Expedition Meets in: St. Petersburg, Russia
Continent: Europe
Currency: Russian Rubles
Population: 145million
Official Language: Russian
Season to Climb: June to August = Summer
Things you Need to Know:
Tourist Visas
Almost all foreign travellers require a formal, pre approved tourist visa to enter Russia and it can be a lengthy process to obtain. We recommend you begin the process at least 3months in advance and consider using a local visa processing agent to simplify the process for you and take out any guess work.
To apply for a visa you will need ALL of your travel arrangements including your international flights and hotel bookings inside Russia finalised. (We will book hotels on your behalf within the scope of the expedition and will inform you of these bookings for this reason, however if you require additional nights before or after your trip please alert our team to this by either informing us where/when you have made additional bookings or asking us for help to do this)
With your travel details formalised, we can then issue you with an ‘Invitation Letter’ which is a vital part of your visa application. Please note; no invitation letters will be issued until balance payments are received.
Keep in mind:
- You will need to send your physical passport to your nearest Russian embassy along with your visa application. Make sure you don’t have conflicting travel arrangements during this time.
- Your visa application is very specific and your entry and exit dates and hotel bookings cannot be changed at a later date. For this reason please plan your trip in detail and in advance.
- You need to make sure the passport you apply for your visa with, has at least 6months until expiry from the date you plan to enter Russia, and at least 4 blank pages left.
Getting there
Getting to Russia is easy, flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg are served daily by direct flights from most hubs of North America, Europe and most of Asia.
You will need to fly into St. Petersburg in Russia on, or before, the official arrival day.
Once you have finalised your trip with us, we will book your hotel accommodation within the scope of the expedition (both in St. Petersburg, the Elbrus Region and Moscow) on your behalf and share these details with you so you know where to go from the airport. If you are looking at extending your trip or need additional nights, please let us know so we can help facilitate these.
Domestic Flights
You are expected to book your domestic flights from St. Petersburg to the Elbrus Region and back to Moscow. We highly recommend the use of a travel agent to do this as domestic travel can be a little more complicated to book, especially when it comes to securing baggage allowances withing your ticket. Excess baggage charges can be very expensive at the airport.
The regional airport that gives us access to the Elbrus region is called Mineralyne Vody (airport code: MRV)
Once you have finalised your trip with us, we will provide flight numbers of the domestic flights you should book to and from, the Elbrus Region.
Money
Russian Rubles – Please note, it can be difficult to exchange your currency to Russian rubles in your homeland due to the unpopularity of rubles abroad. You’ll be able to exchange money on arrival at the airport or, use ATM to draw cash.
Credit cards can be used throughout the country in shopping hubs, restaurants, cafes and bars.
If you are planning on bringing cash to exchange for rubles, US dollars or euros are preferred by points of Russian currency exchange. Banks are also readily available to exchange currency in Russian cities and will generally charge a reasonable exchange rate.
Tipping
In Russia tipping is common practice. It is common to tip 10% at restaurants, $1-$3 for each bag to the porter, round up the fare for a taxi driver, tip city tour guides and local mountain guides
Adapters
Russia uses the two prong round European outlets on 220 volt electricity (be mindful that America uses 110volts – most electrical devices will support both but its work checking you power adapter to find out its supported voltage. If it is 110 volts only, you will not be able to use it in Russia)
Tap Water
Russian tap water meets sanitary standards so yes you can brush your teeth in it and drink it, but there are traces of minerals such as too much calcium and sulphate. This doesn’t matter if you drink a little while you are travelling there, but it’s not the healthiest in the long-term.
Personal Safety
Despite perceptions, Russia is a relatively safe destination for travellers. General safety precautions should be taken much like any other destination with its share of pickpockets etc. Behave in Russia as you would at home, err on the conservative side in terms of dress and behaviour and generally keep any controversial or political opinions to yourself as to not offend anyone. Always let your Guide know if you’re going to venture out. In general, we prefer to travel and stick together as a team.
