Book with confidence - Covid-19 Expand Cancellation flexibility For any bookings made between now and 31 March 2021 on an overseas adventure departing before 31 December 2021, we’re offering you the right to cancel and get a full refund of your deposit up to 90 days before the challenge is due to depart. We want anyone considering booking a trip now to have complete confidence that their deposit is protected and that they can cancel without any penalty for whatever reason. What happens if my trip cannot run due to Covid-19? Your safety is our top priority. Please rest assured that if your trip cannot operate in the host country due to Covid-19, we will offer you a number of options including the chance to: postpone your trip to a later departure of the same event (this year or next) join any other overseas trip in our portfolio (this year or next) transfer your place to another person receive a full refund of monies paid for the challenge Please note that in most cases, where trips can be rescheduled in the same financial year, we are waiving our standard admin fees. What if I postpone the trip and then the later revised trip is also affected and cannot run due to Covid-19? Even if you move on to another trip later in the year or next year, if we still find ourselves unable to safely operate the trip in the host country due to Covid-19, we’ll offer you the same options as above, to postpone, to change trips, to transfer your place to someone else or to receive a refund. What if there is no official advice against travel, but I want to cancel within 90 days of departure? We respect that you may feel more comfortable staying at home, and not travelling regardless of the destination or official advice. If you choose to cancel, we’ll action your request but where there is no FCDO advice against travel to that country at the time of cancellation, our standard cancellation terms will apply.
Elbrus - Frequently Asked Questions Expand Questions? See our Elbrus FAQ page below for further info Elbrus FAQ
How To Book Elbrus Expand Participation Agreement and Terms & Conditions You'll need to read and agree to both our Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions and our Participation Agreement (see below) - you'll be asked to confirm this during the booking process below. Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions Participation Agreement How to book Choose your event date below In the event, you can choose to pay your deposit online (with a 1.5% processing charge to cover our fees), by bank transfer (free), or pay your full balance - you'll receive an email acknowledging receipt of your payment/booking. Once you've booked and/or paid your deposit you'll receive a second email requiring you to complete our online Client Information & Medical Declaration Form, which must be completed before we can confirm your booking July 2020 July 2021
Elbrus Entry & Health Requirements Expand You can view the British Government's latest advice here. We suggest clients discuss their vaccination requirements with their GP and refer to the TravelHealthPro website, which comprises the travel health resources of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), which was set up by the Department of Health with the broad aim of Protecting the Health of British Travellers. Be aware that the FCO currently advises against ‘all but essential travel’ in the region Elbrus is in. You should read the FCO advice to make sure you understand the risks. The first hurdle for any visit to Russia is securing a Russian Visa. You’ll need a Letter of Invitation and our local agent will organise this on our behalf. You must apply for your visa in plenty of time because as part of the visa application process, all applicants based in the UK aged 12 or over will need to visit a visa application centre to submit biometric data (scanned fingerprints). These are located in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. We suggest you apply for your visa at least two months in advance of your trip date.
Elbrus Insurance Expand You’re required to have an insurance policy that covers climbing to 5,642m. You're advised to take out insurance to cover potential events that might cause you to cancel your trip. You should bring with you a copy of your policy and also a photocopy of your passport, and to keep it separate to your own documents in the unlikely event that you lose your passport. We advise you to consider the British Mountaineering Council insurance, some other insurance companies offer policies suitable for Elbrus. This FCO currently advises against ‘all but essential travel’ in the Elbrus region, which can also affect insurance, so you should check that you are covered.
Your Elbrus Leader Expand Ricky Munday will be leading this expedition. He's a qualified Mountain Leader with an Expedition First Aid qualification and is a full member of the Mountain Training Association. He reached the summit of Mount Everest (8,848m) in May 2018. He holds an Honours degree in Physiology & Sport Science and is also a Chartered Accountant (CA). From 2014-2018 he served as the youngest ever member of the executive team at the UK's national polar research organisation, where he led the key professional service teams in both Antarctica and Cambridge.
