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Circuit around Mt.Elbrus
offered by supplier M09540 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 11
day(s)
Group Size: 5
- 16
people
Destination(s):
Russia
Specialty Categories:
Hiking & Trekking
Season: June - September
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 1850 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 1895 US Dollar (USD)
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Well known for decades by Russian mountain walkers, the route came in full view as a trekking gem only when in the early nineties foreign tourist saw it and compared with the famous classics. Shorter and probably easier, it is not much less scenic and wild. Comparable in scale with the Mont Blanc circuit, it is far above it in terms of seclusion and wilderness. Practically all the trek is on paths and rough roads. The former are not always well trodden though and in the upper valleys can be rather steep and rough. The only “technical” part is the descent from the Irikchat pass, a snow slope of 30* 130-150m long with two or three crevasses, normally showing only late in the season.
Your Itinerary
Day 1: In the morning we fly from Moscow to Mineralny Vody (2hr) and from the airport drive for 3-3.5hr in a bus on a good metal road across plains, through small towns and villages into the Baksan valley, up to its head where the Ozone Hotel stands in a pine forest at about 1700m. Features: heated swimming pool, access to telephone trunk line from rooms, access to Internet etc. Food: sumptuous Buffet breakfast, dinner with 3-4 dishes for choice, lunch-packets for outings. Hotel. Included: (L), (D).
Day 2: We go in a bus (20min) up the valley to the Cheget Glade. Both in summer and winter the place is undoubtedly the social centre of the valley. The biggest in the area, Cheget Hotel raises its seven storey above the cluster of cafes, woollies market and sports ground. With each year the place looks smarter and smarter, changing its impromptu plywood skin for the bright plastic walls and roofs. Above all this rise the formidable north walls of Donguzorun (4400m) and Nakra (4200m) peaks. From here we go by chair-lift (35min) then walk to the shoulder of Cheget peak up to 3000-3100m. The high point offers very good views of the two peaks and Elbrus across the deep and green Baksan Valley. 5-6hr. Return by bus to hotel. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 3: In the morning we take a bus again and in 10min come to Elbrus village at the mouth of the Irikchat valley leading to the eastern flank of Elbrus. The latter rises majestically above its upper reaches while we walk on a good path to the next campsite at about 3000m. 6-7hr. Camp. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 4: On this rather strenuous day we cross the Irikchat pass (3670m). The way up is on a good path at first, then on easy screes, and the final rise to the saddle is a well beaten path on a steeper scree. Almost all the northern side of Elbrus opens out from the pass. In descent we rope up and go down the snow slope of 30*, about 150m long with two or three crevasses easily avoided. When on the glacier we walk north crossing the impressive Djikaugenkez snow field, the largest in the Caucasus, flat and crevasse-free. We camp on alluvial ground in a lunar looking volcanic desert. 8-9hr. Camp. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 5: An easier day. It takes us 4-5hr to weave our way through the green moraines of the northern foothills studded with fantastic rock outcrops to a campsite in a small grassy cirque at the edge of the “air-field” (2900m). Two minor streams will be waded on the way. Camp. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 6: Crossing the high, vast and grassy Irakhisyrt plateau with towering Elbrus on the left, we walk for about 4hr further to under our next pass, Balkbashi (3689m). Not much height is gained and lost this day, one shallow river is waded. We camp high above a large glacier. Camp. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 7: We come down to the dry glacier, cross it and find on the other bank the good path leading to the pass. The ice on the glacier is rather rough, not slippery, so no need for crampons. The steep ridges and buttresses of Elbrus’ north-western side open up from the saddle. The path goes down along a wide ridge on screes and grass and comes to a warm Narzan spa with a small hotel, some tents and a Narzan bath. Camp. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 8: We spend about 4hr to walk down the Ullukhurzuk valley on the jeep road going through the thick forest and coming to Khurzuk village. From there we go in a truck up the wide and bare Ullukam valley to the summer shepherds’ village (2900m) under our next pass, Khotyu-tau. We stop half way at the check point of the frontier guards and quite likely they will visit our camp to check if the guides have some vodka. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 9: A short day. We walk for 3hr on a path to the foot of the Khotyutau pass and camp on grass at 3100m. An insignificant rock peak with some snow sticking out on the left side will be West summit of Elbrus. Camp. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 10: We follow the path, and then climb on steepish large scree to the saddle (3550m), which offers the majestic sight of Elbrus’ south face. The vast Khotyu-tau snow field is crossed in about an hour, the path leading to the intermediate cableway station Stary Krugozor found and soon we come to the Azau Glade and the road. In 40min a bus brings us back to our hotel in the Baksan valley. 6-7hr. Hotel. Included: (B), (L), (D).
Day 11: We drive back to Mineralny Vody Airport and fly to Moscow. Included: (B), (L).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Russia
Hiking & Trekking
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