Trans Siberian Orient Express Train

Day 1. Beijing

Arrival to the fascinating and dynamic city of Beijing. Meeting at the airport (the driver will be holding the sign “Russia Travel Group”). Accommodation in the hotel.
This unique city will amaze you, appealing to all your senses – by colour and sound, smell and taste. It will leave indelible impressions of the continual contrast between the ancient history and traditions alongside the technology of the 21st century.

Excursion to the Great Wall. The only architectural structure visible from space, the Great Wall is a grandiose monument to the ancient Chinese civilization. Built to defend the civilized world from the fierce and capable Mongol horsemen, the Wall stretches over 5,000 km across China’s mountainous northern frontier.

Dinner in the restaurant. Overnight.

Day 2. Beijing

Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Departure to the excursion.

You will have unforgettable day and see all city's greatest highlights, including the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Ming Tomb and the magnificent Summer Palace.

Leave Beijing in the evening. Enjoy the countryside scenery and the landscape of Xilingol Grassland en route.

Day 3. Erlian

The Erlian Basin is located in the north border area between China and Mongolia.
You will complete the customs formalities and enter Zaminuund, the Mongolian border city and drive to Ikhboli town of South Gobi province of Mongolia. Drive to the Dalanzadgad, the capital city of South Gobi province. Enjoy the Gobi scenery on the way. This tour includes excursion to the Ghoby desert. The South Gobi Desert is a well-known tourist destination, covering an area of 63,845 square miles, where Gurvansaikhan National Park is the major sight.

Overnight in the train.

Day 4. Ulaan Baator

Arrival in Ulaan Baator (Mongolian capital). Meeting with an English-speaking guide.
City tour to visit Sukhbaatar Square, a large and famous landmark at heart of Ulaanbaatar, where the Parliament, the Government House, Stock Exchange and many other important establishments are concentrated; the Gandan Monastery, the largest and most significant monastery in Mongolia; Bogdo Khan Palace Museum, built between 1893 and 1903, the Winter Palace of Bogdo Khan who was the last King of Mongolia.

In the evening, you will enjoy a traditional Mongolian singing and dancing performance.

Overnight in hotel “Ulan Bator”.

Day 5. Ulaan Baator

Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with a guide at the hotel lobby. Departure to excursion.
We will travel to Terelj National Park, which is famous for its unique granite rock formations, pristine alpine scenery and diverse flora and fauna. We will have an opportunity to visit a real Nomad family and see its traditional way of living.

Overnight in the train.

Day 6. Ulan Ude

In the morning the train riches the city Ulan Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic.

Departure to excursion. A guide will show you major monuments, including the surreal Lenin’s head – the biggest one in the world. This monument has remained unchanged since Communist times. Then you will have guided trip to the Buddhist Monastery, which is the main active Buddhist religion centre in Russia.

In the evening you will be transferred to a railway station to continue our Trans-Siberian adventure.

Day 7. Baikal Lake

Today you will have another opportunity to explore the local village and the Lake Baikal area.
For the Russian people Lake Baikal is a natural treasure. Located in Siberia near the Mongolian border, and surrounded by mountains, forests and wild rivers, Baikal is an immense and breathtaking area of physical beauty. Baikal holds twenty percent of the earth's fresh water and harbors more endemic species of plants and animals than any other lake in the world. Baikal is not just a lake, but something greater and deeper. It is bottomless and majestic, but not an ocean or sea in which man loses all his visible bearings. There we sense the greatness of nature, feeling at one with it, not alienated from it, which is a rare phenomenon in developed countries. Baikal is a bridge to space. You must see Baikal to be able to say what it is like.

Walking excursion to Listvyanka village, situated on the shore of Lake Baikal. In Listvyanka, we will have a guided tour of the Baikal Lake Museum followed by a sightseeing tour of the village, including a visit to the St. Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church. In the evening we will have an opportunity to enjoy a real Siberian banya (sauna) - optional.

Dinner at the restaurant, folk show.

Overnight in the train.

Day 8. Irkutsk

Arrival in Irkutsk in the morning. Your English-speaking guide will help you to explore Irkutsk, a beautiful town known as the "Paris of Siberia". Sightseeing tour of Irkutsk including visits to the historical center, Znamensky Orthodox Cathedral noted for its original iconostasis and graves of the Decembrists. During the tour, you will see the 18th century churches, brightly painted shutters and log houses decorated with wooden lacework, as well as examples of modern Russian architecture and soaring bridges that reach out across the river Angara. You will have the opportunity to visit the unique concert of classic music.

