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Europe's highest peak · 5,642 m

Elbrus South — Tents & Own Loads

The South route on foot, with tents and a full rucksack: no cable cars up, camps in the wild, a classic summit push and our lowest price.

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Tents pitched in the snow on the Elbrus slope with the summit above

Tents pitched in the snow on the Elbrus slope with the summit above

Duration
11 days
Max altitude
5,642 m
Difficulty
Challenging
Group size
1 instructor per 4 climbers on the ascent
Region
Elbrus

From€660/ person

Next date
22 May

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

Overview

About this tour

This programme is a great choice if you want an easier route but still want to cover the whole way on your own feet — with a rucksack and a tent, and no cable car. The summit itself is reached by the popular South route, but the approach to the upper camp runs away from the hotels and lifts, so the route combines relative simplicity with closeness to nature.

You spend the first nights in a tent camp in Terskol, then walk up the valley with your loads through the Observatory and the Ice Base to Priyut 11 at 4,100 m, camping on the way and practising ice-axe self-arrest on a snow slope. With a rest day and a main acclimatisation outing to 4,900 m behind you, you go for the summit in a roped team. The route is graded 1B, and two reserve days cover bad weather.

It works for a first big mountain if you have at least average fitness. Expect to carry personal and shared gear, including tents and food, to the upper camp; the weight of the rucksack can reach 26–30 kg. This is also the lowest-priced programme in our range.

  • The whole way on foot, with your own rucksack and tent — no cable car on the way up
  • Camps in the valley, at the Observatory, the Ice Base and Priyut 11 (4,100 m)
  • Snow-slope self-arrest practice and roped glacier crossing before the summit
  • Gradual acclimatisation with a rest day, a 4,900 m outing and two reserve days
  • Summit by the classic South route, 5,642 m
  • Our lowest-priced Elbrus programme

Day by day

Itinerary

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

  1. Day1

    Briefing and drive to Terskol

    2,144 m

    Arrive the day before: our Pyatigorsk office (Lenin Square 13, Intourist hotel) receives participants from 8:00 to 18:00 to sign the paperwork, check your gear and issue rental items, each at an individual time. On day 1 the office opens at 8:00 and the whole group meets at 10:00 to get to know the guides, have a first briefing and ask questions. We load the rucksacks and drive 174 km to the Elbrus area, about 3 hours; passport checks are possible on the way. On arrival we pitch the tent camp, cook dinner and have a short evening briefing.

  2. Day2

    Acclimatisation on Cheget

    3,300 m

    Our first acclimatisation outing is onto the slope of Mount Cheget (3,300 m, 4.4 km), with views over the Baksan gorge, Donguz-Orun (4,454 m) and Nakra-Tau (4,277 m). Lunch looks across to Elbrus, and we come down by cable car.

  3. Day3

    Walk up to the Observatory

    3,200 m

    We leave civilisation behind and head into the mountains with our rucksacks. A dirt road leads up to the Observatory, passing the Maiden's Braids waterfall on the way (6 km). We pitch camp above the Observatory, by the river.

  4. Day4

    Move to the Ice Base

    3,679 m

    A short walk to the Ice Base (3.9 km). We pitch the tents and practise ice-axe self-arrest on a snow slope.

Comfort

Accommodation & meals

Tents on the mountain

All nights on the programme are spent in tents: the campsite in Terskol on days 1–3 is paid for, then camps by the river above the Observatory, at the Ice Base and at Priyut 11. A tent sleeps 2–4 people and is carried by the group. On the Basic package you bring or rent your own tent; Premium includes a place in a tent throughout.

Pyatigorsk before the tour

The night before the start is not included. There are hostels from around €10 a night, hotels of every category and daily-rent flats close to our office, and we can help you find one.

Meals

Meals are cooked in camp on shared gas stoves from a food pack that is bought separately; the Pyatigorsk night before the tour and lunch in Azau on the last day are at your own cost.