Elbrus - Training & Fitness Expand Fitness is hugely important for success on big mountains and there is no better training than spending actual time the mountains. You should aim to complete a comprehensive training programme that builds strong legs & lungs, which will help you succeed on this expedition. You should aim to train with big boots and a weighted rucksack and spend long days in the hills, and also aim to summit multiple peaks in a day. It’s beneficial to have experience of moving on snow and ice for this trip, although we do provide training in basic alpine skills such as moving on crampons and self-arrest with a walking axe, as we have to ensure that everybody has the necessary skills to operate safety on the hill such. Elbrus is not a trekking expedition but a proper high-altitude winter mountaineering experience. You can find out more about how to prepare for high-altitude here.
Elbrus Included/Excluded Expand Included: Inspirational Talk from Everest Summiteer Ricky Munday Hotel Accommodation, Baksan Valley (3/4 nights – twin/triple, DBB) Barrel huts, 3/4 nights (DBB) Transfers to/from MinVody airport to Baksan Valley & all local transport Lifts for Mt. Cheget hike/Elbrus Visa support, permits & local registrations Expert local guides (min ratio of 1:3) International Expedition Leader Group equipment (ropes, ice screws etc) Excluded: International airfare to MinVody Airport Russian Visa Vaccinations & personal medication Personal expenses such as soft drinks or alcoholic drinks Travel insurance Lunches in MinVody Tips for local guides Riding snow-cat (Ratrak) Hire equipment (available at extra cost)
Elbrus Client Benefits Expand a complimentary Cicerone Europe's High Points guidebook (worth £14.95) a complimentary branded Inspire Alpine BUFF® (worth £15.95) a complimentary BMC Safety on Mountains booklet (worth £6.99) Access to our fantastic travel app Vamoos We also offer an unbeatable range of generous discounts from outdoor retailers & manufacturers: Cotswold Outdoor and Snow+Rock: 15% discount online or in-store Montane: a 15% discount online Open Air: a 15% online or in-store summitfit: a 20% discount online
Elbrus Acclimatisation Expand The main problem faced by climbers is trying to climb too quickly. From a medical perspective, we are trekking in very high altitude (up to 5,500m) and in extreme altitude (summit day above 5,500m). At sea level, the standard barometric pressure is 101 kPa. At 5,642m on the summit of Elbrus, the standard barometric pressure is 52 kPa. This lower oxygen pressure means that there are fewer oxygen molecules in the same volume of air - there is only 51% of the oxygen available compared to sea level. Your body reacts to this lower oxygen level in a variety of ways - for example, your respiration (breathing) rate increases, and your body starts to generate more red blood cells. The respiration increase begins immediately, but the production of extra red blood cells takes longer. We are following a classic climb high / sleep low itinerary profile to ensure that we give our bodies more time to acclimatise to the lower oxygen levels before summit day. We recommend that you discuss with your GP the option of using Diamox (acetazolamide) to help prevent Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).
Elbrus Safety Expand Your safety is our top priority. On the mountain, your Leader will carry an expedition first aid kit, a satellite phone and have two-way radio contact with all of our guides at all times. They will also carry a pulse-oximeter to monitor your oxygen levels regularly. In the event of an emergency, helicopter rescue is available and - if your travel insurance covers medical evacuations up to 5,642 meters above sea level - your insurance company should cover your costs.
Elbrus Accommodation Expand Accommodation is on a shared twin-bed or triple basis in hotels and normally 6 climbers to a barrel hut on the mountain. Single supplements at the hotel are available at extra cost.
Elbrus Logistics Expand As well as your leader, we'll be supported by expert local guides. Your personal gear (e.g. sleeping bags, spare footwear) will be in a duffel bag or rucksack that stays in our accommodation at the hotel or huts. You'll carry only what you need for each day's trek or climb in a small rucksack. We'll have a minimum guide-to-client ratio of 1:3. All food on the mountain is provided, and we'll eat on the mountain in a communal dining room with chairs and table. Sufficient fresh water will be provided daily to ensure you stay hydrated. It’s a four-hour drive to the mountain villages in Baksan valley at the base of the mountain and the road is good all the way to the villages. There are normally some police checkpoints along the way, so you should have your passport and paperwork handy, although generally everyone is friendly towards climbers.