Elbrus is the highest point of the Caucasus Mountains. Its height is ambiguous: the Eastern peak of the two-headed mountain is 5,621 meters, and the Western peak is 5,642 meters. Elbrus is located on the border of two republics of the Russian Federation: Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia.
Let's try to figure out how to get to Mount Elbrus and why this direction attracts travelers so much.
Why does a climber climb Elbrus
Climbing to the top is a test for the body, revealing the possibilities and abilities of a person. Everyone who decides to do this wants to prove to himself that he is capable of doing something incredible or a little more than incredible. In exceptional cases and with a great desire to stand out from the rest, brilliant ideas arise - to drag a barbell up the mountain, for example, and perpetuate the deed in the memory of the guides and everyone who will one day be on top. In addition, climbing Elbrus guarantees breathtaking beauty experiences for years to come.
Seven Peaks
Another reason why climbers storm Elbrus isthe mountain is considered the peak of the European continent in the Seven Summits program in the version that implies the conditional division of the Eurasian continent into Europe and Asia along the watershed of the Caucasus Range. In the second version of the division, the Mont Blanc peak in France is included in the program instead. "Seven Peaks" has been of serious interest to mountaineers from all over the world for the past thirty-five years. Sooner or later, a person passionate about mountains becomes infected with the idea of getting to Elbrus as the starting point for the program.
Partly the popularity of Elbrus is due to its accessibility for beginners who have not made high-mountain ascents before. However, accessibility is a relative concept and implies a combination of four factors that will or will not allow you to make a successful summit. These include: the physical form of the climber, weather conditions, acclimatization to the highlands and a little bit of luck. If a novice climber does not suffer from self-confidence and climbs with an experienced instructor who is able to correctly assess all four factors, the probability of death is excluded, and success is increased, but not guaranteed.
Therefore, every climber who has the idea to visit all the peaks of the program once asks the question: "How to get to Elbrus?".
The way to the east
It should be remembered that Elbrus is located in a deep Caucasian province.
Therefore, even a traveler from Russiayou will have to figure out which ladders to use to get to Elbrus and how to simplify the process. There are three options: by plane, by train and by car. Dog sleds and horse-drawn carriages, due to the dependence of the first on snow, and the second on its absence, are not taken into account.
Airplanes first
The nearest airports to the summit are in the city of Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, and in the city of Mineralnye Vody, Stavropol Territory. The road to the Elbrus region from the city of Nalchik takes significantly less time, but only two flights a day arrive at the tiny airport, both from Vnukovo Airport in Moscow.
Therefore, the obvious and easy way to get to Elbrus is through Mineralnye Vody. The airport receives flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg, as well as a number of large Russian cities: Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk and Rostov-on-Don.
Long-distance trains
It is possible to get to Elbrus from Moscow by train, which departs from the Kazansky railway station to Mineralnye Vody or immediately to Nalchik. Travel time will be from twenty-two to thirty hours. A day is enough time to feel the romance of the railway and not get exhausted before a difficult ascent, and besides, the method allows you to save money and carry luggage without being limited by the norms on the plane.
Acclimatization and climbing Elbrus require a lot of hiking equipment, so this choice makes sense. Butthe cost of a flight and a train ride is approximately the same, therefore, if there is no excess, the meaning and time of the vacation are lost.
Not a luxury but a vehicle
The car allows you to fit all the necessary equipment, independently determine the route, number and duration of stops, freely get to both Mineralnye Vody and Elbrus, and call in the nearest small towns, drink mineral water, head to the mountains and stop in interesting places. Travel time from Moscow will be from twenty hours, excluding stops. The road from Mineralnye Vody to Elbrus passes through picturesque places, so the opportunity to stop, take pictures and enjoy the surrounding nature is of particular value.
Destination
Let's say the tourist got to the airport of Mineralnye Vody or Nalchik. And then what? Mineralnye Vody is a small town not marked by outstanding sights, therefore it acts only as a transit point between the world, mineral springs and Elbrus. In summer, you can get to Elbrus from Pyatigorsk, as well as from Essentuki, Kislovodsk and other cities of the Caucasian mineral waters, where there are many options for excursions for inexperienced tourists and vacationers who do not plan to climb on their own, but only expect to ride the lift to the highest possible height.
In addition, a great option would be to rent a car with delivery to the Mineralnye Vody airport, the cost per day is from 1,300rubles. But if the climber plans to climb to the top with a guide, then the guide's job in this case is to organize the transfer of a person and equipment from the airport to the mountain. For trying to get to the village of Terskol, which is located at the foot of Elbrus, by public transport is like laughter, because first you need to get to the city of Nalchik, and from there by minibus - two hours to Terskol.
In any business, the main thing is motivation. Therefore, when deciding to climb Elbrus, a tourist should seriously think about his physical form and the preparation of equipment. And the question: "How to get to Elbrus?" - resolved along the way. Is it possible that a climber, firmly confident in his intentions, will stop at the problem of moving in space. In the end, you can always use a dog sled or a horse-drawn carriage, depending on the season: if you wish.
