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Europe's highest peak · 5,642 m

Elbrus Elite — Master of Sport Guide

Elbrus from the south with a Master of Sport guide: 4★ hotel, comfortable LeapRus hut, light packs and 1 guide per 3 climbers.

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LeapRus capsule huts on the Elbrus slope under the twin summits

LeapRus capsule huts on the Elbrus slope under the twin summits

Duration
10 days
Max altitude
5,642 m
Difficulty
Moderate
Group size
From 3 people · 1 guide per 3 climbers
Region
Elbrus

From€2,190/ person

Next date
1 May

  • 4.9 traveller rating
  • 95% summit success
  • No payment to book

Overview

About this tour

This is one of the most comfortable and carefully planned ways to climb Elbrus: gentle acclimatisation, a premium level of organisation and a high chance of reaching the summit. It suits first-timers and experienced climbers alike, and every move is made with light daypacks rather than heavy loads.

You climb with Elbrus Expert guides who are Masters of Sport and Russian mountaineering champions, at a ratio of 1 guide to 3 climbers on the mountain, so safety and personal attention come first.

You stay in a 4★ hotel in Terskol with breakfast and dinner, and on the slopes at the LeapRus hut at around 3,900 m — warm rooms, hot shower and toilet, heating, Wi-Fi, a lounge with panoramic windows and a buffet three times a day. After a day on the mountain you can recover in comfort and watch the sunset through the big windows.

Choose this tour for comfort, safety and attention to detail — the calm, confident way to stand on the highest point of Europe, with a professional team beside you.

  • Climb with a Master of Sport and champion-level Elbrus Expert guides, 1 guide per 3 climbers
  • Light packs throughout — no heavy loads to carry
  • 4★ hotel in Terskol and the LeapRus hut at about 3,900 m with shower, heating and Wi-Fi
  • Gradual step-by-step acclimatisation, with a rest day and two reserve days
  • Daily oxygen-saturation checks, emergency oxygen and satellite communication
  • Branded Elbrus Expert kit, medal and summit certificate included

Day by day

Itinerary

Weather may change the order of days; your guide always has a reserve plan.

  1. Day1

    Arrival and gear check in Pyatigorsk

    525 m

    Arrive the day before or on this day: each participant gets an individual slot between 8:00 and 18:00 at our Pyatigorsk office (Lenin Square 13, Intourist hotel). We check your clothing and equipment, issue rental items and sign the paperwork. Fly into Mineralnye Vody (MRV) and we meet you at the airport. Night in Pyatigorsk with breakfast — the Intourist 3★ hotel on the Basic package, the boutique Lermontov Baths hotel 5★ on Premium, both in a single room.

  2. Day2

    Briefing and drive to Terskol

    2,144 m

    Final equipment check and rental pick-up at the office from 8:00 to 10:00, then a briefing with your guide at 10:00. We load the bags and drive 174 km to the Elbrus area, about 3–3.5 hours; passport checks are possible on the way, and we stop for lunch at a roadside café. Check in to the hotel, stroll around Terskol and have dinner, followed by a short briefing for tomorrow's acclimatisation day.

  3. Day3

    First acclimatisation — Mount Cheget

    3,050 m

    After breakfast we make our first outing, up Mount Cheget (3,050 m) with views over the Baksan gorge, Donguz-Orun (4,454 m) and Nakra-Tau (4,277 m). Lunch looks across to Elbrus. We ride the cable car down and walk back to the hotel.

  4. Day4

    Second acclimatisation — to the Observatory

    3,200 m

    In the morning we walk up to the Maiden's Braids waterfall and on to the Observatory (3,200 m, 12 km). The instructor teaches proper breathing and movement technique at altitude. You carry only a small pack with a flask, a snack and personal items, and we return to the hotel in the evening.

Comfort

Accommodation & meals

Pyatigorsk — Intourist 3★ (Basic) or Lermontov Baths 5★ (Premium)

One night in a single room with breakfast. Intourist stands at the foot of Mashuk hill in the city centre, with our office on its ground floor; rooms have a balcony, air conditioning and a private bathroom. On Premium you stay in the historic boutique Lermontov Baths hotel next to the Tsvetnik park.

