St. Petersburg
Hotel Nevsky Grand 3*,
St. PetersburgHotel Nevsky Hotel Grand is ideally located in the center of St. Petersburg, and within easy walking distance of the famous landmarks of St. Petersburg - such as Hermitage; Kazan, St. Isaac's and Savior on Spilled Blood Cathedrals; Russian museum. The hotel features elegant interior and cozy homelike atmosphere. The hotel’s 135 guest rooms and 5 suites are designed in the modern style with a touch of antique, complimented by the technological amenities, including telephone, free WiFi, interactive satellite television, safe, air-conditioning system. There is a hall on every floor with soft drinks, coffee and tea, open 24 hours a day.
Draw Bridges Night Tour by CarLike Venice, St. Petersburg is spread across a lot of big and small islands and it's hard to walk more than a few hundred meters without crossing a bridge! St. Petersburg has the largest number of bridges of any city in the entire world. With a total of 539 bridges (315 in the historical centre alone), not even Venice, Stockholm or Amsterdam can beat the city’s total! And more than 20 of all bridges are drawbridges. The elegance of some bridges can be compared only to the beauty of the city architectural ensembles. The bridges of St. Petersburg have become an integral part of the city.
2 hours | $145 per person
Folk Show at Nikolaevsky PalaceThe folk show "Feel Yourself Russian" is comprised of the bright performances of St. Petersburg professional folk companies. During two hours of this dynamic colourful and picturesque show you will hear tuneful folk songs - romantic, and full of life, watch sparkling dances of different provinces of Russia, and learn that some items - such as saws, wooden spoons, and other traditional household appliances - can also be used as musical instruments! The national colour of the performance is enriched with the bright dresses made in accordance with Russian traditions.
2 hours | $75 per person
Russian Museum Guided TourRussian museum features the largest collection of Russian art no other museum in the world can boast of. Over 400,000 exhibits reflect history of Russian fine art from the ancient icons to the 20th century avant-garde, presenting all the stages, schools and genres. The permanent exhibition of the State Russian Museum presents the works of Russian and Soviet artists and covers the period from the 11th century till nowadays. Along with paintings, the museum boasts unique collections of works of folk art, decorative and applied art, and numismatics.
4 hours | $80 per person
St. Petersburg Boat Trip with an Audio-guideA new perspective on St. Petersburg can be gained from water-level and the boat trips visit some areas of the city that might not be reached on ground. The looming silhouettes of the bridges, the grandeur of the waterways, the granite embankments with their various piers and slipways, the 18th and 19th century palaces and parks on the banks of the Neva and the canals, architectural landmarks in the form of the domes and spires of churches and cathedrals, visible from a long way off - all this contributes to the unique appearance of the "Venice of the North".
1 hour | $35 per person
Day 1 – Thursday
Transfer from the airport to the hotel
Airport arrival at St Petersburg where our driver will be waiting with a Go Russia sign and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2 – Friday
St. Petersburg City Tour by Car
This elegant museum city is perfect for exploring at an unhurried pace. Today, you'll fall in love with this most European of Russian cities as you take a guided city tour by car. See the Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Isaac's Cathedral and the Church of Christ's Resurrection (also known as The Saviour of the Blood). We will also take you to the famous cruiser Aurora, the legendary ship whose cannon gave the signal, on the order of Lenin, for the beginning of the Great Social Revolution almost a century ago.
Day 3 – Saturday
Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace) Guided Tour
Transfer from the hotel to the railway station
Once you've taken a guided tour of the Hermitage, the Winter Palace the former residence of the Russian Tsars, you'll agree with us when we say it's one of best museums in the world. The architecturally splendid building houses a comprehensive collection of over three million works of art including those by Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and the French Impressionists. Later, you'll be met in the hotel lobby for your transfer to the railway station, where you'll take an overnight train to Moscow.
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Train: St. Petersburg - Moscow
Day 3 – Saturday
Grand Express: St. Petersburg - Moscow
For demanding travellers who prefer to travel in particular comfort, Russian railways now offer a luxury travel option to discover a style fit for a Tzar! The introduction of a new train, the “Grand Express”, on the Moscow-St. Petersburg line is changing current assumptions about comfortable rail travel which is comparable in standard to that of a good hotel. Indeed, the “Grand Express” is a real hotel on wheels that features spacious sleeping compartments with toilets, showers, air-conditioning, wide sofas, LCD TV, DVD-players and WI-FI. “Grand Express” train also has standard 9 compartments carriages of 1st and 2nd class.
More details.
Moscow
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
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
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
Day 4 – Sunday
Transfer from the railway station to the hotel
Moscow City Tour by Car
Red Square, St. Basil`s & Lenin Mausoleum Guided Tour
On arrival at the railway station our driver will be waiting at the end of the platform to transfer you to your hotel. Later, 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 5 – 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.
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Train: Moscow - Yekaterinburg
Day 5 – 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
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.
Day 6 – 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.
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Yekaterinburg
Day 7 – 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.
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Train: Yekaterinburg - Irkutsk
Day 7 – 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
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 10 – 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.
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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.
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
Day 11 – 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.
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Irkutsk
Train: Irkutsk - Ulaanbaatar
Day 12 – 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
Day 13 – 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.
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Terelj - Ulan Bator
Day 14 – 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 15 – 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.
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Train: Ulaanbaatar - Beijing
Day 15 – 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
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 16 – 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 17 – 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 18 – 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 19 – 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.
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