By day tour description
Day 1
Arrival to St. Petersburg. Welcome dinner and a Russian cuisine
Arrival in St. Petersburg
Welcome to the city of St. Petersburg, known as the second capital of Russia! It became the capital of the newly emerged Russian Empire. It is not in vain that today it is included in the list of the most beautiful cities in Europe and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Day itinerary
- Get acquainted with Russian customs
- Cross St. Petersburg from the outskirts to the city center in a comfortable car
- Get acquainted with the masterpieces of Russian cuisine in one of the best restaurants in the city
Day key points
- Meeting at the airport with a company representative
- Transfer to the hotel in a comfortable car
- Arrival at the hotel, accommodation, and rest
- Welcome dinner in one of the best restaurants in the city and acquaintance with the masterpieces of Russian cuisine.
Meals
- Welcome dinner at the city restaurant
Day 2
Saint-Petersburg. Holy places & Orthodox Architecture
Full day tour (8 hours) in St. Petersburg with a personal guide and car
North Palmyra is the cultural capital of Russia. Also, St. Petersburg is often called "the city of the White Nights". Today you will get incredible emotions from visiting the "pearl" of St. Petersburg and one of the best European museums - the Hermitage. However, Saint-Petersburg is not only a city of museums and architectural ensembles, but of holy places and ascetics of God as well. We will walk through the center and visit three main churches: St. Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
Day itinerary
- Trace the complex centuries-old path of Russian history in the former residence of the Romanov family - Winter Palace, now housing the State Hermitage Museum.
- See the masterpieces of Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci, Van Dyke, Rafael, Titian.
- Consider the iconic sights of Orthodox architecture: St. Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel, meeting with the guide 8-hour tour of St. Petersburg with a personal guide and car: St. Isaac's Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral and the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Hermitage
Meals
Day 3
St. Petersburg: the Majestic Catherine Palace, sacred relics of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra
8 hour sightseeing tour of St. Petersburg for a day with a personal guide and car.
It is impossible to find more magnificent palaces than in St. Petersburg. It was the capital of the Russian Empire in its very heyday. The suburban summer residence of the royal dynasty - the Catherine Palace - will dazzle you with its formal grace and sophistication of decor. Leaving the palace, you will find yourself in an impeccable snow-covered French park with ponds and ducks, where the time is for royalty. You will visit the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and see one of the main Orthodox relics, visit the cemetery where great people rest.
Day itinerary
- Find out what the golden enfilade is
- Take a walk in the most beautiful park of the royal palace
- See the main shrine of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra is the relics of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky
Day key points
- Breakfast at the hotel, meeting with the guide
- Excursion in St. Petersburg for 8 hours with a personal guide and a car: Pushkin (Catherine Palace), Alexander Nevsky Lavra
- Return to the hotel, free time
Meals
Day 4
Saint Petersburg-Moscow. Arrival in Moscow
Transfer from St. Petersburg to Moscow and familiarity with the legendary Bolshoi Theater
A high-speed train Sapsan very quickly brings you to the heart of Russia's capital. The square of three stations will greet you with the resounding rumble of streets and the monumental architecture of buildings.
Day itinerary
- Take a ride on the Sapsan high-speed train and find yourself in the heart of Moscow in 4 hours
- Feel the atmosphere of the capital of Russia
Day key points
- Breakfast at hotel, transfer to the railway station
- Transfer from St. Petersburg to Moscow on a comfortable high-speed train Sapsan (4 hours)
- Arrival in Moscow, meeting at the station
- Transfer to the hotel, accommodation, free time
Meals
Day 5
Moscow: The Heart of Russia and the Famous Moscow Metro
Moscow sightseeing full-day tour with a personal guide (8 hours)
The Kremlin in Red Square attracts like a magnet. The multifaceted capital of Russia will open before you the main attractions with a rich history. The Treasures of Russia of the Diamond Fund, the stunning architecture of St. Basil's Cathedral, and, of course, the main cathedral of the country, the destroyed and rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Savior, await you.
