Day 1 - 2
Wednesday - Thursday - Vladivostok
Overnight Flight. Arrival in Vladivostok. Transfer to the Hotel
You’ll board your overnight flight this evening for the Russian port city of Vladivostok. Settle back in your seat as you fly across ten time zones, a reminder of the vast size of this enchanting country. On arrival in Vladivostok, you’ll be met by our representative for your transfer to the hotel.
Overnight: hotel
Day 3
Friday - Vladivostok
Vladivostok City Tour. Visit to the Submarine Museum. Departure to Irkutsk
This morning you’ll embark on a tour of the city of Vladivostok. Key sights include the century-old Vladivostok Fortress, whose construction was halted as a result of the First World War and the October Revolution, and the Monument to the Fighters for Soviet Power in the Far East. You’ll see the Intercession Church and Catholic Church. From the Korabelnaya Naberezhnaya (the Warship Embankment) you'll learn more about the history of the Russian Fleet. After a visit to the interesting Submarine Museum, where you’ll have the chance to board a Soviet C-56 submarine, we’ll take you to the train station to board a different mode of transport – your first train, bound for Ulan Ude.
Overnight: train
Day 4 - 5
Saturday - Sunday
Onboard
On average it’s a 66 hour journey from Vladivostok to Ulan Ude by train, giving you plenty of time to experience what it’s like to ride the fabled Trans-Siberian railway. Relax in your comfortable compartment as you watch the train eat up the miles. Take a walk to the restaurant car and socialise with your fellow passengers. Fetch a glass of tea made with hot water from the samovar from your provodnitsa, the carriage attendant who’ll look after you while you’re on board.
Overnight: train
Day 6
Monday - Ulan-Ude
Ulan-Ude
It’s time to alight in Ulan Ude, the Russian city close to the Mongolian border where you pick up the Trans-Mongolian heading south. For now, you’ll transfer to the hotel where we’ve arranged a short orientation meeting with a local guide to familiarise you with the city.
Overnight: hotel
Day 7
Tuesday - Ulan-Ude
Ulan-Ude
This morning you’ll enjoy some free time which we suggest you use to explore the compact city centre on foot. The city is known throughout Russia for the statue of Lenin. This enormous bronze head is the largest of the Soviet leader ever cast, measuring almost 8 metres tall and weighing in at 42 tons. It was erected in 1970 to coincide with the centenary of Lenin’s birth. Later, transfer to the railway station where you’ll pick up your connection to Ulan Bator, the Mongolian capital.
Overnight: train
Day 8
Wednesday - Ulan Bator - Terelj
Arrival in Mongolia. Enjoy Terelj National Park
You’ll arrive in Ulan Bator to find a driver waiting for you to take you to Terelj National Park. A short distance from the city you’ll find a huge statue of Genghis Khan (also known as Chinggis Khaan), the largest equestrian statue in the world. Visitors can climb inside the horse upon which the formidable warrior Emperor sits, peering out from its head to take in the panoramic views across the Mongolian countryside. Moving on, we reach the gorgeous Alpine landscapes of Terelj National Park, famed for its granite rock formations. There, we will visit Turtle Rock and hike to Aryabal Monastery. There’ll be an opportunity to visit a nomad family so you can learn how to milk a cow and prepare dairy products.
Overnight: typical felt tent known as a ger (summer), traditional wooden lodge (winter)
Day 9
Thursday - Ulan Bator
Ulan Bator City Tour. National History Museum
We’ll leave the incredible Mongolian countryside behind today and take you back to Ulan Bator. We’ve included a city tour of the capital during which you’ll pay a visit to the National History Museum to get a flavour of the country’s unique culture and view archaeological finds excavated from the Gobi Desert and dinosaur remains. Other stops include the sprawling Gandan Hiid Monastery and Sukhebaatar Square which is the hub of activity in the capital.
Overnight: hotel
Day 10
Friday - Ulan Bator
Free time
Today you’ll enjoy free time in Ulan Bator. You may wish to stay in the city to shop for supplies and souvenirs or perhaps, if you’re keen to see more of the Mongolian countryside, you might arrange a day excursion to hike in the Bogd Khaan Mountain National Park or perhaps set out in search of Mongolian wild horses in their natural habitat in Khustai National Park, an idyllic place west of the capital.
Overnight: hotel
Day 11
Saturday
Onboard
Today, you’ll transfer to the station where you’ll jump on a train bound for Irkutsk. This elegant city is the jumping off point for side trips to Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake. Settle in for this overnight service which will see you cross the border back to Russia.
