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Mount Elbrus – Itinerary & Equipment

Daily Itinerary

Day	Itinerary
Day 1 Sunday	Depart UK or Ireland – 2230 Aeroflot to Moscow. Night flight.
Day 2 Monday	Arrive Sheremetevo-2 at 0510, transfer to Sheremetevo-1 by airport bus (10 minutes) and check in for next flight. Depart to Mineralnye Vody 0910 hrs (Aeroflot). Arrive 2pm. Coach transfer to Terskol and Cheget (4 hours). Accommodation in local 3* Hotel Nakra, bed and breakfast. Dinner in local cafe.
Day 3 Tuesday	Breakfast in cafe. Trekking to Cheget Peak (2600m), 5 hours. Day pack only. Return to hotel and dinner in cafe. Sauna.
Day 4 Wednesday	Hike up to Vertoletny (Helicopter) Pass (alt. 3000m) takes 5 hours. Picnic lunch. Return to the hotel. Dinner in cafe.
Day 5 Thursday	Breakfast Day hike to Terskol Valley, lunch enroute.Back to hotel in evening.
Day 6 Friday	Drive to Azau and take cablecar/chair lift to Old Vista station (alt. 3,000m) Afternoon walk to scenic lake below glacier
Day 7 Saturday	Hike to Bochki Barrels. Six persons to a 'barrel'. Lunch. Cooking in common catering building. Afternoon - walk up to "Priut of 11" ("Cabin of 11") for acclimatisation. Return to Bochki for dinner and overnight.
Day 8 Sunday	Transfer up to "Priut of 11" with luggage. Accommodation at "Priut of 11". Rooms or dormitories for up to five people per room. Communal cooking area. Training for use of crampons and ice axe. Possible walk up to Pastukhov Rocks. Night in "Priut of 11"
Day 9 Monday	Walk up to Pastukhov Rocks or rest day and training. Depends on weather and group. Possible summit day if good conditions.
Day 10 Tuesday	Summit Day - awake at 4am. Summitting options: 1) Walk from Priut to summit and back will take 10 or 11 hours. 2) For $240 you can hire a ratrack (snow machine) for between 8 or 10 people to go to Pastukhov Rocks only and continue to summit on foot. This saves two hours. If the first attempt succeeded this day is for descent to the hotel, have lunch in a cafe and do local excursion or rest.
Day 11 Wednesday	Return to Terskol/Cheget, go to hotel and relax. Celebration dinner.
Day 12 Thursday	Breakfast.Departure from Terskol at 8.00am.Transfer to MinVody (4 hrs). Flight at 1250. Lunch in airport. Landing in Moscow Sheremetevo-1 airport 1545. Transfer to Terminal 2 for international Departures Flight at 2045 to London or 1845 to Prague and Dublin OR go to hotel for Moscow add-on
	End of Elbrus main programme
Day 13 Friday	Moscow excursion: all main sightseeing locations possible Dinner in Moscow. Self paid. Restaurant - $50, cafe - $10 Evening show (Bolshoi ballet or circus), self paid. Hotel – B&B included in the expedition fee if on the 15 day option
Day 14 Satuday	Visit Izmailovo gift market near the hotel (1 hour) Kremlin excursion with licensed guide (2 hours), self paid. Other tours as per individual choice then night in the hotel (B&B)
Day 15 and after	We will then depart for the airport and the outbound flight at 1115 OR: You can stay on longer spending time in Moscow, St Petersburg or any other location, just let us know: it must be stipulated in your Russian visa, we will need to book a hotel for you and can offer any program, please refer to www.moscowweekend.ru

Climb Elbrus Equipment List

Travel clothes, clothes for Moscow, Toiletry bag (keep lightweight), Camera gear, hiking trousers and shirts for valley treks, T-shirts, underwear etc. Leather walking boots.

Elbrus Climb - first three are items you can rent in Terskol

Plastic climbing boots (rent for $8 per day, most sizes up to size 10)
Crampons (rent for £15 per trip from Adventure Alternative)
Ice Axe w/leash (general walking axe, rent from Adventure Alternative or from local shop)

1 pr top and bottom thermal underwear
1 pr fleece pants or salopettes ( eg Polartec 100 or 200 ) or warm trousers
Midlayer - fleece or warm shirts
Fleece jacket (heavyweight eg Polartec 300, full zip jacket better)
Gore-Tex or waterproof trousers and jacket with hood
Balaclava or something to cover the face like neck warmer or even a scarf.
Headlamp ( with spare bulbs and batts )
Glacier or sunglasses ( 100% UV )
Gaiters
Sunhat
Wool or fleece hat ( warm with ear flaps ) and heavy socks
Mitts with gore-Tex or waterproof shells or one pair very warm gloves with inners
Rucksack ( 65 litres) or strong duffle bag (you will not be carrying this on your back so a duffle may be easier)
Day pack ( around 35- 40 litres used for valley hikes and summit morning)
Ski or trekking poles
Sleeping bag. 3 season. Note: huts can be quite warm
Water bottles - 2 x 1 litres capacity. Note: Platypus' freeze, better to use Nalgene bottles or thermos
Sunscreen and lipscreen
Personal first aid kit - aspirin, plasters, immodium, brufen, motilium, prescriptions.