Day 1
Moscow
Arrival Transfer to the Hotel
Arrival in Moscow where our driver will be there to meet you in arrivals with a Go Russia sign board. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 2
Moscow
Exploring Moscow. Red Square, St. Basil’s, Lenin Mausoleum
It's time to explore Moscow on foot with this comprehensive yet unhurried walking tour. Taking in sights such as Lubyanka Square, once the site of the Soviet-era KGB HQ, Teatralnaya Square where you'll find Bolshoi Theatre and Tverskaya Street, the best shopping street in the capital, you'll get a good overview of the centre city's sights. Our walk will end in Red Square. St Basil's Cathedral, dating from the 16th Century, dominates the square with its brightly coloured domes. GUM department store, Kazan Cathedral and, of course, the Kremlin's imposing walls give St Basil's a run for its money. We'll see Lenin's embalmed body in his Mausoleum before returning to the hotel.
Day 3
Moscow
Kremlin & Armoury. Departure to Yekaterinburg
Today it's time to delve into the Kremlin's long and interesting past. Once the Tsar's residence and now the office of the Russian president, you'll start in Cathedral Square where you can almost feel the spirits of the historic figures who once stepped on those same paths. The Armoury Museum, first a storehouse and then a museum, houses an eclectic collection of treasures including the chalice of Yuri Dolgorukiy, the helm and armour of Boris Godunov, a collection of over fifty Faberge eggs, golden and silver works of applied art by Russian, European and Oriental masters and priceless weaponry. Lastly, we'll head underground to take a ride on Moscow's elaborate underground transit system. Tonight we'll transfer to the railway station to board our fast comfortable train to Yekaterinburg which has a choice of first and second class accommodation as well as a dining car.
Day 4
Yekaterinburg
Transfer to the Hotel
This evening, our driver will meet you at the carriage with a sign board with your names for your transfer to the hotel.
Day 5
Yekaterinburg
Ganina Yama & Cathedral on the Blood. Europe-Asia Border. Departure to Siberia
Yekaterinburg is infamous as the site of the execution of the last Tsar, Nikolay II and his family. A memorial cathedral has been erected on the very spot and we will visit to pay our respects. Later we'll continue to Ganina Pit, a unique orthodox monastery built on the precise location of the initial burial place of imperial remains. We visit seven wooden churches in the heart of a centuries-old pine forest and travel to the Europe-Asia border. We also stop for a visit to the Memorial honouring the victims of the Stalin’s repressions of the 1930s to 1950s. It's then back to the train station. We have a train to catch, this time to Irkutsk.
Day 6 - 7
On the train to Siberia
Onboard
Onboard
Day 8
Irkutsk – Listvyanka
Lake Baikal
Three days later, we'll pull into Irkutsk station where our guide will meet you with a sign board upon your arrival in Irkutsk. Transfer to Listvyanka village (appr. 70 km). The rest of the day is free to explore this pretty little lakeside village. Perhaps visit the St. Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church and the Baikal Lake Museum where you will learn Siberian traditions, history, flora and fauna of the deepest freshwater lake in the world.
Day 9
Listvyanka – Irkutsk
Wooden Architecture Museum in Taltsy. Exploring Irkutsk
Our guide will meet you at your accommodation. First we will make a stop at the open-air Wooden Architecture Museum in Taltsy. Occupying a picturesque location right on the Angara River's banks, it houses a fascinating collection of exhibits relating to local history and culture. See wooden houses, step inside a Russian fort, look at a 15th Century watchtower and learn more about the lifestyles of the Evenk and Buryat people who live in this region. Back in the city, we take a tour to admire the varied architecture.
Day 10
Irkutsk
Departure to Mongolia
Transferring to the railway station, we leave the warm hospitality of the Siberian Russians and start our trip to Mongolia by comfortable train.
Day 11
Ulan Bator
Arrival in Mongolia. Naadam Festival Opening Ceremony
Today we'll attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival. A colourful ceremony, it's an important fixture on the Mongolian sporting calendar and well attended by locals and foreign tourists alike. We'll tour the Central Stadium for Sports and Cultural Performances, where we will have a unique chance to witness wrestling and an archery contest. We'll round off the evening with a celebratory Gala dinner.
Day 12
Ulan Bator - Hui Doloon Hudag - Ulan Bator
Naadam Festival – Enjoy Horse Racing
Our driver will meet you at your accommodation and drive you to Hui Doloon Hudag to watch some horse racing and to soak up the local atmosphere. Return to Ulan Bator in the evening.
Day 13
Ulan Bator – Terelj
Visit to Chinggis Khaan Monument. Terelj National Park
Our guide will meet you at the hotel. Stopping off at the Chinggis Khaan monument, the largest equestrian statue in the world, we then drive to Terelj National Park. Its most famous rock formation, Turtle Rock, is a highlight of today's itinerary but we're sure you'll be delighted with the pristine alpine scenery and diverse flora and fauna of this pretty region. Later we will try our hand at milking a cow, ably assisted by the local nomads for whom this is part of their daily routine. Overnight tonight will be in a traditional felt tent known as a ger or if it's too cold, a cosy wooden lodge.
Day 14
Terelj - Ulan Bator
Ulan Bator City Tour. National History Museum
We return to Ulan Bator. There, we'll take a city tour. Mongolia's capital is situated on the bank of the river Tuur, surrounded by four mountains that local people believe to be sacred. We will visit Gandan Hiid Monastery, the country’s largest monastery, as well as Sukhebaatar square. An unmissable museum completes our itinerary: the Museum of National History, where you will learn about the past of the Mongolian empire, ancient states period (Hunnu, Turkish and Uighur), the Mongolian Empire of 13th-14th centuries, the Mongolian's traditional lifestyle, clothing and jewellery, as well as current politics.
