In April and May snow conditions are usually excellent and the surroundings are majestic and virtually undeveloped. We start with some superb day touring in the Adyr-Su and Baksan valley before attempting the Elbrus ascent which, with the right weather conditions, is relatively straightforward with crampons and ice-axes required on the icy upper slopes.

Day 1
Fly from London to Moscow. The group will be met at the airport and taken to a good hotel in the city centre, usually the Hotel Ismailyovo. This is a huge hotel which was originally built as accommodation for athletes as the 1980 Olympics.

Day 2
Onward flight (3 hours) to Mineralnye Vody, just to the north of the Caucasus range. From here it is a 3-4 hour journey (180kms) by road to the Ullu Tau Lodge in the Adyr-Su Valley. This will be your base for the next 5 days.

Day 3-5
Early starts for day tours around this spectacular area returning each night to the refuge.
The main Baksan valley has many smaller valleys leading off it and there is good access to some beautiful peaks. The twin peaks of Elbrus dominates the range and is visible for much of the time.

Most days are 6-7 hours with ascents of Tchotchat Peak (3870m), Koiavgan Pass (3500m), Mestia (4100m) and Gumatchi Peak (3810m) planned. These tours provide excellent acclimatization for the Elbrus ascent later in the programme. Average daily height gain is between 750 and 1800m.

Day 6
Rest day. Travel by road into the Baksan valley and to the Nakra Hotel. If you are feeling energetic, you may wish to ascend Cheget Karabashi 3400m or ski using the Cheget chairlift system.

Day 7
Ascend to the Garabashi Huts (3800m). Overnight in the ‘barrels', (large Nissan huts).

Day 8
Acclimatization ascent up (950m) to the Pastukhov rocks (4750m) where there are spectacular views including Ushba, the ‘Matterhorn of the Caucasus'. Return to the "Barrels" overnight.

Day 9
Summit day: an early 4am start for the 8-10 hour ascent of Elbrus (5642m). This is a long ascent up vast, windswept ice fields. Return to Cheget to celebrate the ascent.

Day 10
Travel to Mineralnye Vody. Fly to Moscow. Evening flight to London.

We will make every endeavour to carry out the above itinerary but alterations may have to be made owing to weather and snow conditions.

Price
The price includes flights from Moscow to Min Vody, all accommodation (except in Moscow), all meals (except in Moscow), all guide fees & expenses, all uplift costs and local travel and transfers
The price does not include flights to Russia, accommodation in Moscow (if required), equipment hire, personal insurance, bar bills, optional excursions, visa fees.

Travel to Russia
The UK government recommend against all but essential travel to the North Caucasus area of the Russian Federation. This is due to its proximity to areas (Dagestan, Chechnya) that have seen terrorist activity in recent years. However Elbrus itself and the valleys (Baksan and Adyr-Su) that we visit on this trip are safe and we have run this trip for the last 5 years and the groups have encountered nothing but friendly faces and warm welcomes.

It is also worth noting that most European Governments are not warning against travel and there are usually plenty of groups travelling to the region from continental Europe. We will of course monitor the security situation to ensure conditions do not deteriorate.

Group Size
The price is based on a minimum group size of 10. There may be an additional supplement for smaller groups.

Accommodation and Meals
4 nights are spent in the Ullu Tau lodge on HB basis in twin rooms. 2 nights in a hotel in Cheget (HB/Twin rooms) and 2 nights are spent in the 'barrels' on Elbrus. These are basic mountain huts (4-5 people in a 5-bed hut).

Food whilst basic is generally nourishing with meat (lamb) and borscht being the staple diet.

Guides
The group will be accompanied from the UK by one of Mountain Tracks' IFMGA mountain guides who will assist the local Russian guides and be responsible for ensuring the trip runs smoothly.
Our partners in Russia are Nikolai Shustrov and his team from Top Sport Travel in St Petersburg who will lead the tour when in the Caucasus. They are amongst the best guides on Elbrus and as well as being expert skiers and accomplished mountaineers they speak English and are very friendly!

Equipment
A copy of our  recommended kit list will be sent to you at the time of booking.
Ski touring skis, boots, bindings, skins and ski crampons are essential for this tour. Confused about what skis, boots and binding combination to bring with you, then read our Ski Equipment page to find out more.
You will also need boot crampons, ice axe and a harness for this trip.
All skiers will need to carry a pack (max 30 - 40 litres) with safety gear, a minimal change of clothes and personal items.
Everyone is expected to ski at all times with the three essential items of avalanche safety equipment: transceiver, shovel and probe. If you ski off-piste regularly we recommend you purchase your own set and we have a special offer on BCA’s excellent DTS Tracker.

Travel
From the UK, BA, BMI and Aeroflot all fly to Moscow. Depending on flight times you may need to stay overnight in Moscow before taking the connecting flight to Mineralnye Vody, the nearest airport to the Elbrus region. You'll be met at Min Vody airport and transferred in private vehicles to the Ullu Tau Lodge. At the end of trip you'll be transferred back to MinVody for the return flight to Moscow and your connecting flights home.

Visa
A visa is required for entry into Russia. This should be obtained in the UK prior to departure. Allow a minimum of 2 weeks for the visa application process. The minimum cost is £40 for the 6-day service. There are express services for which you pay extra.

Insurance
It is a condition of booking that you are insured for ski touring covering personal accident, rescue and third party risks. You are strongly advised also to take out cover against cancellation and curtailment.
A lot of insurance companies don't cover trips to Elbrus as it is on the FCO's 'recommend against all but essential travel' list. Campbell Irvine is a very good broker that we've worked with for many years and they will provide cover. Find our more by clicking on Campbell Irvine.