Trans-Siberian Express
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URL: http://www.travelallrussia.com/trans-siberian/trans-siberian-tour57.html
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Arrival to Moscow Welcome to Moscow - Russia's historic capital, its largest and most vibrant city, one of the world's most interesting places! Your driver will be waiting for you at the exit gate of the airport. After hotel check-in you can relax in your room, grab a bite to eat in the hotel's restaurant, or visit the surrounding sites. We recommend taking the opportunity to adjust to the time zone so that you will be well-rested for your eventful program the following day. |
| Day 2 | Moscow City Tour Today you will embark on an in-depth exploration of Russia’s economic and political center. Following a quick orientation you will visit the famous Red Square, the Kremlin, the GUM Department Store, and St. Basil's Cathedral. |
| Day 3 | Depart from Moscow Today begins your journey across Eurasia! During this trip you will explore the mighty Ural Mountains and Baikal Lake, drive through the dunes of the Gobi Desert, and see the magic of the Orient. Before you leave you will make a few final stops in Moscow, namely to the Tretyakov Gallery and the Moscow Subway. The Moscow Subway was constructed not only to streamline the city's transportation, but also to celebrate the accomplishments of the Soviets. The entire subway is a work of socialist realism, making passengers feel as though they are entering various underground palaces, not merely riding the subway to work. On top of immense cultural value, Moscow's subway is a highly efficient transportation system that carries three million passengers daily and spans the entire city in a star-like fashion. Interestingly, the subway can also serve as a nuclear shelter in case of war. The Tretyakov Picture Gallery is Moscow's most famous collection of art and one of the world's top galleries. It began as the private collection of a wealthy Muscovite merchant, Tretyakov, who lived in the 19th century and donated his collection to the city. |
| 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 | Novosibirsk Having left the Urals behind, your train will cross the Great Eurasian Plateau towards Siberia. Siberia is distant, but not desolate. You will visit Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, which has almost as many inhabitants as Atlanta. Novosibirsk is an important scientific center that supports offices of such wealthy companies as Microsoft and also holds the world record for highest growth rate. Established in 1903, it already has more than a million inhabitants. |
| Day 6 | Sayany Mountains/Krasnoyarsk Sayany Mountains are a gorgeous mountain range in the southern part of Siberia. It features breathtaking landscapes, rich wildlife and untouched nature. This day your train will stop at Krasnoyarsk - economic and cultural center of East Siberia. It is one of the biggest cities in the region with population of 950 thousand people. |
| 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 | The Baikal Lake, Day 1 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 | The Baikal Lake, Day 2 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 | Buryat Republic This morning your driver will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to the train station. You will meander along Lake Baikal's picturesque shore, giving you a breathtaking view of the lake's gorgeous natural beauty. In the afternoon you will stop in Ulan Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic, center of Russian Buddhism. |
| Day 11 | Zabaikalye/the Far East Today you will be mesmerized by the Zabaikalye Steppes before stopping in Chita, the capital of the region. In the afternoon you will watch the steppes change to a taiga forest as you leave Siberia and enter the Far East. |
| Day 12 | Russian Far East You will spend another day on the train while gliding through the pristine forests of the Russian Far East. It is a remote but beautiful region with fertile plains, humid summers, and winters as brutal as Siberia. In the evening you will cross the mighty Amur River and stop in Khabarovsk, a large industrial city and your last stop before arrival in Vladivostok. |
| Day 13 | Vladivostok You will reach Vladivostok early in the morning and be taken to your home stay where you can relax after your long trip. Vladivostok is the largest port on the Pacific Coast of Russia. Climb the hills of the "Russian San Fransisco" or hop on a tram to see the promenades of Svetlanskaya Street and Okeansky Prospekt. Vladivostok is also a popular ocean resort, so don't miss the chance to visit one of the luxurious local beaches. |
| Day 14 | Departure This is the final day of your tour. You will be leaving home with a lifetime of memories and unforgettable experiences. Return to this enigmatic country soon!  * Take an extension to Vladivostok and have a unique chance to see an elusive Amur tiger by choosing any of one-of-a-kind tours that our tour managers would be glad to arrange for you. Please ask your destination specialist for additional information about extension and learn more about the tours here: Amur Tiger, Realm of Amur Tiger |