Caucasus, Russia
Mount Elbrus – South Route
Route detail
About this route
Seven days from Terskol: acclimatisation hikes, snowcat option and a night start for the 5,642 m west summit.
Daily activity
4–7 hr/day; summit day 10–12 hr.
Terrain
Snow slopes, glacier travel and high volcanic plateau.
Best season
June to September
Your guide office
Elbrus.guide
Based in Terskol, Russia
What's included
Guides, barrel-hut accommodation, lifts, meals on the mountain.
Not included
Flights, visa, snowcat, insurance.
Itinerary
- 1
Terskol arrival
Time: 6–8 hr
Gear check and a first valley acclimatisation walk.
- 2
Cheget acclimatisation
Time: 4–6 hr
Hike to 3,000 m with views of both Elbrus summits.
- 3
Up to the barrels
Time: 10–14 hr
Lifts to 3,800 m, move into the high huts.
- 4
Pastukhov Rocks
Time: 5–7 hr
Acclimatisation climb to 4,700 m with crampons.
- 5
Rest day
Time: 4–6 hr
Weather window planning and a light day.
- 6
Summit day
Time: 5–7 hr
Night start, the saddle and the west summit at sunrise.
- 7
Descent
Time: 4–6 hr
Back to the valley, banya and debrief.
What to pack
Built for this route's terrain, altitude and number of days. Tick items off as you pack — without the right footwear or hard shell, a guide can refuse to take you up.
0 / 37 packed
Footwear and pack
Broken in before the trip — new boots are the most common cause of an abandoned day.
Clothing layers
Three layers, no cotton. Temperatures can swing 20 °C between valley and summit.
Technical equipment
Your guide office (Elbrus.guide) rents most of this locally — ask when you confirm your dates.
Sun, health and altitude
Above 5,500 m you must be able to describe altitude symptoms to your guide in plain language.
Overnight kit
Keep these in a zipped pocket, not the main compartment.
Boots, crampons, ice axe and harness can usually be rented from Elbrus.guide in Terskol, Russia — confirm sizes when you agree your dates.
Traveller feedback
Ratings collected from travellers who completed this route with Elbrus.guide.
4.7
★★★★★96 ratings
Written reviews for this departure are still being collected. Ask us for references from previous groups before you pay — we will forward them from the guide office.
Questions about this route?
Talk to the guides who run it — gear, fitness, weather windows, private dates. We answer within one working day.
€1,490
per person
Guides, barrel-hut accommodation, lifts, meals on the mountain.
Next departure · 2 August 2027
8 of 8 spots left
Live availability updates daily and after every booking.