Day itinerary
- See the very heart of the city and even the country - the Moscow Kremlin! Monumental walls, golden-domed cathedrals, and, of course, the most recognizable towers with the iconic red stars
- Explore the treasures of world-famous museums including the Armory and the Diamond Fund
- Take a photo against the background of St. Basil's Cathedral on the famous Red Square
- Visit the largest cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
- Feel the atmosphere of the sacrament of church prayer
Day key points
- Breakfast at the hotel, meeting with the guide
- Excursion around Moscow (8 hours) with a personal guide and a car: Moscow Kremlin, Armory, St. Basil's Cathedral (inside), excursion to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and visiting the evening service, walking tour of the city center.
- Return to hotel
Meals
Day 6
The Greatness of the Russian Golden Ring - Sergiev Posad
Transfer Moscow - Sergiev Posad
Sergiev Posad is the only city in the Moscow region included in the route of the Golden Ring of Russia. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world come here every year. The city got its name from the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of the largest monastery in Russia - the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The Trinity-Sergius Lavra contains a rare collection of manuscripts and early printed books. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the Moscow Theological Academy, one of the largest religious educational institutions in Russia, has been located on the territory of the Lavra, in the former Tsar's palaces. Here several times a week in the afternoon the famous Archimandrite, which many call the Elder commits rank "healing possessed by evil spirits" or conducting an exorcism ritual.
Day itinerary
- See the Trinity Cathedral, where the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh rest
- Admire the view of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and the surrounding area from the observation deck on Blinnaya Gora
- Descend into the caves of the Chernigov Skete, see the churches passing one into the other and the monks' cells
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Full day excursion program with a personal guide and car: Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Chernigov Skete, Gremyachiy Klyuch, Rostov Velikiy Cathedral Square, Rostov Kremlin, Enamel Museum
- Transfer to the Moscow hotel
- Free time, rest
Meals
Day 7
Moscow: the City's History and Russian art.
8-hour sightseeing tour of Moscow for a day with a personal guide and car.
Moscow is a city where more than 12 million people live, it is simply impossible to get around it on foot, a sightseeing tour of the capital awaits you, where you will learn the most entertaining facts about the birth and development of the city, about what it lived before and how it lives now. You will also visit the Tretyakov Gallery, a legendary museum that contains a collection of distinctive Russian artists who lived and worked in Russia. Their sincere love for their homeland is read in every picture. The gallery will open for you even more facets of the Russian soul and culture.
Day itinerary
- View masterpieces of the world's largest repository of Russian fine art - the Tretyakov Gallery.
- Understand the difference in the styles of famous Russian artists: Shishkin, Aivazovsky, Perov, Vasnetsov, Vereshchagin, Surikov, and others.
- See the most famous monastery in Moscow, included in the UNESCO heritage list - Novodevichy Monastery.
- Enjoy the best views of the city on a panoramic car tour.
- Hear the famous and sometimes frightening stories of Stalin's skyscrapers.
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel, meeting with the guide
- Tour in Moscow with a personal guide and car: an overview of the city, the Stalin's skyscrapers, Sparrow Hills, Novodevichy Convent, Tretyakov Gallery
- Transfer to the station and board the train to Kazan
Meals
Day 8
Arrival in Kazan. Interweaving of Russia’s Сultures and Religions
6-hour city tour with a personal guide
The history of Kazan is more than a thousand years old. This city can rightfully be called the “Third Capital of Russia”. Only here the cultures of the West and the East are organically intertwined. Islam peacefully coexists with Orthodoxy, architectural buildings of the past centuries - with futuristic skyscrapers. It is a large tourist center with an amazing complex of the Kazan Kremlin. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has one of the largest mosques in Europe - Kul Sharif - and a unique temple of All Religions, reminiscent of Antonio Gaudi’s architecture. The many faces of Kazan is an incredibly hospitable city. It is as if it was created for walking: every stone here is history, every building is a masterpiece. Combined with ultra-modern illumination and many stunning fountains, manicured squares and lawns, the city makes an absolutely incredible impression.
