You can't say you've been in Russia if you haven't stopped in legendary Moscow, and even if you have just one day to spend there, there are a lot of things you can cross from your Russia travel bucket list.
Welcome to the gorgeous capital of Russia - Moscow! Your driver meets you at the airport and transfers you to your centrally located hotel for check-in.
The rest of the day is free so you can relax in your cozy room, dine in one of the nearby restaurants or start exploring the charming city center on your own.
No meals included.
- Optional pre-tour extension available: Begin your journey with an exploration of the legendary Venice of the North and the brilliant Northern capital of Russia - St. Petersburg. Contact your travel specialist for details.
In the morning you meet your guide in the hotel lobby and enjoy a tour of the world-famous treasure trove of the Russian fine art, the Tretyakov Gallery, where you have amazing time viewing the gems of its collection, including the famous masterpieces of Ivan Aivazovsky, Mikhail Vrubel, and Viktor Vasnetsov.
After the tour of the Tretyakov Gallery you have a quick subway ride to explore the most beautiful stations of Moscow Subway, which is known to be one of the most beautiful and efficient metro systems in the world.
You then take a walk through the beautiful Red Square, go inside the colorful St. Basil's Cathedral and explore the famous GUM department store.
After the tour you return to the hotel and have the rest of the day free.
This day is dedicated to the exploration of one of the most outstanding Moscow icons - the Kremlin.
Following breakfast, you check out from the hotel, meet your guide in the hotel lobby and go to the Kremlin territory where you have a chance to explore the gems hidden behind the Kremlin walls such as the Cathedral Square and the Assumption and Annunciation cathedrals.
You then visit the famous Armoury Chamber that houses a unique collection of crown jewels, stunning coronation finery, hand-forged armor and weapons, royal carriages and sleighs, and world-famous Fabergé eggs.
Today you also see the spectacular Cathedral of Christ the Savior and learn the story of its destruction and reconstruction.
Another highlight of the day is a chance to enjoy one of the best city views at Sparrow Hills and see the grand building of Moscow State University, the highest of seven Stalinist skyscrapers of Moscow.
After the tour, you are transferred to the train station to board your private train car!
We carefully select hotels to ensure amazing stay and experience for you.
Start your unforgettable adventure along the Trans-Siberian Route by sightseeing the magnificent capital of Russia, Moscow. After that, hop onboard the train and enjoy the ride!
If the magnificent Lake Baikal is on your travel bucket list, there is no better place to visit than lovely Listvyanka Village. Nestled right on the shores of the unique lake, it boasts numerous wooden churches and breathtaking landscapes.
Following breakfast, you check out from your hotel and your driver transfers you to the train station where you board a train that takes you to the final destination of your Trans-Siberian tour - Ulan Bator.
You spend this day on board your train enjoying fantastic scenery passing by your window.
Breakfast box is included.
You spend this day on board your train enjoying fantastic scenery passing by your window.
No meals included.
In the morning you check out from your hotel and your driver takes you to the train station to beard the train to Moscow.
No meals included.
In the morning you arrive to Irkutsk. Upon arrival, you are transferred right to the Lake Baikal shore and check in to your hotel. On the way you make a stop at a local cafe for breakfast (not included).
After some rest you enjoy a guided tour around Listvyanka Village. During the tour you visit the Baikal Limnological Museum and Aquarium that houses an interesting display of the unique flora and fauna of the lake.
Then you take a chair-lift to the nearby viewpoint to take some magnificent panoramic pictures of Baikal, view the Chersky Rock and visit the 19th century wooden St. Nicolas church and spend some time at a local fish market where you see a great variety of fish and different ways of cooking it.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we invite you for an exclusive experience - a private 3-hour cruise on Lake Baikal. Together with the guide you board a ship that takes you to one of the first Baikal railroad stations. After you get ashore, you walk to the tunnels of the old railroad and take magnificent pictures. On the way back you relax on the open-air deck with a cup of hot Siberian tea and local candies, listening to the stories about the life of locals.
