Elbrus
A journey of our own design through the most beautiful and unexpected corners of the Elbrus region
Duration
6 days / 5 nights
Upcoming departures
2–7 July 2027
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Why go to Elbrus?
The Caucasus mountains, our own jeeps instead of the usual transfers and a ride up above the clouds: a journey that blurs the line between rest and adventure.
We have loved this secluded, beautiful journey longer than any other: it is where it all began. Six days full of lightness and harmony.
What awaits us?
01 / 08 · Day 2
A cable car ride up to the clouds and panoramic views of the Caucasus range
02 / 08 · Day 2
Snowmobiles up to 4,400 metres: optional, at extra cost
03 / 08 · Day 2
A horse ride to Lake Donguz-Orun-Kol
04 / 08 · Every evening
An Eastern-style hammam and a Russian steam room in the bathhouse spa
05 / 08 · Days 3 and 4
Two jeep tours: through mountain forests and along the Kyrtyk river valley
06 / 08 · Day 3
A mountain picnic by the Aktoprak Pass
07 / 08 · Day 5
Hiking up the Terskol gorge to a glacier and a waterfall
08 / 08 · The whole route
A great circle of like-minded people and hundreds of beautiful photos
A place to recharge
The village of Elbrus, where our base is, hides among the mountains, away from the tourist trails: pine forest, crisp, clear air and a silence that is hard to find anywhere else.
The snowy crowns of Elbrus give way to green valleys, and mountain rivers to flowering alpine meadows: here the landscape changes every hour.
Six days is exactly what it takes to fall in love with the Caucasus.
From glaciers and waterfalls to the warm steam of the banya: contrasts that stay with you for a long time.
Mountains, banya and adrenaline
We take care of the transfers, the jeeps and the whole route: all you have to do is enjoy the mountains.
After an active day in the mountains, with jeeps, hiking and horses, we always come back to the banya in the evening: at Update Camp, rest matters as much as adventure.
On the first day a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter is waiting for us, and after that, jeeps built specifically for rough mountain terrain.
A full but unhurried schedule: activities in the first half of the day and rest in the second.
The banya and spa
Following an old mountain custom, we head to the banya every evening. It is a whole ritual, true therapy for body and soul.
An Eastern-style hammam, a wood-fired Russian steam room and open-air plunge pools.
The banya is big enough for the whole group, so there is no rushing and no queuing, and afterwards you can sit by the fire with a cup of herbal tea.
Day by day
Day 1
Coming together
Mineralnye Vody – Baksan Gorge – chalet
You fly into Mineralnye Vody, and the road slowly climbs into the Baksan Gorge: the plain folds into mountains, and with every bend the air gets colder and cleaner. The chalet stands among the pines and smells of wood and pine needles inside. In the evening the group gathers around one table for the first time, and to the quiet rush of the river you meet the people you will spend this week with.
Day 2
At 3,847 metres
Azau – Garabashi – Lake Donguz-Orun-Kol
The cable car lifts you through three stations, and the summer below gives way to winter: snow underfoot, both summits of Elbrus overhead and a mug of hot mulled wine in your hands. After lunch it's back to summer: on horseback along a mountain trail to a turquoise lake beneath Mount Cheget. By the water the wind drops, and the whole snowfield is mirrored in the lake.
Day 3
Over the pass to Chegem
Aktoprak Pass – Chegem Gorge – paragliding launch – sunset picnic
The first jeep day: the road leaves the tarmac and climbs to the Aktoprak Pass, with ochre slopes that people call Martian. Beyond the pass, the Chegem Gorge opens up, along with the launch site where paragliders take off. On the way back, the cars stop on the pass for sunset: a blanket on the grass, a glass in your hand and the sun sinking behind the ridge.
Day 4
A gorge with no signal
Tyrnyauz – dirt-track switchbacks – Kyrtyk Gorge
The second jeep day takes you into the Kyrtyk Gorge, well off the tourist trail, where there is no one but the group. While you walk and take photos, the drivers light the coals and cook a Caucasian lunch: smoke, grilled trout and a meal right on the grass. There is no signal here, and within half an hour you no longer need your phone.
Day 5
Terskol Waterfall
A trek with a mountain rescuer – Cheget Glade – farewell evening
The last full day is on foot: an easy trail along the valley to a café with panoramic views and mountain tea, and for those who want more, a climb over the rocks to the waterfall with the rescuer. You hear the waterfall before you see it, and by the water a cold mist settles on your face. In the evening: a farewell dinner and a late bonfire, with conversations you don't want to end.
Day 6
The road home
Chalet – Mineralnye Vody
A morning with nothing planned: a last look at the summits from the terrace and the drive down a gorge that now feels familiar. Lunch together on the way, then the airport. The air outside grows warmer with every kilometre, and your phone holds new contacts that won't get lost.
Your travel expert will send you the detailed itinerary, upcoming departures and the price in the chat.
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Your trip leaders
The people who turn a trip into a story of its own. They set the mood, bring people together and make every moment unforgettable.
Karina Kovaleva
For me, travel is a breath of fresh air and incredible adventures. I love seeing the world with my own eyes, and I know how to pass that energy on to others.
Moscow
Maria Golovenko
Travel is my true passion! I love discovering new places and meeting interesting people. Let's explore our beautiful world together, and I'll show you its very best side!
Moscow
Evgenia Vorobyova
The best journeys leave you with a feeling that stays for a long time. Every trip is a small lifetime, so let's live it together: vividly, beautifully and for real.
Moscow
What our travellers say
A few first-hand words about how the journeys felt.
“I will remember our sailing trip in Italy forever!”
On journeys like these I live a small life. Small, but very bright, rich and full of emotion!
Maria Gogol
★★★★★
“South Africa is a place you want to come back to again and again…”
Incredible nature and breathtaking views, you want to live it all over again. And probably the most important thing is the company, and ours was absolutely amazing.
Mikhail Vlasenko
★★★★★
“Same place, same time next year…”
So many wonderful people came together on this trip, and each of them is a whole world! Would I do it again? Definitely, yes!
Eva Nus
★★★★★
“Buy a ticket to Africa, and the world will never be the same!”
I think I went through the whole range of emotions in those days! What I saw brought tears to my eyes. It was an incredible 11 days. I wish you all a ticket to Africa!
Anastasia Grekova
★★★★★
“I left my heart in the Caucasus mountains…”
Those days felt like a catharsis of the purest happiness. I realised that all our lives we strive to feel that very moment of reaching the top.
And the whole secret is in the journey itself.
And the whole secret is in the journey itself.
Dana Konyakhina
★★★★★
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