Central Caucasus is like the heart of all Caucasus system, the highest, most fascinating part of the entire mountain system and the one with the most difficult access. Closed off to the west by Mt. Elbrus and to the east by Mt. Kazbek, the divide is quite articulate and complex and branches off to the north and south into a series of buttresses. Here lie the most famous rock faces in the Caucasus system scattered over the regions of Mt. Elbrus ("Prielbrusie," or area around Mt. Elbrus), Mt. Bezengi, Svanetia and, in the eastern most part of the central Caucasus, of Digoria, Karaugorn and Tsey.

Elbrus region
This is the most frequented area in the Central Caucasus. Many lateral valleys converge in the main valley, where the Baksan river flows, and lead to the most famous and beautiful mountains in the Caucasus range, such as the ice shield of Mt. Donguz-Orun (4,468 m), the vertiginous pinnacles of Mt. Shkhelda (4,320 m), the perfect pyramid of Mt. Shchurovskogo (4,239 m), Mt. Chatin (4,368 m) with its celebrated "Rhombus," the peaks that crown the Adil-Su and Adir-Su valleys, legendary Mt. Ushba (4,710 m), and, naturally, Mt. Elbrus itself (3,642 m), the highest peak in Europe. Development in the tourist sector has led to the construction of several hotels along the Baksan river valley, and the dachas that once belonged to the most important Soviet politicians have been transformed into tourist lodgings. The Prielbrusie area is easily reached from Mineral'nye Vody by means of a practicable road that crosses the Kabardinno-Balkaria region and the city of Tyrnyau, goes up the Baksan valley, touching the villages of Elbrus and Terksol, and finally arrives at Azau, the departure point for the Mt. Elbrus telpherage.