• 1 day trip
• Elbrus area
• Hiking tours
• Hiking trails
• North Caucasus
• One-day Hiking

Tour briefly

From Nalchik we leave to Elbrus area by minibus. In 2 hours we will be at the village of Elbrus.

We are going to an amazing route in the Irik-Chat gorge to the pass of the same name. It will start immediately with a steep climb up the grassy path. The climb is difficult, but small, be sure to take care of comfortable shoes. At the top we will see the beauty of the snowy peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. Further along the flat area we will go to the Narzan spring, near which we will make our first halt. Having rested, we will start the second difficult ascent along the scree path. Past the Sandcastle, we will come to a pine forest. Finally, we again have a flat slope, we will make a halt, rest after the ascent. Here, tourists take gorgeous photos, because the views around are very picturesque. Further we are going for a long transition through the forest to the lower pass. There we settle down for a substantial lunch and decide where we will go next.

map_irikchat

After resting for an hour, we will start climbing a steep serpentine along a grassy slope to the Gorge Irik. There, at an altitude of 4000 m, we will see mountain peaks right in front of us and admire the silvery mountain rivers Irik and Chat, forest, glacial moraine from a dizzying height. Or we can go to the Irik gorge to the Irik-Chat pass.

We set off to the village of Elbrus, where the transfer will take us back to Nalchik.

Tour Program

1

Departure to the Elbrus region

Our trip to the Irik gorge and to the Irik-Chat pass will start from the village of Elbrus. The first ascent will be steep and rather difficult, along a scree path. After a short ascent, we will go out onto the plain and we will have a gorgeous view of the snow caps of the mountain peaks. Seeing this beauty, you will immediately forget about the hard ascent. Then we will pass along a fairly flat area to the Narzan spring, here we will make the first halt. After resting, we will proceed to the second steep ascent, past the Sandcastle to the edge of the pine forest.

 

2

Hiking Route

As a reward for passing this section, we will see a picturesque gentle slope and make a second halt for rest. You can have a little refreshment, take memorable photos and gain strength before a long further trip. Through the pine forest we will reach the lower overnight stay. But for today our goal is the upper overnight stays, so we make short halts. At the lower camps, we stop for lunch, drink, admire the waterfall and rest. An hour later we set off further, climbing the steep slopes overgrown with grass to the Chat Gorge. The path winds in a steep serpentine, below we see how the Irik and Chat rivers are silvering, moraine and forest. At the end of the ascent, high mountain peaks are right in front of us, we will go further along the gorge and reach the last small ascent for today. Having overcome it, we find ourselves in a grassy clearing in the upper camping place.

3

Pass Irik-Chat

Our main task is to conquer the Irik-Chat pass, the height of which exceeds 3643 m. Focusing on the rest of the strength. We take only dry rations, water and warm clothes with us. At first, our path will pass next to a stream originating from a mountain glacier, which complicates the movement somewhat, but then the terrain will expand, and we will walk along the rocky bottom of the gorge. There is already a sense of height here. This is how we get to the glacier. We will walk along it either on snow or on a mud-stone pillow, it all depends on the time of year. Then we have to overcome the take-off to the pass! It is impossible to describe in words the emotions that you will experience when you have a view of the Jikiaugenkez glacier, Kalitskovgo peak and the Eastern peak of Elbrus from above. You must see it with your own eyes! From here groups of tourists can either go to the peaks of Ryzhiy Bugor and/or Chat-Kara. We start the descent back.

Descent back

The way back will be much easier, because the backpacks will be rather empty, and you will be more experienced and more trained. Nevertheless, we will make 2 halts — at the lower camps and at the beautiful Sand Castles. Of course, we will not be able to pass by the dense thickets of raspberries and enjoy wild berries, which ripen in late July-August.

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