Mount Elbrus

Trip Overview:

Mineralny Vody – Terskol – Elbrus (5642 m) – Terskol – Mineralny Vody

Why go there?

If you ask Europeans about the highest and most spectacular mountains in Europe, nine out of ten will answer “the Alps.” However, the largest and by far the highest mountain range in Europe (seven peaks over 5,000 m plus Mount Elbrus at 5,642 m) is the Caucasus, which stretches between the Black and Caspian Seas in the southeastern corner of the continent. And without a doubt, Mount Elbrus, this dormant white, twin-peaked volcano, is the highest, most beautiful, and most captivating mountain in Russia.

Elbrus belongs to a select group of mountains with a very special and irresistible beauty that lies in its shape and surroundings. Most of them are volcanoes, like Mount Fuji, Ararat, and Kilimanjaro, and like all of them, this mountain is a world apart. It lies 11 kilometers north of the Main Range and surpasses its neighbors in height by 1,200–2,000 meters. The views from both summits are breathtaking: to the north, a rolling carpet of grasses is veiled by the blue mist of the distance, and to the other, a sea of snow-capped peaks. It is said that through the clear autumn air, both the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea can be seen.

Why choose 7 Summits Club?

Six points to consider:

1. Everyone knows this: the key figure in any adventure trip is the guide. All our guides are internationally certified, fluent in English (as well as another European language), and can lead on all three popular routes up Elbrus: the classic route, the north route, and the southwest route. All our guides work with our groups abroad: in Nepal, South America, Alaska, and Africa.

2. We are the only Russian company with its own office in the village of Terskol. Our English-speaking manager can resolve virtually any customer issue.

3. Not many people are willing to buy all the necessary equipment to climb to 5,600 m (the list is really long and expensive!), so equipment rental can be a good solution. We offer a 10% discount if you rent from our office.

4. On the mountain, we don’t put our clients in the infamous Barrels. Instead, we use the newly built LeapRus refuge at 3,930 m, made of steel and gleaming glass—modern, clean, and free of rusty metal structures or barracks.

5. Last but not least: Elbrus summit certificates for clients who reach the top. And Elbrus T-shirts with the Elbrus logo, of course! 6. The type of hotel is less important for success in the mountains, but most Western customers would still prefer the European level of service, i.e., with hotel staff who speak good English and are ready to quickly resolve their problem.