Terskol — Ozon Seven Summits 4★

Three nights in twin rooms with a private bathroom, Wi-Fi and TV, close to the cable cars and acclimatisation routes. Breakfast and dinner are served in the hotel restaurant.

LeapRus hut, about 3,900 m

Three to five nights in a modern high-altitude hut with up to 34 beds in living modules: heating, hot water and shower, toilet, Wi-Fi, a drying room for clothes and gear, and a buffet restaurant. The Basic package uses an economy module with a sleeping bag provided; Premium upgrades you to a comfort module with a panoramic window.

Meals

Full board: breakfast and dinner at the Terskol hotel with packed lunches on outings, a buffet at the LeapRus hut, and breakfast in Pyatigorsk.

Price details

What's included

Included

  • Expert advice at every stage of preparation, plus access to an online preparation channel with a training programme and instructor tips
  • Professional mountaineering instructors, 1 per 3 climbers on the ascent
  • All group transfers on the programme (individual transfers are not included)
  • Cable-car rides up and down on Elbrus and Cheget (once)
  • Snowcat or snowmobile for the group and all baggage from the cable-car station to the LeapRus hut and back
  • Prielbrusye National Park entry fee
  • Safety equipment: satellite phone, radios, GPS navigator, first-aid kit, registration with the emergency services, pulse oximeter and daily oxygen-saturation checks
  • Mountaineering oxygen equipment for altitude sickness and contact with the company doctor by satellite or mobile
  • All group equipment: ropes, ice screws and more
  • Branded Elbrus Expert long-sleeve top, cap and buff, a medal and a certificate for the Elbrus ascent
  • 3 nights in a 4★ hotel in Terskol (twin share) and 3–5 nights at the LeapRus hut (economy module, shower, toilet, Wi-Fi, sleeping bag)
  • Full board as described
  • 1 night in Pyatigorsk at the Intourist 3★ hotel with breakfast, single room

Not included

  • Flights to and from Mineralnye Vody (MRV)
  • Personal equipment and clothing (rental is available at our Pyatigorsk office)
  • Snowcat on the night of the summit push (optional)
  • Mountaineering insurance (compulsory)
  • Premium package extras (see FAQ)

Dates & prices

Choose your date

Small international groups. Booking is free — we confirm details with you before any payment.

  • 1 – 10 May 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,190per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 1 – 10 Jun 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,190per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 12 – 21 Jun 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,880per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 3 – 12 Jul 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,190per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 20 – 29 Jul 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,190per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 10 – 19 Aug 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,190per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 22 – 31 Aug 2027

    10 days

    Regular price€3,470Now€2,190per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

Need other dates or a private group? — we organise departures on request.

Packing list

Required equipment

What to bring for this programme. Most technical items can be rented from us — no need to fly with them.

Equipment

  • Mountaineering cramponsRent
  • Summit backpack 35–40 L, at least 70 cm tallRent
  • Expedition duffel 100–120 L or large backpack 85–120 LRent
  • Harness with 3 carabiners and self-belay lanyardsRent
  • HeadlampRent
  • Sleeping bag, comfort −5 to −10 °C · available at the LeapRus hutRent
  • Mountain glasses, protection category 3–4Rent
  • Ski goggles, category 2 or higherRent
  • Insulated overbootsRent
  • Thermos 1–1.2 LRent

Clothing

  • Mountaineering boots (single, double or triple)Rent
  • Warm down or synthetic jacket with a hood that fits over a helmet, for winter and high-altitude conditions · down jacket: at least 250–300 g of quality down, ideally fill power 700+Rent
  • Warm extreme mittensRent
  • Warm climbing trousers (softshell on fleece)Rent
  • Thin softshell trousersRent

Base layers and small items — bring or buy from us (not rentable)