Day itinerary
- Take a selfie with the Kazan Kremlin in the background
- Hear a romantic story from the life of Ivan the Terrible and the construction of the Suyumbike tower
- Enjoy the greatness of the Kazan Khanate Kul-Sharif mosque
- Remember the unique flavor of the city
- See the main artery of Russia, the great Volga river
Day key points
- Arrival at the railway station in Kazan meeting
- Transfer to hotel, accommodation, and breakfast
- City tour (6 hours): Kazan Kremlin, Kul Sharif Mosque, Museum of chak-chak and a culinary master class, a walking tour through the city center
- Return to the hotel, rest
Meals
Day 9
Kazan. Great Bulgaria
Excursion in Bulgaria for a whole day (10 hours) with a personal guide and car. Boarding the train to Ekaterinburg
The Bulgar settlement is a large-scale complex of buildings erected in the period from the 10th to the 13th century. Each of them is a treasure of not only national but also planetary significance - in 2014 the reserve entered the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. This beautiful example of ancient architecture has no analogs - it reminds of the great states of the Golden Horde and Volga Bulgaria, long gone in history.
Day itinerary
- Find the ruins of the majestic Golden Horde
- Visit the excavations
- Find out where you spent 1200 tons of marble
- See how bread is made
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Excursion to the historical reserve of Great Bulgaria: Eastern and Northern Mausoleum, White Mosque, bread and crafts museum museum
- Transfer to the station and board the train to Ekaterinburg
Meals
Day 10
Ekaterinburg. The Tragic History of the Romanov Dynasty
8-hour full-day tour with a personal guide
If Ekaterinburg buildings and monuments could speak, they would surely tell a lot of fascinating stories. Ekaterinburg is the largest settlement on the land border of Europe and Asia. According to statistics, this conventional line dividing Eurasia into two parts is crossed by about 80 trains every hour. Among foreigners, Ekaterinburg is known due to the unique pedestrian tourist route "Red Line". It runs through the city center and is over 6 km long. It unites 35 most famous sights. In this city, the royal family of the Romanovs spent their last hours. They were murdered there. The place is immortalized by the famous Church on the Blood.
Day itinerary
- Find yourself in two parts of the world - Europe and Asia at the same time
- Understand the difference between beryl and amethyst
- Hear the tragic story of the last days of the Romanov dynasty
- Take a selfie in front of the city's brightest landmark - the Sevastyanov House
Day key points
- Arrival in Ekaterinburg, meeting at the station, transfer to the hotel
- Accommodation, breakfast, short rest
- Meeting with a guide, 8-hour city tour: Museum of Minerals, Border of Europe and Asia, Church on the Blood, sightseeing tour
- Return to hotel, rest
Meals
Day 11
Transfer Ekaterinburg - Irkutsk. The romance of train travel.
Boarding the Ekaterinburg - Irkutsk train
It is the first long drive on the route to feeling the full range of emotions from traveling by train. Landscapes replace one another, like scenery, so that the journey turns into a real spectacular spectacle.
Day itinerary
- Communicate with talkative fellow travelers on the train in sign language and compose your own phrasebook
- Sip hot tea from the famous Soviet railroad cup holder
- Remember the landscapes of Siberia in the frame of the cockpit window
- Read the famous novel "Anna Karenina", which reveals many secrets of the Russian soul
- Find out the meaning of the word "conductor"
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to the railway station and boarding the Ekaterinburg - Irkutsk train
- Night on the train in a comfortable cabin for two
Meals
Day 12
On the train
On the train
The Trans-Siberian Railway is a story not only about beautiful landscapes from a window. An essential part of the journey is the life itself on the trip: sleeping, eating, reading, and, possibly, also dreams of a hot shower and homemade food. The Transsib is, in fact, a way to smoothly press the brake pedal, it is a good way to take a good look at the world around you - and also to think about yourself.
