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Itinerary

Day 1. The journey begins

Moscow will amaze you, its palaces and public buildings restored to their former glory. The echoing vastness of Red Square, the splendid twirled cupolas of St Basil’s across the cobblestones, and – the fabled palace-fort of gilded domes and the exquisite collection of royal treasures in the stunning Armoury Chamber; the Cathedral of the Assumption where Tsars were crowned, the Bell Tower and the Faberge jewels and icons. After meeting your Group Leader and fellow travellers this evening we enjoy our first meal together as a group.

Day 2. Moscow

Our sightseeing program continues this morning exploring beneath the city where there lies the palatial metro rail system draped in chandeliers, mosaics and baroque bas-reliefs. This evening we enjoy a traditional performance in one of Moscow’s many theatres, and then join the rail service east to Ekaterinburg.

Day 3. Aboard the Trans Siberian Railway

After leaving  Moscow we enter the countryside – on the far side of the Volga River, the flickering silvers and greens of birch forests speed past. Life on board is a great social occasion for our Russian hosts and we have the opportunity to share our experiences with them. A farewell to Europe as we cross the Urals and enter Asia aboard the train to Ekaterinburg.

Day 4. Murder and mystery

Founded in 1723 by Peter the Great and named after his wife, Catherine, Ekaterinburg has an intriguing and bloody history. It is the site of the murder of the Romanov family in 1918 – that ushered in the Communist era as well as the site where Gary Powers’ ‘spy plane’ was shot down from the sky. On our city tour we will take in some of the history in the home town of Boris Yeltsin, Russia’s first President.

Day 5. Omsk and the Trans Siberian Railway

Situated on the banks of the Om and the north-flowing Irtysh River, Omsk is famous today for its lively riviera, pleasing architecture and its opera theatre. We have time to enjoy this city before boarding our train once more to cross the steppe to Siberia.

Day 6. Across Siberia – ‘The Sleeping Land’

A short Siberian summer’s night, lulled by the ever mechanical rhythms of train and track, passes to expose a daybreak of fir forests and wild flowers, homely cottage gardens and a thousand and one signs of hardy lives and simple means.

Day 7. To Lake Baikal by Steam Train

Founded as a Cossack military outpost over 350 years ago, the first Trans Siberian train reached Irkutsk in 1898. Gold had been discovered a few years earlier and the city boomed, at one time being known as the ‘Paris of Siberia’ due to its fine merchants houses, municipal buildings and well stocked shops. Today, Irkutsk still exudes a certain time-worn charm with its wide boulevards and interesting mix of architecture. We enjoy a revealing insight of the city’s history during our sightseeing program before rejoining our carriage to take us to Lake Baikal.

Day 8. Lake Baikal

For a land as vast and extreme as Siberia it is only fitting that it should contain the world’s deepest freshwater lake – Baikal, whose crystal clear waters stretch over 600 kilometres to the north, up to 80 kilometres wide and almost 2 kilometres deep. To fully enjoy the magnificence of Lake Baikal we are attached to a steam train which hauls us around the edge of the Lake to Port Baikal. From there we cross to the small village of Listvyanka to spend the night in a traditional Siberian guesthouse.

Day 9. Lake Baikal

We awake to the vast, natural paradise; frozen to a depth of up to one metre during the harsh winter months, while during the summer, bathers brave the still very cold waters for its promised health benefits! This morning we return to Irkutsk and in the evening our journey continues overnight to Ulan Ude.

Day 10. Buryatiya and the Trans Mongolian Railway

This is the centre of Russia’s Buddhist community. Reminiscent of old Siberia, Ulan Ude is located in the middle of vast Siberian steppes, on the 5640th kilometer of the Trans Siberian railway. It is a very unusual and charming city which we have an opportunity to visit before joining the service to Ulaanbaatar. We settle into life on board, enjoying the company of our fellow passengers and a picnic in our cabin. The train arrives at Naushki, the Russian border town where formalities are completed, and then continue across no-man’s land to Sukhbaatar where Mongolian officials board the train before we journey on to Ulaanbaatar.

