Climbing Banguriani - classic route

Peak Characteristics

Peak Banguriani is on the Gvaldi ridge, in the Mestia municipality, on the southern slope of the Caucasus, at the convergence of the Mestiachala river and the Mulkhura river, at 3,837 meters.

The center of Mestia is built at the foot of peak Banguriani. On the way to the summit, you cross alpine zones, ridges, rocky slopes, and snow-covered terrain.

Day One

Start from Mestia and go by car, the footpath begins 1,962 meters, through the forest, where you climb the ridge. After passing the ridge we arrive at the first camp at 3,000 meters above sea level, in the alpine zone, on rocky terrain. From this campsite, you can see all of Mestia, several nearby villages, and the Chalaadi rocks. The vertical ascent is 1,038 meters and takes around 7 hours.

Day Two

Leave the first camp at the break of dawn to head towards the peak. To get to the top of the rocky ridge, you and other hikers must be tied together by a rope.

From the top are epic views of Kabardian-Balkaria peaks and the surroundings of Mestia. After a 5–10-minute pause at the top, return to the camp. The vertical ascent is 838 meters and takes around 5-6 hours.

Day Three

From the first camping area, return along the same route to the car. The journey will take a total of 4 hours and in case of bad weather or acclimatization difficulties, add an extra day to the itinerary.  

Additional Information

The best time to climb Banguriani is from mid-July to the end of September.

From the center of Mestia, it is 7 kilometers from the starting point.  Rent any off-road vehicle from the Mestia bus station.