After the cruise you return to your hotel and have the rest of the day free.
Lunch is included.
After breakfast, you take a day trip to the open-air museum of wooden architecture located in Taltsy Village.
This reconstructed Siberian village consists of a number of buildings that were threatened with flooding when the Irkutsk Dam was constructed on the Angara River. All the buildings at the Taltsy museum were rescued from the rising waters and brought here to serve as models of Irkutsk regional architecture.
After the tour, you return to your hotel and have the rest of the day free.
Breakfast is included.
We carefully select hotels to ensure amazing stay and experience for you.
In a short car trip, a reliable driver will take you from the shores of Lake Baikal to Siberia's heart, Irkutsk. On your way to the city, you will enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Russian countryside, as well as multiple alluring views and riverain areas.
Irkutsk, Russia
Irkutsk boasts an amazing location close to China and Mongolia, making it an interesting blend of cultures. The city played a major part in the country's history and is a "must-visit" place for those who want to experience genuine Russia.
After breakfast, you check out from your hotel and have the morning at leisure. After lunch, you meet your guide and driver in the hotel lobby and have a guided tour of the most remarkable city's attractions.
You first walk along Angara River embankment - the most popular meeting place among the locals - to an eternal flame and the monument to explorer Yakov Pohabov, the founder of the city. You proceed to the only Catholic Cathedral in Irkutsk, the beautiful Polish Roman Church, located in the historical part of Irkutsk.
You are then driven to one of the main monasteries in Siberia - Sign Monastery that's also known as the Znamensky Monastery. You also explore the Kazan Church, which with its Byzantine-style decorations looks like a fairy tower, and Block 130, the historical zone with many colorful wooden houses and buildings constructed in the 17th century.
After the tour, you are transferred to the train station to continue your journey further to Ekaterinburg.
Breakfast is included.
After breakfast, you check out from your hotel, and a private driver transfers you to the amazing Russian city of Ulan-Ude where you board a train that takes you to the final destination of your Trans-Siberian tour - striking Ulan Bator.
You spend the rest of the day on board your train enjoying fantastic scenery passing by your window and a company of your fellow travelers from all over the world.
Breakfast box is included.
We carefully select hotels to ensure amazing stay and experience for you.
The next part of your journey is a train trip to Mongolia capital, Ulan Bator, where you will transfer to the Trans-Mongolian Railway. Marvelous panoramas of Lake Baikal and the Russian Buryatia Region sceneries will accompany you, smoothly changing to Mongolian steppes.
Ulan Bator is an off-the-beaten-path city full of treasures waiting to be discovered, and anyone who is looking for a travel destination with a unique culture and unparalleled atmosphere should put the city on a travel bucket list.
After breakfast you check out from your hotel, meet your guide and explore the legendary Mongolian Buddhist Gandan Monastery in Ulan Bator. You then depart from the capital and in about 1.5 hours arrive in the camp and enjoy traditional lunch.
Later you take the tour of the picturesque Gorkhi-Terelji National Park and visit its most popular attractions, including the famous Turtle Rock and the Aryabal Temple located on a steep hill. At the entrance to the temple’s grounds there is a long walking path leading to the set of 108 steep stairs that symbolize the elephant’s elongated trunk. You can rise up to the temple and enjoy the magnificent view of surrounding valleys.
In the evening you enjoy a 1-hour pony riding and have dinner at the camp. You spend this night in a traditional Mongolian yurt.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included.
Following breakfast at the ger camp, you meet your guide and start the day with a visit to a nomadic family to learn more about their culture, authentic lifestyle and traditions.
You continue to the banks of the Tuul River where an iconic 40-meters tall equestrian statue of Genghis Khan is located. During the tour, you explore the interiors of the statue, see a replica of Genghis Khan’s legendary golden whip and walk through the chest and neck of the statue's horse up to its head. At the top, you enjoy an excellent view of the complex area and the surrounding scenery.
