1. Day: Arrival at Mineralnye Vody Airport between 10 AM – 2 PM and meeting with our local representative at the airport. Transfer by private bus (approx. 4 hours) to the mountain hotel Snezhny Bars (Snow Leopard) at the foot of Mt. Cheget and very close to Elbrus. You will have the possibility to rent equipment, which you will need for the next days. In the evening you will have a nice dinner together with your team colleagues and your guide. Overnight stay at the hotel.
2. Day: It’s time for our first short acclimatization hike up to the cable car station Cheget-3 (3000 m) and further to Mt. Cheget or Terskol Peak (3150 m), depending on your physical condition and the weather. This is the last day before you leave the valley. After the hike there is another possibility to visit the equipment store together with your guide to rent things you might need. Overnight stay at the hotel.
3. Day: Today we move to the mountain hotel Cheeper Azau, located at an altitude of 3000 m. near the cable car station Old Horizon (“Staryy Krugozor”). As the mountain hotel is next to the ski lift, you can take all your stuff with you and store things there, which you will not need on the mountain. An overnight stay in this altitude is very important, as it helps your body to get a smooth acclimatization. After lunch we will make another acclimatization hike to the highest cable car station in Europe – the Gara-Bashi (3847 m) or to the Mir station (3455 m), depending on the weather. Overnight stay in the hotel Cheeper Azau.
4. Day: An additional day in this altitude with another acclimatization hike (depending on the weather and physical condition of the group) will help your body to get used to the thinner air. Overnight stay in the hotel Cheeper Azau.
5. Day: Let’s go one step higher. Today we climb with the cable car to one of our comfortable and modern mountain huts: Heart of Elbrus hut (3850 m) or Natspark hut (4000 m). Both huts are located very close to Gara Bashi station. After reaching the hut, we leave our bags there, put on our climbing equipment and make another acclimatization trip to the Pastukhov rocks (4800 m). Overnight at the hut.
6. Day: Today we have some time to do some ice and snow training not far from the mountain hut. After that you will have lots of time to relax and get some new energy for the upcoming summit push. Overnight at the hut.
7. Day: Summit day! We rise early at midnight or 2-3 am because a long and exhausting day awaits us (9-11 hours). We can either start our ascent directly at the hut (approx. 3850 m -4000 m ) or rent a snowcat to bring us up to Pastuchov Rocks and start from there. Snowcats are not included in the price, but can be rented on spot, if required. (Please note: It is decided by the group, if you rent a snow cat or try the ascent without any help of the snow cat).
If we are lucky with the weather, we are able to see the Black and the Caspian Sea from the summit. After the summit we descend back to the hut at 4000 m or 3850 m, where we will also spend the night.
8. Day: Extra day (in case of bad weather). If this is our summit day, we have to descend to the valley the same evening. If we have already reached the summit the day before, we will descend to the valley today and have time for some extra activities. In the evening we will have a nice dinner and celebrate our summit. Overnight stay in the hotel.
9. Day: Drive to Mineralnye Vody Airport early in the morning (6.30 – 7.30am) to catch your return flight. Your flight should leave at 11:30 or later.