Day itinerary
- Continue reading the novel "Anna Karenina" to the measured noise of the train wheels
- See the pink fields of wild rosemary (May only)
- Walkthrough the train from the first to the last carriage watching the life of Russia in miniature
- Find out the obligatory set of provisions for any Russian person to travel on the train
Day key points
- A day on the train in a comfortable double cabin
Meals
- On the train, at your expense
Day 13
Arrival in Irkutsk. Taiga expanses and real Siberia
Arrival in Irkutsk
Siberia is known for its beauty. Dense forests, endless fields, and wide, clean rivers of Irkutsk are comfortably located in a city with an amazing history. Many sights of Irkutsk are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Register. And it is not without a reason. It is difficult to find a place where the same number of colorful merchant houses, carved churches, and ancient wooden monasteries would still be preserved. In addition, the city of Irkutsk is just an hour's drive from the legendary Lake Baikal.
Day itinerary
- See the endless taiga through the cockpit window
- Listen to the stories of fellow travelers about the real harsh Siberia
- Feel the essence of the famous expression "Siberian Frosts"
Day key points
- Day on the train in a comfortable cabin for two
- Arrival in Irkutsk, meeting at the station
- Walking tour of the historical center of Irkutsk
- Transfer to a hotel in the city center, accommodation, rest
Meals
Day 14
Transfer to Irkutsk - Listvyanka
Transfer to Irkutsk - Listvyanka. Tour of Listvyanka.
We go to Listvyanka - a village located on the shore of Lake Baikal at the head of the Angara River. The first meeting with Baikal awaits you in this village. On the way, visit the Taltsy ethnographic museum, representing the life of Siberian villages of the 18th-19th centuries. The museum has become a place for the preservation of monuments of folk culture. During the excursion, you seem to be transported to another era. We will take a chair lift to the observation deck of the Chersky Stone, located at an altitude of 728 meters above sea level. From the observation deck you will see an impressive landscape of the immense Baikal: Listvyanka, the port of Baikal, the source of the Angara, and the Baikal horizon, merging with the sky. Upon arrival in Listvyanka, you will have a guided walking tour and visit the fish market.
Day itinerary
- See Baikal
- Get acquainted with the peasant life of Siberian villages
- Bargain in the market for a delicious omul
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to Listvyanka, Taltsy museum, ski lift, Cherskogo stone fish market
- Arrival at the hotel, accommodation, rest
Meals
Day 15
Olkhon Island and Meeting with the Shaman
Transfer to Olkhon Island, a full day tour
In the morning, departure by private car to Olkhon Island. Stops in scenic spots. We will also stop to appease the Baikal spirits and ask for their blessings. We will learn about the culture of the Baikal Buryats, shamanism. We will go through the ritual of purification, learn about the local spirits, greet them and ask for their blessings on the further journey.
Day itinerary
- Try national dishes of Buryat cuisine
- Meet the shaman
- Ask the blessing of the local spirits
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to Olkhon island, meeting with the shaman
- Lunch
- Accommodation in a recreation center, free time
Meals
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Lunch
- Dinner in the hotel
Day 16
Island Ogoy and Buddhist Stupa
Full day (8 hours) excursion to the island of Ogoy. Boat trip.
Embarkation on the boat. Navigation in the Maloye More strait. We will go on shore and will walk to the sacred water source. This source was divided by one powerful shaman into parts: male and female. The water of the source is of a high silver-ion concentration and it is considered as healing. Ogoy island is the biggest island of the Maloye More strait. The island is considered as a "pure" place: people have never lived there and the is no negative energy. There is a Buddhist Stupa - the stupa of Enlightenment.
