Caucasus climbing
- Caucasus Russia
- Elbrus from the North
-
Ascent of Mount Elbrus
- Ascent of Mount Kazbek
- Dykh Tau
- Shkhara
- Mount Koshtan Tau
- Mount Bzhedukh
- Climbing Erydag-Bazarduzu
- Mount Bazarduzu - Dagestan, Russia
- Mount Erydag - Dagestan, Russia
- Adyl su mountain course
- Mount Khalatsa
- Peak MNR
- Irik Chat alpine course
- 4x4 tour in Georgia and Armenia
Elbrus from the south
Climbing West or East summit of Mount Elbrus via the South Route
English version of the program for mobile device
Versión del programa en español para dispositivos móviles
Route track for downloading to your GPS (.kmz)
Other Mount Elbrus climbs by MCS AlexClimb
Altitude: 5642 m
Program category: Mountain Climbing
Difficulty: basic (SPECIAL SKILLS ARE NOT REQUIRED)
Duration: 5 days
Season: June - September
First climb: G.A. Emmanuel, 1829
Program price from: 550 Euro
Optimal format: group 6 participants / 1 guide
- 27.06.26 - 03.07.26mini group, special conditions 75000 RUR booking
Climbing West or East Summit of Mount Elbrus via South slope - the most accessible way to the higest summit of Europe
Detailed FAQ section on preparation, equipment, and logistics of Mount Elbrus routes
The Mount Elbrus climbing route from the south is the easiest and most accessible option for ascending the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. The route is just over 6 km long, with an elevation gain of 1,600 m.
Mount Elbrus South Climbing Route
On the southern slope of Mount Elbrus concentrated all the necessary infrastructure for maximum comfort for mountaineering, skiing, snowboarding, and ski touring.
Ski touring on the slopes of Mount Elbrus
A cable car connects the foot of the mountain with the glaciers on its slopes. From the parking lot at the end of a good road, you can effortlessly ascend to an altitude of almost 4,000 m, where numerous mountaineering huts and shelters are located.
Chairlift on Mount Elbrus to an altitude of 3900 m
Climbers can be transported to the upper section of the route by snowcat—a small tractor on wide tracks. During the high season the snowcats ride up and down continuously every night, serving all those who want to save time and effort while climbing Mount Elbrus.
On the one hand, the south slope of Mount Elbrus is undoubtedly the most comfortable and safest way to explore this mountain.
A snowcat on the slopes of Mount Elbrus is, for many people, a way to "cheat" the mountain
However, behind all this frenetic activity and the extreme commercialization of the South route of Mount Elbrus, disappeared the feeling of being part of the world of real mountains, the feeling of truly reaching the summit.
But for that, there are other routes to Mount Elbrus, uncluttered by tourist traffic and an excess of commercial services.
Numerous groups of climbers ascending from the south attempt Mount Elbrus summit
Despite numerous attempts to climb Mount Elbrus southern slope, the success rate on this route is the lowest of all four classic routes.
This is because, despite its apparent simplicity and accessibility, summit of Mount Elbrus remains a challenging and treacherous climb.
Climbing Mount Elbrus can be a very serious test of endurance
It should be noted that it is on the Mount Elbrus's south slope that most climbing accidents occur, many with numerous victims.
The main causes of accidents while climbing Mount Elbrus are underestimating the route difficulty, incompetent leadership, inadequate acclimatization and equipment.
Bad Weather on Mount Elbrus
From the southern slope of Mount Elbrus, you can climb both the Western (higher) and Eastern summits with equal effort.
Important! In order to get maximum positive impressions of the Mount Elbrus program, as well as to reduce the risk of harm to your health, we strongly recommend to add to the Elbrus climbing program the module acclimatization. MCS AlexClimb mountaineering school offers three modules of acclimatization, which can be added to any Mount Elbrus climbing program:
Acclimatization program in Adyl Su
Acclimatization program in Irik Chat
This 5-day program "Climbing Mount Elbrus from the South" is designed for people who have no prior experience in mountain climbing and who want to try themselves at mountain climbing. Climbing route of Elbrus is not very hard physically, does not require to overcome any technically difficult parts nor stay long in the high altitude conditions.