Day 11. Arrive Ulaanbaatar – the world’s most remote capital city

Bounded by Lake Baikal to the north and the Great Wall to the south is the Mongolian Plateau and the Gobi Desert. This was the homeland of the brilliant, tough, well-drilled horsemen who, for over 500 years from the 13th century, plundered and occupied lands and cities from the Yellow River to the Danube. Theirs is a history of incredible acquisition and of towering personalities thundering across Asia; among them Genghis Khan, founder of the Empire and Kublai Khan, overlord of China, convert to Buddhism, the Great Khan, host to Marco Polo. At daybreak, classic scenes of traditional nomadic life greet us as the train winds impressively across the Mongolian Steppe and into the capital. Ulaanbaatar is a contradiction – a metropolis amid endless grass steppes, with donkeys and motorbikes, concrete apartment blocks and traditional gers.

Days 12. Ulaanbaatar & the Mongolian Steppe

We transfer to Terelj National Park; our accommodation for the night is the traditional round tents (Gers) of the Mongolian nomads, set amongst the beautiful alpine scenery of the national park. Our Ger-stay is one of the great highlights of the journey and we have the opportunity to sample some of the traditional food and drink of Mongolia. Enjoy a walk through the countryside to Turtle Rock, relax at camp and enjoy a display of the traditional Mongolian skills of archery, horsemanship & wrestling.

Day 13. Fly to Beijing

This morning we depart Terelj National Park then board our flight to the south over the Great Wall and across the Gobi Desert to Beijing, the capital of China. This evening we enjoy a traditional Chinese Peking Duck banquet as our final farewell, an opportunity to reflect on all that we have seen and experienced together.

Day 14. Beijing – Imperial and modern capital and journey’s end

An incredible journey in just 2 weeks – so many new and extraordinary places have been visited, and all will be long remembered and greatly treasured.

St.Petersburg Add-on Includes:

- Arrival transfer

- 2 nights in St.Petersburg

- Full day sightseeing includes walking tour with local guide

- Transfer to station

- Megapolis train to Moscow

- Arrival transfer Moscow

Dates and Rates

Premium Carriage 2011

Deluxe Carriage

Group Size

Size 25 maximum (15 Premium, 10 Deluxe), plus your Group Leader

Accommodation

Premium Rail Carriages

- 8 nights (twin compartment)

Premium Hotels

- 3 nights (twin share)

Traditional Mongolian Ger

- 1 night (twin share)

Siberian Guesthouse

- 1 nights (twin share)

Meals

Many meals are included while

on tour. We include a number

of special regional cuisine experiences to ensure you enjoy

a taste of the traditional flavours of the countries visited. Note: While onboard the train some meals are provided when a dining car is available.  Breakfast (11),

Lunch (6), Dinner (9)

Transportation

Private Rail Carriages; choose between Premium or Deluxe.

Deluxe – lower double bed with additional upper berth & private ensuite shower and toilet.

Flights: Ulaanbaatar – Beijing.

Comfortable Private Coach for all scheduled sightseeing excursions and transfers while on tour.

Public transport and on foot for optional City Exploring with your Group Leader.

Sightseeing

Scheduled Sightseeing is part of the itinerary and includes all transport, entrance fees and English speaking local guides.

Moscow: City tour, St.Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square, Kremlin & Armoury Chamber, Metro tour and cultural performance.

Ekaterinburg: City Tour, Mineralogical Museum, Europe/Asia Obelisk, Romanov Memorial.

Omsk: City tour.

Irkutsk (Siberia): City tour, Lake Baikal, Limnological Museum, and Listvyanka village.

Ulan Ude: Ethnographic Museum.

Ulaanbaatar: National History Museum, Zaisan Memorial, Gandan Hiid Monastery, Terelj National Park and cultural performance.

Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven.

Visas

Required for China, Mongolia & Russia. Sundowners Overland will provide all required invitation letters and full visa support including detailed visa guidelines.

Please Note

Due to rail schedules and in times of high fire risk the scheduled ‘steam train’ operating between Port Baikal and Slyudyanka may be replaced on some departures by a regular diesel locomotive. The itinerary will nevertheless follow the same spectacular lakeside route. Contact Sundowners Overland for further details.