Day 15
Ulan Bator
Free day
Free time in Ulan Bator.
Day 16
Ulan Bator
Departure to China
This morning, we transfer to the railway station. Our driver will meet you with a sign board at the lobby of the hotel. Crossing the border into China we shall take a comfortable train. With a choice of first and second class accommodation as well as a decent dining car and bar, this is a popular way to journey between these two Asian capitals.
Day 17
Beijing
Arrival in China. Exploring Old Beijing (Hutong Area)
On arrival in Beijing, our driver will meet you with a sign board at the station. Transfer to the hotel. Leaving our bags, we'll swap the car for a rickshaw to dive into one of Beijing's last surviving hutongs, 13th Century districts characterised by narrow alleyways. Next, the rickshaw will take us to Shichahai Lake where you can see the famous Drum Tower and opt to take a boat out on the lake.
Day 18
Beijing
Tiananmen Square. Forbidden City & Summer Palace
Located in the centre of Beijing, Tiananmen Square is our first stop today. Infamous since 1989 when government tanks crushed a pro-democracy demonstration, it's a different place today. Families congregate in this, the world's largest city square. At the edge of the square you'll find the Forbidden City. This UNESCO World Heritage Site houses the Imperial Palace and many important ancient wooden structures. In the afternoon, we visit the Summer Palace on a guided tour.
Day 19
Beijing
Badaling Great Wall. Visit to the Olympic Green
Our last day in China is spent at another UNESCO site, this time the Great Wall at Badaling. It's relatively close to the capital, less than fifty miles away, and is the best preserved section of the wall. Returning to the city, we make what's now become an essential stop at Olympic Green to see the famous venues of the 2008 Summer Games up close: the Beijing National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, the Aquatics Centre, the Green Hockey Field and many others.
Day 20
Beijing
Departure for the Airport
Our driver will meet you with a sign board at the hotel lobby and deliver you to the airport in good time for your flight home.
Tour Dates & Prices
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All our hotels and traditional accommodation at lake Baikal (a guest – house) and in Mongolia (a ger) have been carefully selected and personally tested by Go Russia product development team. They have been chosen for their central location, available facilities, tastefully designed interiors, and friendly service and customers’ feedbacks. Most of the hotels on your tour will have a 4* rating. Please note all our hotels are recommended on Tripadvisor and have above average reviews. Please view hotels details below.
Moscow Ibis Center Bakhrushina Hotel 3*
Part of the Ibis collection, the Moscow Center Bakhrushina Hotel is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a value hotel with facilities you can trust. Situated within the meander of the Moskva River, it’s centrally located a half hour stroll from Red Square or the Kremlin and within easy reach of the Paveletskaya metro station.Learn more
Hotel Novotel Yekaterinburg Center 4*
The Novotel Yekaterinburg Centre is one of the best hotels in the city. It is conveniently located right in the heart of the capital of the Urals, within walking distance of the city's main attractions and the business and shopping centers of Yekaterinburg. All rooms feature climate control and free WIFI, combining modern decor, ergonomics and high-tech equipment. The hotel is fully equipped with new-generation Novotel rooms meaning MediaHub panel allowing to charge Mac, iPhone and plug laptop to TV, watch movies and make video-calls. Standard rooms have air conditioning, rain shower, satellite TV, tea/coffee amenities, laptop safe, minibar.Learn more
Mayak Hotel Listvyanka 4*
The Hotel Mayak in Listvyanka occupies an enviable waterfront position giving its guests panoramic views over Lake Baikal. Many of the rooms have large windows from which you can watch boats come and go at the boat dock. The hotel itself is well equipped with the facilities you would expect from a property of its class, with a pool, sauna and Russian banya for guests. There’s free WiFi throughout the hotel, room service and assistance with document registration.
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Hotel Angara 3*
The Angara Hotel was named after the great Siberian River and is situated right in the heart of business and financial life of Irkutsk - on the Kirov Square. There are 285 comfortable standard rooms, semi-deluxe and deluxe rooms equipped with a private bathroom, safe, color TV, mini-bar, hairdryer, air-conditioner and Internet access. The hotel has two restaurants, post office, currency exchange office, massage room, sauna with a pool, gym, casino and billiards.Learn more
Terelj Lodge Ger Camp
Ger camps we use on our tours are slightly modified for Western travelers, however they do offer a genuinely authentic experience and most of them are situated in picturesque areas. The gers are made of a wooden frame that is covered with felt. Inside they are generally brightly painted and feature two or four single beds, a small table, chairs, a lamp, electricity sockets and a stove for heating. Learn more
Hotel Platinum Ulan-Bator 4*
Located in the Sukhbaatar district of central Ulan Bator, the Platinum Hotel is a comfortable 4* hotel which has proved popular with guests. Its proximity to Sukhbaatar Square ensures guests are based at the very heart of the Mongolian capital, and premier attraction such as the National Museum of Mongolian History, the Mongolian Theatre Museum, Presidential Palace and the Chinggis Khan Gardens are just a short stroll away.
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Hotel Qianmen’s Jianguo Beijing 4*
Qianmen’s Jianguo Hotel is a popular four star choice located in the heart of central Beijing, a short drive from major sights such as Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven. Boasting over 400 rooms, accommodation at this well-equipped hotel features flat screen television, air conditioning, a kettle and a minibar. Each room is en suite, providing a hairdryer and complimentary toiletries.
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