Best of Trans-Mongolian: Moscow - Yekaterinburg - Irkutsk - Baikal - Mongolia - Beijing (TS-11)

Hotel Ibis Centre Bakhrushina 3*,
MoscowPart of the Ibis collection, the Moscow Centre 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.

Moscow by Night City Tour by CarMoscow combines the best of old and modern architecture. It is a city of long avenues and majestic squares, leafy boulevards, parks and gardens, new luxury housing, bridges, the granite embankments of Moscow River, and the unique cultural and historical sites. Discover Moscow by night with a guided city tour by car.

3 hours | $95 per person

Tretiakov Gallery Guided TourA guided tour of the Tretiakov Gallery, the biggest collection of Russian fine art in the world. The core of the museum's collection was assembled in the middle of the nineteenth century by Pavel Tretiakov, a wealthy Moscow merchant whose passion for collecting included violins, birds, and milk cows as well as Russian art. The museum represents the whole history of Russian art from the ancient period until now. There are more than 130 000 unique examples of painting, sculpture and graphics, created throughout the centuries by talented Russian artists.

4 hours | $100 per person

Half Day Guided Tour to Sergiev Posad Monastery - the Heart of Russian Orthodox ReligionThe town located in the suburbs of Moscow grew up in the 15th century around one of the greatest Russian monasteries - the Holy Trinity – St. Sergius Lavra (Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra) established by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The town also claims to be the birthplace of the Russian nesting doll, or matryoshka. On our way to Sergiev Posad we will enjoy the charming Russian countryside as the highway runs through huge birch forests, hills, as well as past beautifully decorated country homes.

7 hours | $145 per person

Central Museum of the Armed Forces of Russia Guided TourGuided visit to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces of Russia which contains 24 exhibition halls. The strength of the Museum’s historical collection is in its collection of banners of Soviet and Third Reich Army and personal belongings of Soviet and Nazi leaders (including the General Zhukov and Adolf Hitler). The Museum has a wide range of weapons, military uniforms and decorations. The outside exposition of the Museum presents many armoured vehicles, artillery, antiaircraft systems and battle aircrafts.

4 hours | $100 per person

Trip to Cosmonaut Training Centre - Star CityStar City is situated to the North-West of Moscow in a beautiful pine and birch forest. See the hall where real space vehicles are used to train astronauts, the hydro laboratory, in which future astronauts learn to live and work in conditions of weightlessness, and the largest centrifuge in the world. You will see unique equipment where cosmonauts train for flight, including the MIR simulator. All the crews on the Vostok and Voskhod missions and the various models of manned “Soyuz” spacecraft, as well as those who worked on the MIR orbiting station, were trained here.

6 hours | $235 per person

Diamond Fund Guided TourThe Diamond Fund is located in the Kremlin Armoury containing the most valuable gems of Russia - a collection of masterpieces of jewellery of the 18th-20th centuries, rare precious stones, gold and platinum nuggets of great artistic, historic and scientific importance. It is one of the few treasuries in the world that house unique crown jewels. The exhibition features such treasures as diamond encrusted Coronation Crown of Catherine the Great, the world-famous 190-carat Orlov Diamond among other stunning examples.

2 hours | $120 per person

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Guided TourThis temple was originally constructed on a vow given when banners and keys from conquered cities were brought to the temple. The height of the temple was 103 meters. In December 1931, the temple was blown up. Subsequently, the foundation ditch was used for the construction of a swimming pool. In 1994, the pool was closed and in January 1995 the reconstruction of the temple took place. Today the construction is completed and features both a working church and a museum, where excursions are regularly held.

3 hours | $85 per person

Museum of the Cold War - Former Top Secret Command CenterWe invite you to visit the former top secret command centre of the Russian Armed Forces recently converted into museum of the Cold War period. It is the newest museum opened in Moscow. After entering a regular building in a quite central street of the city and a ride on a rapid elevator 65 meters under the ground you will see a real top secret military facility of the USSR. During a short guided tour you will pass through the secret tunnels, see samples of communication equipment and fire arms.

3 hours | $115 per person

Memorial Museum of AstronauticsMemorial Museum of Astronautics in Moscow is a unique museum devoted to space exploration and development of rocket science. It is located in the basement of the monument "Conquerors of Space" erected in honor of the launch of Sputnik by architects M. Barshch, A. Kolchin and sculptor A. Faydysh - Krandievskiy and opened on 4 November 1964. The monument is made of polished titanium, used in rocket production, its height is 110 meters, and the angle is 77 degrees.

