- Visit Russia’s greatest cities during the expedition where we stay within an easy stroll of Moscow’s Red Square and in the heart of St. Petersburg.
- Climb Mt. Elbrus with an experienced RMI Guide, benefiting from the background, training, and expertise of our guides as you venture to higher altitudes.
- Improve your chances of reaching the summit with time spent training and acclimatizing and with an itinerary that has the flexibility to accommodate for the uncertainties of Mt. Elbrus’ weather.
- Base out of the Pilgrim Huts on Mt. Elbrus, enjoying the hot meals prepared by the hut’s cooks and allowing us to climb one of the Seven Summits carrying only light daypacks.
- Take part in an RMI adventure and see why we continue to set the standard in guiding excellence.
Situated between the Black Sea to the west and the Caspian Sea to the east, Mt. Elbrus rises majestically from the high green plains that stretch northward into the heartland of Russia. Just to the south of the peak lies the main body of the Caucasus Mountains, a range that rivals the Alps with its stark rugged beauty. Our adventures begin several thousand miles to the north of Mt. Elbrus in Moscow - the political, economic, and cultural heart of Russia. We walk across the cobblestones of Red Square, beneath the shadows of St. Basil's onion-shaped domes, and cross through the thick walls of the Kremlin to visit the seat of Russian power.
We then fly south to the town of Mineralnye Vody, known for its abundant mineral springs. A three-hour drive brings us to the Baksan Valley, sitting at the foot of Mt. Elbrus and surrounded on all sides by the soaring peaks of the Caucasus. After adjusting to the altitude while hiking in the valley, we move to the Pilgrim Hut at 12,600’ on Mt. Elbrus’ flanks. We use the mountain’s rolling glaciers surrounding the hut to review our mountaineering skills and continue our acclimatization in preparation for our summit bid.
Day 1 - TRAVEL DAY
Depart U.S.A. Depending on flight times and connections travel to Moscow, Russia typically takes almost 24 hours from the U.S.
Day 2 - MOSCOW • 512' | 156M
Arrive in Moscow (SVO). Hire a Yandex taxi to get to the hotel. Once we check-in to our hotel, the afternoon is free to rest and explore the city. A team orientation meeting is held at 7:00 p.m. We spend the night in Moscow at the Park Inn Sadu.
Day 3 - MOSCOW • 512' | 156M
We spend the day exploring Moscow. We take a guided walking tour to visit Lenin's Tomb, Red Square, the G.U.M., St. Basil's Cathedral, and the Kremlin. The afternoon is free to explore the city. We spend the night at the Park Inn Sadu. (B)
Day 4 - AZAU • 7,500' | 2,300M
We have an early morning transfer to Moscow's domestic airport for our flight to Mineralnye Vody. A three-hour drive brings us to the village of Azau at the base of Mt. Elbrus. Located in the Baksan Valley at 7,500', Azau is a small village full of skiers in the winter and a quiet center for climbers in the summer. We spend the night in a quaint hotel in Azau. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - AZAU • 7,500' | 2,300M
We awake for an early breakfast and to begin our acclimatization hike. We climb up the grassy slopes of the Cheget ski area, bringing us to over 11,000’ and offering impressive views of Mt. Elbrus across the valley. Descending back to Cheget via a single chairlift, we have lunch in a local café before returning to Azau. The rest of the afternoon is spent organizing our gear for our climb. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - PILGRIM HUT • 12,600' | 3,850M
From Azau we ride two trams up to the Mir Station, and then take a chairlift to Pilgrim Hut (12,600') at the foot of Elbrus’ glaciers. The Pilgrim Hut is where we stay while on the mountain. We take an acclimatization hike on the lower reaches of the glaciers and snowfields to approximately 13,000'. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - PILGRIM HUT • 12,600' | 3,850M
We build upon our acclimatization by climbing to Pastukhova Rocks at 15,000’, gaining familiarity with the route and reviewing basic mountaineering techniques. We return to the Pilgrim Hut for the night. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - PILGRIM HUT • 12,600' | 3,850M
We spend the morning reviewing basic mountaineering techniques such as ice axe arrest, crampon techniques and roped travel. Today's focus is on acclimatization and rest. Final preparations are made for Summit Day and we settle in early in anticipation of tomorrow's summit attempt. (B, L, D)
Day 9 - SUMMIT DAY • 18,510' | 5,642M
We get an early alpine start for the summit. We begin our ascent with a Snowcat ride to Pastukhova Rocks (15,000'). From there, we climb the low angle snow slopes as we traverse towards the Saddle (17,700'). Mt. Elbrus has two large summit domes and the Saddle separates the East Summit from the West Summit. Both are comparable in size but the West Summit is slightly higher, and our objective. Our route gets somewhat steeper as we gain the upper summit plateau where we follow the ridge to the Summit. After enjoying the summit and its impressive views of the Caucasus mountain range, we descend back to the Pilgrim Hut. Depending on our schedule, the time of day, and the weather we have the option of taking the tram back down into the valley or spending one more night on the mountain. Climbing time is 8 to 10 hours. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - AZAU • 7,500' | 2,300M
This extra day is scheduled into the itinerary in case we encounter bad weather or need additional time for acclimatization. Having this extra day has proven to dramatically improve the team's success. If we do not use this day for our summit attempt, we can spend the day in Azau relaxing, horseback riding, fishing and/or visiting the local market. Overnight in Azau. (B, L, D)
Day 11 - ST. PETERSBURG • 44' | 14M
We have an early departure from our hotel to Mineralnye Vody for our flight to St. Petersburg. A transfer from the airport brings us to our hotel in the center of the city. Overnight at Hotel Arcadia. (B)
Day 12 - ST. PETERSBURG • 44' | 14M
We take a half-day tour of the striking city of St. Petersburg. Attractions include a visit to the State Hermitage, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Isaac's Cathedral, and walking along the banks of the city's many canals. The afternoon is free to check out any of the numerous churches, palaces, museums, or parks that make up this wonderful city. We finish the day with an evening boat cruise on the city's canals. We spend our final night in Russia at the Hotel Arcadia. (B)
Day 13 - TRAVEL
Return flights from St. Petersburg (LED) to the U.S. (B)
Key: B, L, D = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
- RMI Leadership
- Hotel accommodations as indicated in the itinerary, based on double occupancy*
- All park entrance fees
- Sight seeing arrangements as indicated in the itinerary
- Airfare from Moscow to Mineralnye Vody to St. Petersburg
- All group transportation in country as stated in the itinerary
- All breakfast and dinner meals on the mountain and other meals as stated in the itinerary
- All group cooking, climbing and camping equipment
- International airfare
- Travel insurance, medical evacuation insurance and security evacuation insurance
- Passport and visa fees
- Excess baggage fees from U.S. or flights within Russia
- Departure taxes
- Meals not included in the itinerary
- Bottled water and personal drinks
- Customary guide gratuities
- Support Staff Tip Pool (we suggest $75 per person)
- Additional room charges including laundry service and other personal expenses
- Hotel accommodations not indicated in the itinerary
- Transfer from Airport to Moscow Hotel on arrival
- Transfer from St. Petersburg Hotel to Airport for outbound flight
- Medical, hospitalization and evacuation costs (by any means)
* Accommodations are based on double occupancy. A Single Supplement Fee will be charged to those occupying single accommodations by choice or circumstance. The single supplement is not available in huts, tents, or in all hotels.
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