RUSSIA Elbrus
RUSSIA Elbrus Mount Elbrus is the highest peak in Russia and Europe and although many mountaineers visit the area to climb the mountain, there are also many other attractions here. On the higher reaches, skiing is accessible all year round. If you are looking for something less challenging, there are many easier treks nearby and chair lifts to take in the mountainous scenery. Mount Elbrus is the two-headed cone of a dormant volcano and is situated 11km north of the Main Caucasian Chain. It is connected to the Main Caucasus Ridge by the Khotiutau ridge. The highest summit is the western summit at 5642m. The eastern summit is 5621m. Elbrus is composed of both hard crystalline rocks and magmatic intrusions. In the surrounding valleys, mineral springs are quite common and in a few places sulphurous fumes escape out through fissures, often deep under the ice cover. Most of the slopes (up to a height of 4000m) are not too steep. Lower slopes reach a gradient of up to 35 but are interspersed with many rock bands (some 600-700m high), crevasses and ice falls on the southern, northern and western slopes. Eastern slopes are less broken. At 4100m the unique two-storied mountain hut (Diesel Hut) is located. About 45-50 people can stay in the building. It is easily reached by using the cable car and chairlift system up to 3800m. Above this, it is sometimes possible to hire a snow cat to save on the two hour glacier walk up to the hut. The ascent of Elbrus is technically easy but requires the use of crampons over short sections (never over a gradient of 40 ). Allow 6-7 hours and beware of rapid weather deterioration which can make route finding very difficult and the conditions arctic.
ITINERARY DAYS I-2 - We will depart from the UK and make our way to Min Vody Airport via Moscow. There will then be a drive to our hotel (about 3,5 hours) in Baksan Valley near Elbrus at the altitude of 2100m. DAY 3 - Today will consist of an acclimatisation walk in the Terskol Valley up to the Observatory (3100m). There will be 4hrs of walking up, providing a very close and magnificent view of Mt. Elbrus. We will pass the wonderful waterfall called The virgin s hair on the way before returning to our hotel. DAY 4 - We will walk to the Mount Cheget spur (3100m) where there is a magnificent viewpoint over Elbrus. There will be about 4 hours of walking upwards. We ll return to the hotel for some rest (it is possible to use a chair lift for getting down). DAY 5 - Today we will transfer to Terskol, climb the Ice Base (3550m) and then descent back to Terskol before getting a transfer to our hotel. DAY 8- Summit day. We begin in the early morning hours to ascend the highest of Elbrus twin peaks - the West Summit. We will carry our day packs with all the day s requirements. We return to spend the night at the Barrels hut once more. DAY 9 - This is a spare day to attempt the Elbrus summit if the weather on the previous day was bad. Overnight in the hut. DAY 10 - We will make our return to the hotel to relax and get some well-earned rest. DAY 11 - We will drive to the airport in Mineralnye Vody for the flight home. DAY 12 - Arrive back in the UK. DAY 6 - We take the cable car up to the Mir station, (3500m) then the chair lift to Garabashi station, (3800m). Our accommodation will be in the Barrels hut. After arrival, we will take part in an acclimatisation walk to the Priut hut at (4100m) before making our way back to Barrels hut. DAY 7- To ensure we are ready for summit, today we will have another acclimatisation walk to Pastukhova Rocks (4700m). There will be a 3-hour ascent. We will then make our way back to Barrels hut.
