after the office confirms the place, complete price and contract.
Balance10 business days
Due no later than 10 business days before the programme starts.
Website formEnquiry only
Submitting the form does not reserve a place and never triggers a payment.
Cancellation, date transfer and refunds follow the signed contract and Russian law. All prices shown are in Russian roubles; the payment currency, method and any bank conversion cost are confirmed in writing before the first payment.
Room categories, facilities, meals and final allocations are confirmed in the quote before payment.
PLAN WITH THE FACTS
Four decisions to make before you choose a date
Start with the question that matters to you. Each guide leads back to the same nine-day programme, complete ground budget and enquiry process.
01 · FIRST ASCENT
Is Elbrus suitable for a beginner?
Understand the physical demand, preparation, equipment, altitude and turnaround decisions before booking.
Read the beginner guide → 02 · MAY TO SEPTEMBERWhen should you climb?
Compare the planning differences between early, peak and late season without treating averages as a forecast.
Compare the months → 03 · WRITTEN COVERWhat must your insurance cover?
Check the activity, altitude, territory, rescue and evacuation terms instead of relying on a generic travel-policy label.
Check the insurance guide → 04 · GUIDE ROLEWhat does the mountain guide decide?
See the summit-day 1:3 ratio, guide responsibilities and why a safe turnaround remains part of a professionally run climb.
Understand the guide’s role →ELBRUS ARRIVAL PACK
Land.
Transfer.
Check in.
Airport transfer, one valley night and your rental-fitting request arranged before you land.
Primary departure
15:00From Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV), planned for flights scheduled to land by 13:30. We confirm the meeting point and your seat in writing.
EVENING DEPARTURE
19:30Runs from two passengers and only after written confirmation from the office.
Included
Confirmed group-transfer seat
Included
One confirmed valley night
Included
Arrival instructions and office support
Prepared
Rental-fitting request before arrival
This is a separate arrival-only service and does not change anything included in the nine-day ascent package. For an Arrival Pack booking, return transfer, extra nights, a private vehicle, rental charges, refuge, guide, climbing programme and insurance are separate.
Read the complete Arrival Pack guide
THE NINE-DAY PROGRAMME
Saturday in.
Sunday out.
A staged programme builds altitude gradually and keeps one reserve procedure inside the nine calendar days.
- Day 1 · SatMineralnye Vody to the Elbrus valley
The main group transfer leaves Mineralnye Vody Airport (MRV) at 15:00 and is planned for flights scheduled to land by 13:30. A second group departure at 19:30 runs from two passengers and only after written confirmation from the office. Check-in, team meeting and personal-equipment review.
- Day 2 · SunCheget acclimatisation hike
First acclimatisation walk to roughly 3,000 m: finding a calm pace and checking how you feel.
- Day 3 · MonDevichi Kosy and the observatory area
Acclimatisation hike to the waterfall and higher, roughly 3,100 m, then back down to the valley. The route and endpoint are adjusted to conditions and the group.
- Day 4 · TueMove to the high-altitude refuge
Cable car up to the shared refuge at about 3,888 m, the same for all three packages. A cook prepares meals for the group at altitude; provisions are included. Refuge check-in, short acclimatisation walk and equipment check.
- Day 5 · WedMain acclimatisation climb
Towards the Pastukhov Rocks, roughly 4,700 m. The guide changes the target when weather, snow or participant condition requires it.
- Day 6 · ThuRest and summit preparation
Recovery, equipment, movement order, communication and turnaround rules.
- Day 7 · FriSummit attempt
A night start towards the West summit, 5,642 m. The guide decides whether to continue, based on conditions and the state of the group. Reaching the summit is not guaranteed.
- Day 8 · SatReserve procedure and descent
A repeat attempt for the whole group or a designated operational subgroup is decided by the programme leader. An individual repeat is charged separately, depends on guide availability and conditions, and is not guaranteed. Otherwise we descend to the valley.
- Day 9 · SunReturn transfer
Departure from the valley between 06:30 and 07:00; arrival at MRV by 10:00 is usual, not guaranteed. Book your return flight with a margin, and only after written confirmation from the office.
SAFETY IS NOT A DISCOUNT OPTION
What never gets removed to lower the price.
Qualified guide documents, group registration, communication, a group first-aid kit, personal-equipment checks, turnaround rules and an evacuation procedure. The guide’s decision on weather, timing, route or a participant’s condition is binding and is not cancelled by payment, by the snowcat or by what the group wants.
1:3Maximum participants per summit guide
4 × 15Up to four separate operational groups of up to 15 participants; the summit-day ratio remains no more than 1:3
3Minimum participants to confirm a departure
GUARANTEED SATURDAY STARTS
Choose the trip. Build the full ground budget. Send an enquiry
Every published start runs from Saturday to the following Sunday. 5 starts in 2026 and 22 starts in 2027 are already listed. The office still checks accommodation, current public fees and the written contract before payment.
Starts from 3 participants
No booking deadline is imposed by the website. Actual remaining capacity is confirmed by the office.
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