Kazbek from the South or the North: which route to choose

The summit is the same — 5,033 metres, with a glacier and rope travel on both routes. The difference lies elsewhere: documents, logistics, crowds and the degree of self-sufficiency.

The South: Georgia, Gergeti and the Altihut

The classic most people climb: Stepantsminda — Gergeti monastery — Sabertse pass — the meteostation (3,653 m) — the summit. The route is well serviced: a night in the modern Altihut (3,000 m), horses carrying part of the load to the meteostation, a well-trodden trail.

Logistics: meeting in Vladikavkaz, crossing the border at Verkhny Lars. You need a passport valid for six months or more; Russians need no visa. Local payments are in lari or dollars, and the program costs from $1,560.

The south's drawback is the crowds in season: in a good weather window dozens of rope teams gather on the Kazbek plateau.

The North: Karmadon, hot springs and silence

The Russian route runs from the Karmadon Gorge of North Ossetia: thermal springs (2,300 m) — the OZhD Peak buttress (3,500 m) — the assault camp (4,200 m) — the summit. There are far fewer groups, the scenery is harsher, and after the descent comes a reward the south doesn't have: hot baths right by the camp.

Documents are simpler: a Russian internal passport is enough, but the route crosses a border zone — the permit is arranged in advance, so we need your details a few weeks ahead. Camp life is more self-supported: every night in tents, loads on your back. The program costs from 115,000 ₽.

Point by point

• Documents: south — foreign-travel passport; north — internal passport + border permit.
• Comfort: south — a hut and guesthouses; north — tents from start to finish.
• Physical load: the north is harder — full packs, more autonomy.
• Crowds: south — busy; north — almost empty.
• Currency and prices: south — from $1,560; north — from 115,000 ₽.
• The signature: south — Gergeti and the Altihut; north — the hot springs and Karmadon.

Which to choose

If it is your first 5,000er and you want the classic with maximum comfort — the south. If you have no foreign passport and tents don't scare you — the north: the same Kazbek, fewer people, an honest expedition feel.

Physically both routes ask for the same things: endurance for a 12-hour summit day and willingness to learn crampon work — we teach it at the snow-and-ice sessions. How to build your form by departure day — the training plan; and the Kazbek-vs-Elbrus comparison is in the next article.