Classic Trans-Siberian Express
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URL: http://www.travelallrussia.com/trans-siberian/moscow-irkutsk-beijing-tour116.html
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Moscow Welcome to Moscow. The historic capital of Russia and its largest and most vibrant city. You will be arriving around noon and your driver will be waiting for you at the exit gate of the airport. After hotel check in, you can relax in your room after the flights, grab a bite in the hotel's restaurant or nearby. We recommend that you get enough rest as you have an eventful program planned for tomorrow. * We would be glad to offer you extension in Moscow and St. Petersburg with interesting and indepth excursions accompanied by a professional guide. Please ask your destination specialist for additional information about extension in these cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg |
| Day 2 | Moscow Your guide will meet you at the hotel lobby and you will start your city tour. Today, you will go on one of the most interesting tours in the world as we explore Moscow's most amazing sites. We will explore the famous Red Square and go inside of St. Basil Cathedral built by Ivan the Terrible in 15th century. We will take you inside of Kremlin on a thorough tour of Russian history. You will explore the Moscow's most amazing sites with your own professional private guide. |
| Day 3 | Depart from Moscow Today is a start of your great journey across Eurasia. During this trip you will explore the mighty Ural Mountains and Baikal Lake, drive through the dunes of Mongolian desert Gobi, observe agricultural and economical miracles of China. But before that you will visit Tretiakov Gallery and Moscow Subway. Your driver will take you to the train station at 8:30 pm Your train departure is at 9:35 pm. PLEASE NOTE: LATE CHECKOUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THE PACKAGE. YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO CHECK OUT IN THE MORNING. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE YOUR BAGS AT THE HOTEL, OR YOU CAN REQUEST A LATE CHECK OUT. TO ARRANGE LATE CHECK OUT IN ADVANCE, PLEASE ASK YOUR TOUR SPECIALIST. |
| Day 4 | The Ural Mountains The Ural Mountains divide Europe and Asia and have been the backbone of Russia's industry for more than 300 years. Take advantage of the amazing photo-ops as you pass through these world wonders. |
| Day 5 | Entering Siberia Having left the Urals behind, our train will be crossing the Great Eurasian Plateau towards Siberia. Siberia is distant, but not desolate. In fact, we will visit Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, which has almost as many inhabitants as Atlanta. Novosibirsk is an important scientific center and even Microsoft maintains offices here. |
| Day 6 | Sayany Mountains Sayany is a gorgeous mountain range in the southern part of Siberia. It features breathtaking landscapes, rich wildlife and untouched nature. |
| Day 7 | Irkutsk 07:30 Arrive in Irkutsk, met by guide and driver. 08:00 Transfer to the Victoria hotel in Irkutsk for early check-in. 09:00 Breakfast at the hotel. Rest, free time 14:00 One and half hour “Round up” city tour of Irkutsk by car taking in the most interesting sights and peculiar features of Irkutsk including its beautiful Russian Orthodox churches, the Polish Cathedral (the only Siberian Gothic-style building), it wooden houses decorated with "wooden laces" (hand-made carvings) as well as modern constructions of the 20 century and the Decembrists' House. 15:30 Return to the hotel. |
| Day 8 | First Day on Baikal, Listvyanka Village 07:30 Transfer from the hotel to the railway station. 08:00 A full day trip around Lake Baikal by the famous Circum Baikal Railroad on one of the most complicated stretches of railways in the world that includes 39 tunnels totalling 7 km in its 86 km length. The tour stops at some the most picturesque places on-route to experience the nature of this unique area and at the marble mining city of Sludyanka. 14:00 Lunch at the Polovinnaya station. 19:30 Ferry crossing to Listvyanka. Check-in to the Chalet. Dinner. Overnight in Listvyanka. OR 11:00 Guided tour of Listvyanka. Tour to a local biological museum that has a set of aquariums. There is also an aquarium with the only mammal representative, the Baikal Seal, in it. Take a chair-lift to a nearby view point. There you will get a chance to take panoramic pictures of Baikal from above. 13:30 Lunch. 15:00 Enjoy your visit to a local 19th century wooden St. Nicolas church and a local fish market where you will see a great variety of fish and different wyas of cooking it. 19:00 Dinner. Overnight in Listvyanka. OR 11:00 Car trip to the Ust-Orda village to meet the Buryat Shaman. The Buryats are the native Siberians. The Shaman will show you the rituals and for a moment will let you become a part of it. Visit to the museum of the Buryat nation. 14:00 Lunch with Buryat cuisine. 15:30 Transfer to Listvyanka. Check-in to the Chalet. Dinner. Overnight in Listvyanka. |
| Day 9 | Second Day on Lake Baikal 11:00 Visit to the fascinating Museum of Wooden Architecture containing unique and historic wooden structures donated from all over Russia and historic houses and buildings of the indigenous people saved from a valley flooded during the construction of a Soviet dam. 13:30 Lunch at a local Siberian restaurant. 15:00 Transfer to Irkutsk. Check-in to the Victoria hotel. 19:00 Overnight in Irkutsk. |
| Day 10 | Depart from Irkutsk Day on the train, through Irkutsk and to Lake Baikal onto the mountains in the border of Mongolia. Leaving the last Russian major city at Ulan-Ude, a midnight crossing into Mongolia and onwards to Ulan-Bator. |
| Day 11 | Crossing Chinese Border Day on the train. A short stop on a border with China, where the impressive procedure of bogie-changing takes place before heading off for Beijing. Demographics of China vary significantly from North to South parts of country. Mostly agricultural, Northern part has a much lower standards of leaving. They also speak on a different language from the South part. It is a picturesque contrast you can see before arrival to Beijing. |
| Day 12 | Arrival to Beijing Throughout the morning and afternoon, you will pass through rural China and mountainous river valleys. Get your camera ready as you glide by the incredible Great Wall of China before finally arriving in Beijing. This part of your journey is over – let the next begin! Tip: Ask your tour manager about a tour extension in Beijing. |