I want to Climb Europes Highest Mountain how do I get to Russia

November 19, 2008 3:07 AM

I want to Climb Europes Highest Mountain need to find a cheap flight into or near Russia/Georgia.

I want to climb Europes Highest mountain Mount Elbrus (famed for being the Mountain where Prometheus was chained)

I troubling to find a cheap flight into the area, Russia and Georgia seem to have insane airport tax and their arent many carriers that go direct from the UK to Georgia/South Russia

Tbilisi isnt a good option since the airport got blown up earlier this year

The Russian Port town of Sochi seems to be the closest Airport

However Im wondering there are other options I could consider, maybe flying to another country and getting a Boat into Sochi or a train or a bus ride.

anyone with travel experience of the Caucasian would be a great help

posted by complience to travel & transportation (2 comments total)

Go here and scroll down to 'getting there'.

There's plenty more information around, and talking to some of the companies that organise climbs (this isn't a walk, despite the lifts part-way) could get you some up to date information on access. Try some of the climbing forums as well.
posted by dowcrag at 3:30 AM on November 19, 2008

AirBaltic can get you from London Gatwick to Sochi after April 1, 2009 relatively easily, with one stop in Riga, the capital of Latvia; the city has just finished an expansion of its airport, which is now a breeze to travel through - all one building you could walk around in fifteen minutes. Air Baltic is very reliable in my experience (I've used them on four separate occasions) and reasonably priced as well.

A random flight I plugged in after the first of April ended up coming to £225 return, all taxes and fees included, which is pretty good for getting all the way to the Caucasus. The flight times aren't super but even with the cost of one night in Riga, you're probably coming out way ahead, cost-wise, of any other method of getting there.
posted by mdonley at 3:03 PM on November 19, 2008