Price details

What's included

Included

  • 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 4 climbers on the ascent
  • All group transfers on the programme (individual transfers are not included)
  • Tent campsite fee in Terskol on days 1–3
  • 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 a doctor by satellite or mobile
  • All group equipment: ropes, gas, gas cooking system and more
  • Elbrus Expert long-sleeve top, medal and a certificate for the Elbrus ascent

Not included

  • Travel to Pyatigorsk and back, and the night in Pyatigorsk before the tour
  • Food pack for the camping days, about €200
  • Personal equipment and clothing, including a place in a tent (rental available at our Pyatigorsk office)
  • Cable-car rides on Elbrus and Cheget (included on Premium)
  • Mountaineering insurance (compulsory)
  • Lunch in Azau on the last day

Dates & prices

Choose your date

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

  • 22 May – 1 Jun 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 5 – 15 Jun 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 19 – 29 Jun 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 4 – 14 Jul 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 30 Jul – 9 Aug 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 14 – 24 Aug 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    Guides
    AvailableBe the first

  • 21 – 31 Aug 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per person
    GuidesTo be announced
    AvailableBe the first

  • 1 – 11 Sept 2027

    11 days

    Regular price€880Now€660per 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
  • Large backpack 85–120 L with a rain cover · women 85–90 L, men 85–110 L; the loaded rucksack can weigh 26–30 kgRent
  • Harness with 3 carabiners, self-belay lanyards and a 1.5 m cordRent
  • HeadlampRent
  • Sleeping bag, comfort −10 °CRent
  • Sleeping matRent
  • Mountain glassesRent
  • Ski gogglesRent
  • Insulated overbootsRent
  • Thermos 1 LRent
  • Tent · 1 tent per 2–4 peopleRent

Clothing

  • Mountaineering bootsRent
  • 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
  • Climbing trousers, softshell recommendedRent

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

  • Polartec 200 fleece jacket
  • Light trousers or shorts
  • Warm fleece hat that fits under a helmet
  • Thin Polartec gloves
  • Trekking socks · 2–3 pairs
  • Thin socks · 3 pairs
  • Cap or wide-brimmed hat
  • Buff or balaclava
  • Synthetic T-shirts · 3

Personal items

  • Compression bags
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Mug, spoon, bowl and knife
  • Sunscreen SPF 50
  • Waterproof pouch for documents
  • Plastic water bottle
  • Power bank

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; base layers that are not rentable can be bought from us. Premium includes a 30% discount on rental.

Your team

Guides on this tour

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

Reviews

What travellers say

5.055 reviews on TripAdvisor5.0210 reviews on Google
  • TripAdvisor

    Эльбрус с юга с палатками 2026г

    “Мечта сбылась! Я поднялась на западную вершину Эльбруса! Этот тур подарил мне незабываемые впечатления, множество ярких фотографий на память. Хочу выразить огромную благодарность всей команде Эльбрус Эксперт! Это было невероятное путешествие! С полной уверенностью рекомендую всем, кто хочет получить незабываемые эмоции и открыть для себя что-то новое,путешествуйте с компанией Эльбрус Эксперт !”
    ЮЮлия Н August 2026
Read all reviews

FAQ

Good to know

What does the Premium package add?

Premium costs about €200 more than Basic and adds: a 30% discount on equipment rental, a place in a tent for the whole trip (1 tent per 2–4 people), cable-car descents on Elbrus and Cheget, the official Russian Mountaineering Federation "Elbrus" badge and an entry in the official climber's book (if you reach the summit), an individual meeting at the airport or station and transfer to our Pyatigorsk office, an individual transfer back at any time of day, and luggage storage while you are on the mountain. You can switch from Basic to Premium later; the price is calculated at that moment.

How heavy is the rucksack?

On tent tours, participants carry personal and shared gear up to the upper camp, including tents and food packs, so the rucksack can weigh 26–30 kg. The recommended volume is 85–90 L for women and 85–110 L for men.

How do I book, and how do I get there?

You secure your place with a booking deposit of about €200 on the Basic package (about €250 on Premium), which fixes the price; you can also pay in full. Fly into Mineralnye Vody (MRV), where you can take a taxi to our Pyatigorsk office (27 km, about 25 minutes); individual meetings are part of Premium. Arrive the day before the start, when the office receives participants from 8:00 to 18:00, or on day 1 between 8:00 and 10:00.

Where do I stay in Pyatigorsk?

There are hostels from around €10 a night, hotels of every category and daily-rent flats close to our office, and we can help you find one.

Is this tour suitable for a first mountain?

Yes, if you have at least average fitness and are ready to carry a heavy rucksack. The route is graded 1B, acclimatisation is gradual, and two reserve days are built in for bad weather.

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From €660 per person. Pick a date now — we confirm everything personally, no payment at this step.