Day itinerary
- Go on a cruise on the Maloye More
- Drink holy water from the spring
- Learn the secrets of the Buddhist religion
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- A boat trip, a tour around the island Ogoy Buddhist stupa
- Picnic on board ship
- Return to the hotel
- Dinner
- Rest
Meals
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Picnic on board the ship with hot tea
- Dinner at the hotel
Day 17
Olkhon Island - Sacred Site for Shamans
Full day excursion along the eastern part of Olkhon
After breakfast excursion by 4X4 (UAZ) to Khoboy Cape, the northernmost point of Olkhon, sacred place of the shamans. The trip will allow you to discover the beauty of the Maloye More (Small Sea) and its islets, also places of worship of shamans. Stroll towards the cape. On the way back visit the Uzury area. The name "Uzury" comes from the Buryat word "Uzur", which in translation means - tip, point. There is a meteorological station in the village, observing the nature of Lake Baikal.
Day itinerary
- Visit a real weather station
- Take a selfie with a panoramic view of Baikal
- See the village where only 9 people live
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Excursion to Cape Khoboy
- Lunch in the open air
- Weather station
Meals
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Lunch
- Dinner in the hotel
Day 18
Crossing of Lake Baikal from West to East
Full day Baikal cruise and local family visit
Boarding on a private boat. We will sail above 1.5 kilometers abyss for several hours before reaching the village of Ust-Barguzin. During this cruise, we can admire the picturesque views of Lake Baikal and of Svyatoy Nos peninsula. Crossing of Lake Baikal in its widest part. This great cruise will really allow us to sail in the geographical center of the lake. And in the evening a real Russian bath awaits you!
Day itinerary
- Have a picnic on board the ship
- Cross Baikal at its widest point, enjoying amazing landscapes
- Relax in the Russian bath and feel its life-giving force
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to the port
- Departure by boat to Ust-Barguzin
- Lunch
- Transfer to the village
- Home made dinner
- Russian bath
- Night in a guest house
Meals
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Lunch - picnic
- Home made dinner
Day 19
Barguzin Valley and Dancing Goddess
Full day excursion on 4x4
Through the vastness of the Barguzin Valley, we will go to the Barguzinsky Datsan, where there is a miraculous image of the goddess Yanzhima: the face of the goddess appeared on a large boulder in 2015. Later, the Brguzis Datsan was built here. Now this place has become a place of pilgrimage for believers and tourists.
Day itinerary
- Visit the Buddhist datsan
- See the beauty of the dancing goddess
- Take a ride with a breeze on a Russian-made SUV
Day key points
- Breakfast in the guest house
- Excursion to the UAZ 4x4
- Lunch
- Home made dinner
- Overnight in a guest house
Meals
- Breakfast in the guest house
- Lunch - picnic
- Home made dinner
Day 20
The Center of Buddhism in Russia, Capital of Buryatia
Transfer to Ulan-Ude. Excursion to Ivilginski temple, the main center of Buddhism in Russia
Today you will find yourself in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, where many traditions are associated with Buddhism. Ivolginsky Datsan is a monastic complex of eight buildings, including temples, a library, and the only Buddhist university in Russia, where philosophy and traditional Tibetan medicine are studied. Its fame spread far beyond the borders of Russia. And this is connected not only with modern spiritual education, but also with the name of Dashi-Dorzho Itigelov, the leader of the Buddhists of Russia at the beginning of the XX century, an associate of the Dalai Lama XIV.
Day itinerary
- Comprehend the meaning of monasticism in a large Buddhist datsan and see a real religious miracle
- Walk through the center of the capital of Buryatia
- Find harmony with yourself and nature
Day key points
- Homemade breakfast
- Transfer to Ulan-Ude. Full-day city tour, Ivolginsky Datsan
- Lunch at a cafe of Buryat cuisine
- Accommodation at the hotel, rest
Meals
Day 21
Ulan Ude. Touch the rituals of the Old Believers and the life of Buddhist monks
8-hour city tour with a personal guide
There are thousands of Old Believers still living in the taiga. They are not only the inhabitants of remote priories or monasteries, but also about the inhabitants of villages that are quite populous by modern standards. Many of them still have passports of Soviet times or without documents at all - including foreigners who once moved to Eastern Siberia.