GENERAL INFORMATION EXPEDITION COST Included in the costs are: Flights Transfers Meals Any permits and entry fees to any regions and sites visited as part of the itinerary Group Equipment Safety Equipment Your own Expedition manager 24 hour UK Operations and emergency cover whilst you are in country Experienced Bucket List Company leaders are also included, along with a support crew of local guides and cooks. The tour cost does not include personal equipment, entry visa, tips for local crew or personal spending money. FLIGHT INFORMATION Group flights leave from London Heathrow or Gatwick and are booked through Wexas Travel Ltd under ATOL licence 2873. By travelling with The Bucket List Company your finances are protected. Our itineraries are always based on current flight schedules and are therefore subject to change by the airline. TRANSIT STOPS When booking group flights we endeavour to find the best flights that match our itinerary. There are often no direct flights to our destination, so do be prepared for transit stops: bring a good book or chat to your fellow explorers! Airlines that do offer direct flights rarely offer competitive rates for groups. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND FOREIGN TRAVEL Everyone wants to travel to have new experiences and our trips are no different. We will let you have new experiences that will push you out of your comfort zone. This is all part of the challenge you are signing up for. The main things you will need to bring with you to gain the most out of your trip are a sense of adventure and a sense of humour, with these in tow you will have a brilliant trip. ACCOMMODATION We will be staying in either hotels, hostels, tents or huts depending on the finalised itinerary. FOOD All meals are included from when we get to our camp and depart from the camp to head home.
GENERAL INFORMATION DIETARY REQUIREMENTS Having dietary requirements is not a problem provided you let us know well in advance. If you know there are plenty of foods you cannot eat you may wish to bring extra snacks from home so you can top up your energy supply. PASSPORT, VISA and VACCINATIONS British nationals do require a visa in advance to visit Russia. You can get the visa information from the following website: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/russia/entry-requirements. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after the expiry date of your visa. Contact your GP around 8 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures. CLOTHING EQUIPMENT We know what you need! Therefore, our equipment list will mean that you will be perfectly attired and outfitted for your whole trip and well under baggage allowance. A full list of what we recommend will be sent to you upon booking confirmation. We find most people already have in their possession what is necessary for a trekking trip and very little else in the way of specialised equipment is required. LUGGAGE Luggage is best carried in a large Kit bag (100 litres+). This makes it easier to find the things you are looking! If you need help and support on what to buy please contact us. We can also sell you the kit you require through our extensive network of suppliers. WEATHER The summer months in Russia fall from June to September. July and August are the best months to visit Elbrus as the weather is warmer and more stable. During the night, the average temperature is -8 c and in the day, 24 c.
GENERAL INFORMATION FITNESS AND SAFETY Safety is our major concern with any trip we run. All the guides are chosen for their extensive international experience. They each have at least ten years experience in running expeditions around the world. All have first aid qualifications of the highest standard. There will be at least one medic on each trip. We carry an extensive First Aid kit and Satellite phones with us at all times. There are no special requirements for this trip, except a huge sense of adventure. There are no restrictions providing you are in reasonable physical shape. Medical forms will be handed out in the booking packs for you to let us know of any medical conditions or allergies you have. TRAINiNG WEEKEND You can have a training weekend with a difference, you will find out more details once you have booked!! skills and personality to give you the experience of a lifetime. You will be in safe hands. Our leaders are UK based and love what they do. The leader will also be supported by an in-country team of guides and crew, the in country team are also English speaking. All of our staff are also supported by our UK 24-hour support Hub. The office is manned with a team that are on hand 24 hours a day to liaise with leaders, insurance companies and our on-call doctors. This is our essential contact point for every trip. TIPS FOR LOCAL CREW If you feel you have been looked after well, then it is always a nice gesture to tip those who have worked with you whether it be the people who have cooked for you, guided you and got you to the top of the mountain. The expectations may vary depending on itinerary. TRIP SUPPORT Your trip will be led by an experienced member of The Bucket List Company. Our leaders are selected and trained by us to make sure they have the correct
GENERAL INFORMATION DOSSIERS Once we have received your booking form you will be issued with your expedition dossier, this will give you the following information; Detailed Itinerary Kit List Training Guide Medical information Expedition Training Weekend information CARi3ON Offsetting We encourage all our customers to offset emissions connected with their trip. You can offset at any time in the lead-up to departure by visiting Climate Care. FREEBIES All team members will get a T-shirt and DVD. With all our trips, we film on the go. When we are back in the UK the footage and photos are edited together to create a short film of your memories of your trip included within the package. Hopefully we can all get together again for the premier of
RUSSIA Elbrus Rock And Rapid Adventures Hacche Mill, South Molton Devon EX36 3NA Phone: 01769 309007 E-mail: letsgo@thebucketlistcompany.co.uk Website. www.thebucketlistcompany.co.uk