4 hours | $100 per person

Day 1 – Saturday

Transfer from the airport to the hotel

Airport arrival at Moscow where our driver will be waiting with a Go Russia sign and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2 – Sunday

Moscow City Tour by Car

Red Square, St. Basil`s & Lenin Mausoleum Guided Tour

Today we will visit Lubyanka Square - the world-famous KGB center of the Soviet epoch, and Teatralnaya Square, home to the famous Bolshoi Theatre. Then we will continue our walk through Moscow's backstreets and lanes where every building has its own unique and interesting tale to tell. We will also visit Tverskaya Street - the busiest street in Moscow - with myriad shops, restaurants and a unique combination of old, Stalin and modern architecture. We will then take a stroll along the pedestrian zone near the Red Square, where you'll be able to admire the colorful domes of St Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's mausoleum and GUM department store.

Day 3 – Monday

Kremlin Grounds & the Armoury Guided Tour

Moscow Metro Guided Tour

Transfer from the hotel to the railway station

Once the residence of the Tsars and now the base for the Russian president, the Kremlin is a fascinating place to explore. You can almost feel the ghosts of Tsarist Russia in Cathedral Square. Inside the Armoury Museum, marvel at such treasures as Faberge's fabulously decorated eggs, the chalice of Yuri Dolgorukiy and weaponry dating back centuries. Later, take a tour of the Moscow Underground, a work of art in itself with its stations adorned with mosaics, marble, bronze sculptures and stained glass. At the end of the day, our driver will transfer you from the hotel lobby to the train station for your fast overnight train to Yekaterinburg. Choose from first or second class and enjoy a comfortable ride and a meal in the onboard dining car.

Hotel Novotel Center 4*,
YekaterinburgThe 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.

Train: Moscow - Yekaterinburg

Day 3 – Monday

Night train: Moscow - Yekaterinburg

You will travel on a comfortable fast train to Yekaterinburg. Both 1st (2 berth) and 2nd (4 berth) class compartments are available. Clean linen, including sheets, towels, blankets and pillows are provided for each berth. The train also has a dining car that serves good meals. Arrival in Yekaterinburg late in the evening next day.

Yekaterinburg

Itinerary Accommodation Dates and prices

Day 4 – Tuesday

Transfer from the railway station to the hotel

After your late evening arrival in Yekaterinburg, our driver will meet you at the train with a sign bearing your names and transfer you to the hotel.

Yekaterinburg

Day 5 – Wednesday

Ganina Yama & Cathedral on the Blood guided tour

Guided visit to the Europe - Asia border

Transfer from the hotel to the railway station

Our guided sightseeing program in Yekaterinburg includes a moving visit to the Memorial Cathedral on the Blood in the name of all Saints, which was built on the site of the execution of the last Russian Tsar Nikolay II and his family. From there, we'll take you to Ganina Pit, an orthodox monastery where the imperial remains were initially interred and to seven wooden churches in the heart of a centuries-old pine forest. Finally we make an excursion to an obelisk marking the boundary between Europe and Asia where traditionally tourists drink champagne. En route, we pause at the memorial honoring the victims of Stalin’s repressions of the 1930s to 1950s. Our driver will meet you at the hotel lobby to take you to the station for your late evening train. Three days later we will arrive at Irkutsk, the jumping off point for Lake Baikal.

Train: Yekaterinburg - Irkutsk

Day 5 – Wednesday

Night train: Yekaterinburg - Irkutsk

We board our train late in the evening. Arrival in Irkutsk early in the morning three days later.

Irkutsk - Listvyanka

Mayak Hotel 4*,
ListvyankaThe 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.

Olkhon Island Extension - 4 daysWe invite you to visit the heart of the lake Baikal - the island of Olkhon, glorified in many legends. It is the largest of the lake's 30 islands and it contains 143 unique archaeological objects – graves, remains of ancient settlements, ruins, shaman worship monuments and many others. You will also be able to enjoy magnificent natural views, sandy beaches and even swim in the lake (average water temperature in July – August 18 degrees C).

$575 per person

Circum-Baikal Railway Guided Tour by TrainThe Circum-Baikal is not just a railway, but a unique museum of history and nature, combining architecture with zoology, mineralogy and geology. Go Russia invites you to join us on the breathtaking journey around Lake Baikal, on the Circum-Baikal Railway, which runs along the North shore of the Southern part of the lake, from the village of Slyudyanka to the Port Baikal settlement. This is a full-day guided tour, which may start from either Irkutsk or the village of Listvyanka.

11 hours | $295 per person

Trekking at Baikal with PicnicNote: you need to be fit to participate in this trek. This is a circular route hike which starts and ends in Listvyanka. First half of the walk goes through the Taiga forest, then the trail leads down to the shore of Lake Baikal. On the lake shore the guide will cook for you a delicious lunch on camp-fire. After sunbathing and swimming in the lake, we continue our walk on the hillside enjoying the panorama of Lake Baikal along the way. You will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide.