The First Principle of MCS AlexClimb
The First Rule, by which we are guided in the development of our mountain programs - is safety. Professional Guides lead the group, the highest quality certificated equipment and the most modern navigation equipment are used. This guarantees the highest possible level of your safety in the mountains, which is the most important side of our work.
Program Schedule
The MSC AlexClimb climbing schedule Mount Elbrus from the south 2026):
Guided ascent of Elbrus (5642 m) from the South
Easy Climb, Basic level
Day 1 - Mineralnye vody (MRV) airport pick up, transfer to the base of Mount Elbrus, hotel accommodation 1800 m
Day 2 - Transfer to Azau village, cable car up to 3800 m, hike to the Refuge Hut 4000 m, accommodation, acclimatization hike to the Rocks of Pastukhov 4800 m, overnight stay in the hut
Day 3 - Early start 02 a.m. climbing the summit of Mount Elbrus, descent to the valley, overnight in the hotel
Day 4 - Spare summit day
Day 5 - Transfer to MRV airport
Prices and conditions
The price of the MCS AlexClimb program "Climbing Mount Elbrus - standard route from South" 2026:
450 Euro* - standart group 5-8 participants / 2 guides
750 Euro* - mini-group 3-4 participants / 1 guide
1200 Euro - private program for 1-2 participants / 1 guide
* Price per person
You have to be ready for:
- 2 days of camping life in the field conditions;
- Carrying a 10-12 kg backpack;
- Air temperature can be down to -10°C on the altitude higher than 3000 m;
Conditions: passing of the acclimatization module
The price includes: Professional mountain guide services, rent of the communal equipment (belaying and navigation equipment, cooking gear), hotel accommodation, transfers from the point of the beginning of the program to its end (Mineralnye Vody MRV), using the communal basic medical kit, local registering and climbing permits, food for outdoor part of the program.
The price does not include: Russian visa charges*, International and domestic flight expenses** to and from the point of the beginning of the program (MRV), obligatory climbing insurance, rent of the personal equipment, food and drinks while being in cities.
Max group capacity: 8
Guides: 2
*AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can provide Russian Visa support for you. More information on request.
**AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can book the flights for you.
Our Principles
AlexClimb Rule #1 - Safety First
From the very beginning of our activity, here nearly 16 years, the first Principle of work of School of mountaineering and rock-climbing of MCS AlexClimb is the Safety Priority. On the basis of this Principle all process of training is based, all programs and rounds are developed and carried out only within this main principle. We consider that at professional approach to development of programs, at personal discipline and correctly put motivation - occupations by mountaineering and rock-climbing are COMPLETELY safe. And from the return - all troubles and accidents in our sport come from nonprofessionalism, from ignorance or neglect by elementary standards of safety, from irrational motivation, from revaluation of own forces and opportunities. All these prerequisites we COMPLETELY EXCLUDE in our work - ours Rock-climbing, Ice climbing and Mountaineering are based on one Principle - the Safety Priority. In rock-climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing, the Priority of Safety of MCS AlexClimb-is your personal security and comfort irrespective of, than we are engaged - we train muscles and we work technology of the movement in the sports hall and on the rock climbing wall, we make the way through snowstorm to top or we relax on golden sand of the Caribbean beach after hot day of trainings on rocks. The Safety priority - the main credo of School of mountaineering and rock-climbing of MCS AlexClimb.
AlexClimb Rule #2 - Leave No Trace
Closely interacting with Nature, working with the active programs in mountains, woods, lakes and rivers, we perfectly understand the importance of carefull and respectfull bahavior towards the Nature, for its resources. From the very beginning of our outdoor-activity we adopted rules of Leave No Trace technique - the standard of behavior of the person accepted in all the civilized world in relation to environment and especially - to the wild nature. After all on the relation of people to the nature near which they exist, itself can draw dalekoidushchy conclusions on the relation of these people to... Where and as we didn't travel - we don't reserve any garbage, we try to reduce whenever possible our influence on environment to a minimum. We clear earlier zagryazyonny tourist parking of the left garbage, we take out and we take out to utilization places that to us other people left there. We consider that only thus, at personal individual consciousness of each citizen, each tourist, climber or autotraveller, we will be able to keep the nature surrounding us in its state, natural, suitable for life, - in it pledge of the healthy future for ourselves and our children.