After a break for lunch, you make your way to the famous Zaisan Hill which offers the best panorama of Ulan Bator and then to the cashmere factory where you learn how raw materials are being transformed into a thread and then into clothing.
Later you are transferred to your hotel in Ulan Bator and have the rest of the day free.
Breakfast is included.
After breakfast, you meet your guide at the hotel lobby and go on a walking city tour around the most interesting attractions of Ulan Bator.
During the tour, you visit the National Museum of Mongolia, one of the leading museums in the whole country and the one which is responsible for preserving Mongolian cultural heritage. You also stroll along the main streets of the city, see the Parlament house and walk through the central Sukhbaatar Square formerly known as Genghis Khan Square.
After the tour, you return to the hotel to take some rest or continue exploring the city center on your own. In the evening you attend an amazing Mongolian folk show at the State National Song and Dance Academic Ensemble of Mongolia (transfers are included). After the show the rest of the evening is free.
Breakfast is included.
You spend this day on board your train enjoying fantastic scenery passing by your window and a company of your fellow travelers from all over the world.
No meals included.
This is the final day of your amazing Trans-Siberian train tour! In the morning your train arrives in the legendary capital of China - Beijing. Upon arrival, your driver meets you at the train station and transfers you to your hotel or the airport for your flight back home. If you want to continue your travel experience, ask your travel specialist about available tour extension in Beijing.
Optional post-tour extension: Continue your journey further to Beijing and spend 4 days exploring this Chinese gem. Contact your travel specialist for details.
No meals included.
We carefully select hotels to ensure amazing stay and experience for you.
What's included
- Accommodation at remarkable hotels in Moscow, Irkutsk, Listvyanka Village and Ulan Bator;
- Overnight at a traditional Mongolian ger camp;
- 1st or 2nd class tickets for Moscow - Irkutsk, Irkutsk - Ulan Bator and Ulan Bator - Beijing trains;
- Full Russian visa processing service for US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand citizens. Full Mongolian visa processing service for Australian and New Zealand citizens (not required for US and Canadian citizens). Full Chinese* visa processing service for USA, Australian, and New Zealand citizens. Visa support service (invitation) for customers from all other countries;
- Airport transfers with private drivers and all transportation according to the itinerary;
- Breakfasts at the hotels;
- Other meals according to the itinerary;
- Rich sightseeing tours according to the itinerary with professional English-speaking guides;
- Entrance tickets to Kremlin territory & Amber Chamber, St. Basil's Cathedral, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow subway, Baikal Limnological Museum and Aquarium, Aryabal Temple and National Museum of Mongolia;
- Ride on a chair-lift to the Baikal viewpoint;
- Folk show in Ulan Bator;
- Support line during the trip.
Note: Due to specific travel arrangements and train departure times depending on the schedules of Russian and Mongolian Railways, the itinerary may be subject to change.
Note: If we are not able to get 1st class train tickets, a whole 2nd class compartment (4 berths for 2 people's use) will be booked instead.
Note: We include 1 vehicle for your arrival and departure transfers. If multiple vehicles are required additional transfer costs will apply.
Not included: international flights, other meals not mentioned in the program, optional tours and services, gratuities, all personal expenses, Chinese visa processing service for Canadian passport holders.
Tour Highlights
- Exploring Moscow highlights
- Visit to Lake Baikal
- Exploring Irkutsk must-sees
- Meeting Nomadic family and spending night at Ger camp
- Visiting the Gandan Monastery & Folk Show in Ulan Bator
What To Know
- You should bring a few hundred dollars with you on the trip to pay for food as trains do not have ATM machines
- Usual tip size in restaurants is 10% of the check. Recommended tips for guides and drivers is $8-12 per day for a great level of service
- Bringing a water-resistant jacket, umbrella, and some warm clothes is a must
- Siberian climates are unpredictable and weather can be quite harsh even during summers