Optional lunch in downtown restaurant.

Overnight in the train.

Day 9. Krasnoyarsk

Arrival to Krasnoyarsk. Guided city tour.
Krasnoyarsk lies along Enisey river — one of the most beautiful and powerful rivers of Siberia. It is surrounded by mountains, giving a very interesting flavour to the city views. The history of Krasnoyarsk counts back to the year 1628 when it was founded by the cossack Andrey Dubensky. At that time it used to be a local center and was an important transport hub for river transport.

Meeting with a guide. City tour.

Overnight in the train.

Day 10. Novosibirsk

Arrival to Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia with population over 1,6 million inhabitants, and it is the richest city in the region. The city was considered to be the business capital of Siberia, so the largest Siberian banks and the Siberian Stock and Commodity Exchanges are situated there.
Novosibirsk is an interesting mix of a big city and provincial town.
City tour with visit to the "Akademgorodok"(Academy town). In the 1957 Siberian Branch of Academy of Science built this special town in the pine forest on the shore of the Ob Sea (man-made huge reservoir on the Ob-river).

Overnight in the train.

Day 11. Ural and Ekaterinburg

Arrival to Ekaterinburg. Ekaterinburg is the capital of the Ural Federal District, which covers an area of about 2 million sq. km. The territory possesses the main oil and gas fields in Russia, and the richest deposits of iron and polymetallic ores. The world largest metallurgical enterprises are located in the Urals, concentrating here due to the great industrial and intellectual potential.

Meeting with a guide. City tour. During the tour you will see Europe-Asia border obelisk, Kamenniye Palatki (Stone Tents) and Shartash Lake, Verkh-Isetski Pond, The biggest pond on Iset.

At night you will reach Omsk. Omsk is a rather big city of West-Siberian region of Russian Federation. It is considered to be the most western one, judging location, among the biggest Siberian Cities.

Overnight in the train.

Day 12. In a train

Day in a train. You will watch the magnificent landscapes and nature from your train.

Overnight in the train.

Day 13. St. Petersburg

Arrival to St.Petersburg. Meeting at the railway station (the driver will be holding the sign “Russia Travel Group”).
Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great as a 'window on the West', and named in honor of St Peter, St Petersburg is testament to the grandeur of Imperial Russia under the tsars. Built on a delta, where the Neva and the Fontanka rivers meet, the city is essentially a series of islands, rivers and canals, joined by magnificent bridges, a feature which has earned it the title 'The Venice of the North' or 'City with 101 Islands'. The architecture is on an ambitious scale, and the wealth of palaces and cathedrals, boulevards and colonnaded facades painted in Mediterranean colours cannot fail to amaze you.

Meeting with a guide. Departure to excursion “City tour”. During this tour you will see all major city attractions (3 hours) with visit to Peter and Paul Fortress. You will see the magnificent St.Isaac’s cathedral, Vasilyevsky island, The University, The Winter Palace, the Palace square, Church of the Savior on the Blood, the square of Arts and other famous places and monuments.
Second part of excursion: Peterhof.
Peterhof is a jewel of the Russian art, a town of parks, palaces and fountains. In the past it used to be an exquisite summer residence of the Russian tsars. The Upper and the Lower Parks are the masterpieces of art of gardening numbering over 170 fountains, 5 monumental cascades. In August 2000 after a 60-years break the second largest cascade Lviny was opened. On the territory of the reserve there are 9 working museums: the Grand Peterhof Palace, Monplaisir, Catherine's Block, Marli, Hermitage, Saint-Alexander Nevsky Church, the Benois family museum, Cottage and the Bath block with newly restored rooms and kitchen. Excursion in Peterhof is often enlarged with the excursion to Oranienbaum, which is 15 minutes, by car from Peterhof.

Optional ballet performance in the Mariinsky theatre. Departure to the train late in the evening.

Overnight in the train.

Day 14. Moscow

Arrival to Moscow. Meeting at the railway station (the driver will be holding the sign “Russia Travel Group”).
Free time for shopping, picture taking.

Meeting with a guide. Optional excursions (on your request).

Farewell dinner at the national Russian restaurant.

Transfer to the interantional airport.
Departure from Russia.

Price is starting from $ 5 480

Included:

- hotel accommodation (category 4*)

- all departure / arrival transfers as per the itinerary

- train tickets as per the itinerary

- meals as per the itinerary

- all events as per the itinerary

- individual licensed English speaking guide’s services-

- entrance tickets

- visa support documents