Overnight: train
Day 12
Sunday - Irkutsk – Listvyanka
Lake Baikal
After several days in the train, Baikal's expansive waters are just the tonic. We'll make an included transfer from Irkutsk railway station to the little village of Listvyanka which perches on the lakeshore. There, you'll have plenty of free time to spend as you please, for example by taking a boat trip out on this, the world's deepest freshwater lake.
Day 13
Monday - Listvyanka
At Leisure at Baikal
Today we provide another opportunity for Baikal relaxation and sightseeing. Occupy your time as you please, perhaps with a visit to the St. Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church or the Baikal Lake Museum where you will learn Siberian traditions, history, flora and fauna of the lake.
Day 14
Tuesday – Listvyanka – Irkutsk
Wooden Architecture Museum in Taltsy. Exploring Irkutsk. Departure to Yekaterinburg
Our guide will meet you at your accommodation and transfer to Irkutsk via the open air Wooden Architecture Museum. Located in a picturesque forest in the bank of the River Angara in Taltsy, you'll be able to browse the wooden houses and tents once typical of this area. You can learn about the lifestyles of the local Buryat and Evenk people, go inside a Russian fort and a 15th Century watchtower and see a shaman's yurt. We'll finish up the day with a city tour of beautiful Irkutsk before boarding the train that will take us all the way to Yekaterinburg.
Day 15
Wednesday
Onboard
Onboard
Day 16
Thursday - Yekaterinburg
Transfer to the Hotel
It's a two-day trip across Siberia to Yekaterinburg but on arrival our driver will meet you at the carriage with a Go Russia sign board. Transfer to the hotel this evening and settle in.
Day 17
Friday - Yekaterinburg
Ganina Yama & Cathedral on the Blood. Europe-Asia Border
Yekaterinburg is infamous as the site of the execution of the last Russian Tsar Nikolay II and his family. We shall pay our respects with a visit to the Memorial Cathedral on the Blood in the name of all Saints, which was built on the execution site itself. We'll continue to Ganina Pit, an orthodox monastery constructed where the remains were originally interred and also visit seven wooden churches in the heart of a centuries-old pine forest. Lastly, given our proximity, we won't want to miss the opportunity of seeing the obelisk that marks the boundary between Europe and Asia.
Day 18
Saturday - Yekaterinburg
Departure to Moscow
Our driver will meet you at the hotel lobby, ready to transfer to the railway station. Our fast train departs after breakfast and carries us to our final destination, Moscow.
Day 19
Sunday - Moscow
Exploring Moscow. Red Square, St. Basil’s, Lenin Mausoleum
After our overnight train journey, we arrive in Moscow the following morning where our driver will be waiting to transfer us to the hotel. Later, we'll wander through the streets of the Russian capital at a leisurely walking pace, our tour leading us to such sights as the world-famous KGB centre of the Soviet epoch in Lubyanka Square and Teatralnaya Square where we'll find the Bolshoi Theatre. Continuing through the heart of Moscow's shopping and restaurant district, we will reach Red Square. This iconic square is where we can see St Basil's Cathedral with its colourful domes, GUM department store, Kazan Cathedral and the Kremlin towers. Lenin is also interred here and you can get up close to his embalmed body in the Mausoleum standing at the foot of the Kremlin's walls.
Day 20
Monday - Moscow
Kremlin & Armoury
Our final day of sightseeing will be spent inside the Kremlin. It's now the base of the Russian president but was once the Tsar's home. The cathedrals of the Kremlin will delight with their long history but it's the Armoury Museum that's the real treasure - quite literally, as it contains not only weaponry but also such exhibits as the chalice of Yuri Dolgorukiy, the helm and armour of Boris Godunov, collection of over fifty Faberge eggs, as well as golden and silver works of applied art by Russian, European and Oriental masters. Lastly today, we'll take a ride on the Moscow Underground, almost a museum in itself with eclectic decoration including marble, mosaic, stained glass and bronze sculpture.
Day 21
Tuesday - Moscow
Departure for the Airport
Transfer to the airport. Our driver will meet you with a Go Russia sign board at the hotel lobby.
Tour Dates & Prices
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All our hotels and traditional accommodation at lake Baikal (a guest ? house) 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.
Hotel Azimut Vladivostok 4*
Azimut Hotel Vladivostok complex consists of two separate blocks: Vladivostok and Amur Bay and is conveniently located close to the city center with all its attractions within easy reach. The hotel is an ideal place for business and leisure travelers. There are 624 comfortable rooms at the hotel. All rooms are equipped with modern furniture, satellite TV and phone, free internet access. The hotel restaurant for up to 200 persons offers fabulous panoramic views of the city. There are also Azimut Café - a neat cozy café at the fourth floor of the Vladivostok building, and Azimut Bar offering soft and alcoholic drinks, light snacks, both open 24 hours.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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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 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
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