  • Trekking shoes (in summer months)
  • Polartec fleece jacket, 200–300 weight
  • Thin helmet-liner hat
  • Warm Polartec gloves
  • Trekking socks · 2–3 pairs
  • Thin socks · 2 pairs
  • Synthetic T-shirts · 2
  • Compression bags · 1–2
  • Rain poncho
  • Buff and cap in Elbrus Expert design · included in the tour

Personal items

  • Sunscreen SPF 50 and lip balm
  • Compact towel
  • Mug, spoon, bowl and knife
  • Plastic water bottle
  • Power bank, 20,000–30,000 mAh

First-aid kit

  • Personal first-aid kit: gauze bandage, adhesive plaster, antiseptics, antihistamines, remedies for fever and colds, stomach tablets, elastic bandage, haemostatic, and any medication for personal chronic conditions

RentMandatory equipment and clothing can be rented at our Pyatigorsk office; non-rentable base layers can be bought from us. On the Premium package the rental of mandatory items carries a 30% discount.

Your team

Guides on this tour

Certified mountain guides who speak English and lead this route every season.

Reviews

What our travellers say

5.055 reviews on TripAdvisor5.0210 reviews on Google
  • Google
    “Комфортный тур на западную вершину Эльбруса с юга с Сергеем Тарасовым. Это был не просто тур, а кинотур! Довольна всем! Организация на высшем уровне. Питание, трансфер, безопасность, аренда снаряжения - понравилось абсолютно всё! Спасибо огромное за эмоции и впечатления!”
    ННаиля Филиппова September 2026
  • Google
    “Пользуюсь услугами компании не первый раз и планирую дальше с ними путешествовать: отличная компания, профессиональные гиды.”
    AAleks September 2026
  • TripAdvisor

    Подъём на Эльбрус! Западная вершина.

    “Поднялись с группой на западную вершину Эльбруса! У нас был опытный гид Алексей Сикилинда, который грамотно выждал погоду, и мы успешно взошли на вершину. Были ребята, которые говорили что им всё равно на погоду, ведь они идут с Ксенией Котляр, и пошли на день раньше. Но взойти на вершину у них не вышло, и они вернулись назад. А мы зашли) Спасибо опыту Алексея). Компания была максимально разношёрстная - плотник, доктор, менеджер и торговый представитель. Несмотря на это все нашли общий язык и поддерживали друг друга во время всего тура) Что конечно же положительно повлияло на успех восхождения. В целом о поездке впечатление отличное, всё было хорошо - трансфер, снаряжение, питание. Спасибо компании Эльбрус Эксперт за прекрасный тур!”
    ССергей М September 2026
Read all reviews

FAQ

Good to know

What does the Premium package add?

Premium costs about €410 more than Basic and adds: a night in the 5★ boutique Lermontov Baths hotel in Pyatigorsk, a comfort module with a panoramic window at the LeapRus hut, a 30% discount on equipment rental, the official Russian Mountaineering Federation "Elbrus" badge and an entry in the official climber's book (if you reach the summit), an individual airport meeting and transfer to the office and back to the airport, and luggage storage for the duration of the tour. You can switch from Basic to Premium later; the price is calculated at that moment.

How do I book and when should I arrive?

You secure your place by paying a booking deposit of about €400 on the Basic package (about €495 on Premium), which fixes the price; you can also pay in full. Fly into Mineralnye Vody (MRV): we meet you at the exit of the arrivals hall on Premium, or you can take a taxi to our Pyatigorsk office (27 km, about 25 minutes). Arrive the day before the start, when we receive participants from 8:00 to 18:00, or on day 1 between 8:00 and 10:00.

Is this tour suitable for beginners?

Yes. The route is graded 1B, all moves are made with light packs, and acclimatisation is gradual, with a rest day and two reserve days. It suits beginners as well as experienced climbers, and the programme is about 31 km on foot in total.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Day 9 serves for the descent if the group is delayed, and day 10 is a full reserve day for bad weather, so the summit push can be moved.

What is the minimum group size?

The tour runs when at least 3 participants have signed up.

Not sure about the date? Leave a request

A guide will reply within 24 hours with options, availability and answers to your questions.

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From €2,190 per person. Pick a date now — we confirm everything personally, no payment at this step.