Day itinerary
- Travel 100 years ago in a time machine and touch the traditions of the Old Believers
- Take a selfie with a huge statue of Lenin in the center of Ulan Ude
- Tune in to a contemplative wave
Day key points
- Breakfast at the hotel, meeting with the guide
- Excursion (8 hours): sightseeing tour of the city center of Ulan Ude, visiting the village of Old Believers, and lunch
- Return to the hotel, rest
Meals
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Lunch in the village of Old Believers
Day 22-23-24
Transfer Ulan Ude - Vladivostok
Boarding the train and the longest crossing of the route
Reading is one of the most popular activities on the road. When else will you get a chance to read the works of the classics? The most convenient way is to take a reader with you. It weighs a little, does not strain the eyes.
Day itinerary
- Enjoy time to reflect on the journey
- Write an essay in memory of the legendary trip along the Trans-Siberian Railway
- Make new acquaintances and exchange contacts with hospitable fellow travelers
- Feel the hustle and bustle of railway stations and feel the taste of meetings and partings
- Review the pictures take to relive the emotions of travel
Day key points
- Breakfast in the hotel
- Transfer to the railway station and boarding the Ulan Ude-Vladivostok train
- Overnight on the train in a comfortable double cabin
Meals
Day 25
Arrival in Vladivostok. Eastern gate of Russia
Arrival in Vladivostok
The easternmost city is connected to central Russia by rail. Though, it has a very western mentality. Trade relations with Japan and the United States have long made Vladivostok a city of international importance. It has right-hand drive cars, people speaking all languages of the world in the port, a Catholic church in the city center, and a warm climate, which is not typical for the Far East. All this is so unlike a typical Russian city.
Day itinerary
- Feel the beauty of sleeping in a comfortable hotel bed after a long train journey
- See the difference in the mentality of the inhabitants of one country. They speak the same language, but live at different ends of the planet.
- Breathe in the scent of the Pacific Ocean
Day key points
- Meeting at the Vladivostok railway station
- Transfer to the hotel, accommodation, rest
Meals
Day 26
Vladivostok
8-hour city tour with a personal guide, farewell dinner
The city of Vladivostok is a symbol of the Russian Far East. It is one of the main transport hubs in the region. Huge volumes of imported and exported goods pass through its port. The city is spread over picturesque hills along the shores of the Golden Horn Bay. Here the Pacific Marine Fleet is based and more than 600 historical monuments are located.
Day itinerary
- See the city and the Golden Horn Bay from the observation deck with the romantic name "Eagle's Nest"
- Visit the submarine S-56
- Take a selfie in front of the monument of the Trans-Siberian Railway
- Enjoy the taste of fresh Pacific seafood at a city restaurant
Day key points
- Breakfast at the hotel, meeting with the guide
- 8-hour sightseeing tour of the city: walking tour in the downtown, visit of Vladivostok museum, submarine S-56, observation deck “Eagle's Nest”, see the monument of the Trans-Siberian Railway, Golden Horn Bay, Vokzalnaya Square
- Return to hotel, short rest
- Farewell dinner in one of the best restaurants in the city and tasting of local seafood
- Return to the hotel, overnight at the hotel
Meals
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Farewell dinner
Day 27
Vladivostok. Way home
On the way to the airport
Transfer to the airport at the time of the return flight
Hurry up to do three things before you say goodbye to Russia! Matryoshka dolls and samovars, national hats and scarves, felt boots and mittens, caviar and honey - be sure to take a piece of Russia with you. Admire the gorgeous views of Vladivostok from a bird's eye view And finally, answer the question, which religious denomination in Russia impressed you the most?
Day itinerary
- Have time to buy souvenirs in memory of Russia
- Admire the views of Vladivostok from a bird's eye view
- Carefully pack the memories of the trip and plan a date for your return to the vast and incomprehensible country of Russia
Day key points
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Transfer to the airport
Meals
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