6 hours | $85 per person

Ride a Quad in ListvyankaRide a quad in Listvyanka village, enjoy stunning views of Lake Baikal and experience taiga forest. You will be riding a quad with another person (in total 2 persons per quad) accompanied by an English speaking guide. A picnic lunch will be served on the lake shore.

2 hours | $145 per person

Circum-Baikal Railway Walking TourEnjoy a walking tour along the Circum-Baikal railway – a truly historic line - starting from Port Baikal to the first or second tunnel. You’re bound to be impressed by the stunning views of Lake Baikal, its magnificent beauty and the surrounding hills. This is a circular route, which starts and ends in Listvyanka village.

6 hours | $85 per person

Listvyanka Tour & Visit to the Baikal MuseumEnjoy a guided walk in the village including a visit to the Baikal museum. Your guide will also show you the famous Shaman Rock and tell you the legend about the naughty Angara River. Take a cable lift to get to a nearby view point from where you’ll get a chance to take panoramic pictures of Baikal. Enjoy your visit to a local 19th century wooden St. Nicolas church and a local fish market where you’ll see a great variety of fish and different ways of cooking it. Price includes services of an English-speaking guide, entrance tickets to the Baikal museum, transport from the village centre to the Baikal museum and back, cable car (one way).

4 hours | $145 per person

Horse Riding in TaigaEnjoy horse-riding along the largest lake on our planet or deep in Taiga forest. Before the horse riding session you will receive a short briefing and your instructor will show you how to get on a horse and how to control it. Please note, there will be no English – speaking guide with you, only an instructor who speaks basic English.

3 hours | $115 per person

Day 8 – Saturday

Transfer by car / minibus: Irkutsk - Listvyanka

At leisure at Baikal

Following our early morning arrival in Irkutsk our guide will meet you at the train for your transfer to Listvyanka village on the shores of Lake Baikal (appr. 70 km). There you will have free time, during which you can visit the Baikal Lake Museum, see the St Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church, visit the market or take a boat trip on the lake itself.

Listvyanka - Irkutsk

Hotel Angara 3*,
IrkutskThe 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.

$575 per person

Day 9 – Sunday

Transfer by car / minibus: Listvyanka - Irkutsk

Open-air Wooden Architecture Museum in Taltsy

Irkutsk City Tour

Our guide will meet you at your accommodation for your transfer to Irkutsk. On the way, we make a stop at Taltsy to see the open air Wooden Architecture Museum located in the heart of the forest on the banks of the Angara River. There you'll learn about village life, see the interiors of a Russian fort, a Shaman yurt and a 15th century watchtower, as well as glimpse at the lifestyle of the Buryat and Evenk people. Back in Irkutsk, known as the Paris of Siberia, we enjoy a guided city tour which will reveal the rustic but beautiful timber cottages with their wooden fretwork.

Irkutsk

Day 10 – Monday

Transfer from the hotel to the railway station

Our driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer you to the train station.

Train: Irkutsk - Ulaanbaatar

Day 10 – Monday

Night train: Irkutsk - Ulaanbaatar

We leave the warm hospitality of the Siberian Russians and start our trip to Mongolia by comfortable train. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar next day early in the morning.

Ulan Bator - Terelj

Lodge Ger Camp,
TereljGer 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.

World Energy Point by TrainDornogobi (Eastern Gobi) province located in the south-east of the country and bordering on China, is part of the Gobi desert belt. Sand dunes Burden Gashuun, Tsagaan Els and Tavan Tolgoi stretch along the borders of the aimag (province). The main attraction of the region is Khamriin Khiid Monastery, founded by the famous monk and poet of the 19th century Danzan Ravjaa, however, ruined in the 1930s. Today, the new monastery with two temples is re-opened. Near the caves, where Danzan Ravjaa and his disciples meditated there are 9 stupas built to commemorate him. Dinosaur bones and fossils have also been found in the area.

$575 per person

Day 11 – Tuesday

Transfer by car / minibus: Ulaanbaatar - Terelj

Chinggis Khaan Monument guided tour

Terelj National Park guided trip

Our guide will meet you at the railway station for your transfer to Terelj National Park. Soon after leaving the Mongolian capital we find ourselves at the gleaming 40 meter tall statue of Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) on horseback, currently the largest equestrian statue in the world. Visitors climbing to the horse's head are rewarded with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Upon reaching Terelj National Park, famous for its granite rock formations and pristine alpine scenery, we will visit the famous Turtle Rock and also hike to Aryabal Monastery. We will have an opportunity to visit a nomad family and explore their traditional way of life by learning how to milk a cow and prepare dairy products. In summer we stay overnight in a traditional Mongolian ger - a traditional sturdy wood and felt type tent. In winter we stay in a wooden lodge.

Terelj - Ulan Bator

Hotel Platinum 4*,
Ulan-Bator 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.

