Scheld Gorge. Elbrus

Level of training: Suitable for unprepared tourists
Season: June-October
Duration of the hike: 3-5 hours
Route length: 6 km
Altitude difference: 400 metres

Beautiful and simple route along the gorge of the Schelda River in Elbrus

Shkhelda (translated from Kabardino-Balkarian "lingonberry") is a mountain range in the central part of the Greater Caucasus southeast of Elbrus, it is located on the border line of Russia and Georgia.
The same name has a glacier and a river flowing from the mountain.

We will pass through the famous alplugel "Shkelda", which for 75 years of existence has brought up 65 champions of the USSR.
Then we will walk along an excellent gentle path through the forest, shrub, buttocks with periodic outlets to subalpine meadows.

We will walk to the "Smile of Schelda" - a kind of beach on the sleeve of the river with fine sand. On the site of the former lake under the glacier there is a good path pine forest, and then along the grassy slope, on which in August and September there are untouched thickets of raspberries and strawberries.

In the immediate vicinity of the glacier begins the border zone. You can only go here by pre-issued pass.
So we stop, we have a picnic, we take a lot of photos and we go back.

On the way back, you can visit the thermal springs "Geduko", the cost of arrival 1000 rubles + additional costs: 200 rubles / person for visiting the source.
Time + 2 hours.