$575 per person

Day 12 – Wednesday

Transfer by car / minibus: Terelj - Ulaanbaatar

Ulan Bator City Tour

Guided Visit to the National History Museum

Our driver will collect you from your accommodation and transfer you to Ulan Bator where you'll enjoy a city tour. We will visit Gandan Hiid Monastery, the country’s largest remaining monastery, Sukhebaatar Square and the Museum of Natural History, where you will see dinosaur remains as well as other archaeological finds from the Mesozoic Era excavated from the Gobi desert. We will also pay a visit to the National History Museum where your guide will teach you about Mongolia's rich cultural heritage.

Day 13 – Thursday

Transfer from the hotel to the railway station

Our driver will meet you with a sign board at the lobby of the hotel to transfer you to the railway station for your overnight train to Beijing.

Train: Ulaanbaatar - Beijing

Day 13 – Thursday

Night train: Ulaanbaatar - Beijing

Travelling by train 24 is probably the most popular way of getting from Mongolia into China and you will find more foreigners than local people on this train. This is a good chance to meet people from all over the world and practice your French, German or maybe Italian. There are 1st class (2 berth compartment with one lower and one upper berth) and 2nd class (4 berth compartment with two lower and two upper berths) carriages on this train. First class compartments also feature an arm chair, a small table and a toilet with a shower shared between two neighbouring compartments. Second class compartments do not have private facilities, there are two toilets (one at the beginning and one at the back of each carriage) and no shower in the second class carriage. Hot boiled water is available in carriages and train attendants provide thermos kettles. The train has a dining car and a bar with reasonable prices.

Beijing

Hotel Qianmen’s Jianguo 4*,
BeijingQianmen’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.

Extension Trip to Xian from BeijingWe invite you for an optional extension trip from Beijing to Xian - one of the four ancient capitals of China and an important cultural centre of the country. You will travel by an overnight train to Xian where upon arrival you will enjoy full day guided excursions with an English-speaking guide, including Terracotta army, Big Wild Gooze Pagoda, City Wall, etc. You will also have some free time to visit the old markets in Drum Tower and Great Mosque area before transfer back to the railway station. Lunch included.

$475 per person

Hong Kong Extension - 4 daysHong Kong has enjoyed special status since being returned to China by the British in 1997. This prosperous and vibrant territory is a world-class destination beloved by many for its curious and unique mix of eastern and western cultures. The towering skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island and the sheltered harbour that divides it from bustling Kowloon are perhaps its most iconic sight. But there’s much more to explore: outlying islands boast secluded beaches and charming fishing villages that are surprisingly rural yet easy to reach from the city. A short boat ride away is the neighbouring territory of Macao, returned by the Portuguese in 1999, and a fascinating contrast to Hong Kong.

$845 per person

Summer Palace Guided TourWe will visit the magnificent Summer Palace located 15 kilometres (9.4 miles) away from central Beijing. The Palace represents an outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design and is included on UNESCO World Heritage List.

$180 per person

Day 14 – Friday

Transfer from the railway station to the hotel

Hutong Neighbourhood by Rickshaw Guided Tour

Enjoy Shichahai Lake

On arrival in Beijing, our driver will be waiting for you with a sign board at the station to transfer you to the hotel. Beijing is a modern city, but we will begin by visiting one of its oldest neighborhoods, a hutong by Shichahai Lake. Hutong, a description dating back to the 13th century Yuan dynasty, means a city area with narrow streets or alleys. Few of these fascinating areas remain, a casualty of China's rapid economic development. Leaving the hutong, we will continue by rickshaw to Shichahai Lake and the Drum Tower in the heart of old Beijing. Enjoy fantastic views of the lake, and the former princes' houses and well preserved courtyards which surround it. You can also take an optional boat trip on the lake. Your evening is free to continue to explore China's vibrant capital city at your own pace.

Day 15 – Saturday

Guided tour of Tiananmen Square

Guided tour of the Forbidden City and Imperial Palace

Summer Palace Guided Tour

Located in the center of Beijing, at 440 000 square meters, Tiananmen is the largest city square in the world. It is culturally significant and also the site of several key events in Chinese history, most recently in 1989 when government troops stopped pro-democracy protesters there. To the north of the square lies the Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which we shall explore on a guided tour. Later we will make our way to the magnificent Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 16 – Sunday

Guided Tour of the Badaling Great Wall

Visit to the Olympic Green

Today we make our way 44 miles north of Beijing to Badaling, the most accessible stretch of the Great Wall of China and also the best preserved, where we take a guided tour. Following our visit, we will see the Olympic Green, site of some of the best known venues built for the 2008 Games: the Beijing National Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Green Hockey Field and many more.

Day 17 – Monday

Transfer from the hotel to the airport

All good things must come to an end. Our driver will meet you with a sign board at the hotel lobby and deliver you to the airport for your flight home.