Itinerary

Day 1 Moscow

The focal point of Moscow is Red Square, on one side of which is the Kremlin surrounded by a thick red fortress wall containing 20 towers altogether. There a several gorgeous buildings in the square including the Uspensky Cathedral, the 14th-century Grand Kremlin Palace, the golden-domed Belfry of Ivan the Great, and the renowned St Basil’s Cathedral, famous for its brightly colored domes. Lenin’s Mausoleum is also located in Red Square and is still open to the public on certain days. Outside Red Square, Tverskaya Street is one of the main shopping streets. Old Arbat Street is a pedestrian zone with crafts and artists’ stalls and street performers. The world-famous Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater at Teatralnaya Square dates from 1824. Novodevichy Convent near Sportivnaya metro station houses a museum of rare and ancient Russian art, and is one of the finest examples of 16th- and 17th-century architecture in the city. The Metro system itself is steeped in history, with many of stations featuring beautiful decoration. Other sites include the superb Tretyakov Gallery, the Annunciation and Our Lady of Kazan Cathedrals, Gorky Park, and the macbre KGB museum.

Enjoy an airport transfer with private vehicle and driver.

A welcome package with small wooden doll Matreshka, nice book on Russia, vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

We will provide you with a letter of Invitation for your Russian Visa. Once payment has been received, the letter along with other important documents will be sent to you.

The Russian capital will present itself in wonderful illumination on the "Moscow by Night" city lights tour. Afterwards you can stroll across the famous Red Square with your tour guides and experience Stalin’s “palaces for the people”: Moscow’s Metro stations in all their splendour and beauty.

Peter 1 Hotel (4*) is located in the historical and cultural centre of the city, within walking distance from the Red Square and the Christ of the Saviour Cathedral. The Big Theatre, State Duma, Manezhnaya Square as well as the State Tretjakov Gallery are some of the major attractions near the property. The hotel is housed in a six-storey building and was constructed in the late XIX century. In 2005-2006 the hotel was totally renovated, and today is considered to be a modern hotel of the highest quality, while effortlessly combining its historial vestiges. The property has  133 spacious and originally decorated rooms.

Overnight at Peter 1 (4*).

Day 2 Moscow

Tour the Kremlin, the city´s former military fortification, a palace, an armoury, the sovereign treasury (Diamond Funds not included in price) and the workplace of the Russian President on a private guided tour with an english speaking guide and private driver. Among the sights included in the tour are the Mausoleum of Lenin, the clock at the Savior (Spasskaya) Tower – showing the most correct Moscow time, the beautiful Cathedral of the Intercession (the Church of St Basil the Blessed), Kazansky Cathedral and many other outstanding pieces of Russian architecture. (Entrance to Kremlin Walls and Cathedrals included in tour price).

Enjoy a train station transfer with private vehicle/driver and guide.

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 3 Kazan

Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, and one of Russia's largest cities. It is a major industrial, commercial and cultural center, and remains the most important center of Tatar culture. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in central European Russia. The city has a beautiful citadel, which was declared the World Heritage Site in 2000. Major monuments in the Kremlin are the 5-domed 6-columned Annunciation Cathedral and the mysterious leaning Soyembika Tower, named after the last queen of Kazan and regarded as the city's most conspicuous landmark.

Upon a morning arrival into Kazan, ancient capital of the Tartars, you will get the opportunity to visit the city’s Kremlin, full of artefacts evidencing the troubled past relations between Tartars, Cossacks and Russians. A boat trip will make you familiar with Europe's greatest river, the Volga, and reveal the most beautiful urban panoramas. Your special train resumes its journey in the evening.

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 4 Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District. Its population of 1,293,537, makes it Russia's fifth largest city. Between 1924 and 1991, the city was known as Sverdlovsk, after the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov.

In the afternoon halt in Yekaterinburg, capital of the Ural region. The town was founded by Peter the Great in 1723 and is also related to the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas the II, because he himself as well as most of his relatives were murdered here. In the course of a city tour you visit the newly erected Cathedral-on-the-blood, built in memorial of that tragic historical event. Back on the train you can enjoy your view on the fascinating landscape and in the course of a caviar and vodka tasting you get acquainted with the traditions of Russian hospitality – you will be surprised by the witty Russian toasts!

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All means are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 5 Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk is Russia's third-largest city, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast. It is also the largest city in Siberia. Sights include Lenin's square with statute of Lenin left from Soviet times standing right in front of the Opera and Ballet House which is beautiful at night. It is also the largest opera house in Russia. The Chapel of St. Nicholas, originally built in 1915 to commemorate 300 years of Romanov rule, destroyed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1993 can be visited as well. In winter residents build an ice town on the Ob River, and in summer residents go to the beach. Near the city center on Krasny Prospekt, you can also see some excellent work in the Novosibirsk Art Museum and Local Studies Museum. You could also consider the Novosibirsk Regional Puppet Theater (over 70 years old in an interesting historic building), or the Novosibirsk Circus.

You reach Novosibirsk, heart of Siberia, where you will be welcomed in the traditional Russian manner with bread and salt. Your city tour includes a visit to the lively market and the mighty Ob River. After dinner, the train continues its ride to the East.

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 6 Siberia

Siberia is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving as the massive central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, having served in the same capacity previously for the USSR from its beginning, and the Russian Empire beginning in the 16th century. Geographically, it includes a large part of the Eurasian Steppe and extends eastward from the Ural Mountains to the watershed between Pacific and Arctic drainage basins, and southward from the Arctic Ocean to the hills of north-central Kazakhstan and the national borders of both Mongolia and China. It makes up about 77% of Russia's territory (13.1 million square kilometres), but only 26% of Russia's population (43.3 million people).

Spend the day on board the "Tsar’s Gold", by now your second home, proceed onward over the Yenisei River through Siberia. The on-board restaurant cooks once again demonstrate their skills with the specialty meal "Tsar’s Feast". Along the way you will see the typical Siberian villages with their wooden houses, birch forests and – hopefully – lots of sunlight on impressive mountain landscapes.

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 7 Irkutsk

Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, situated 5,185 kilometers by rail from Moscow. In the early nineteenth century, many Russian artists, officers and nobles were sent into exile to Siberia for their part in the Decembrist revolt against Tsar Nicholas I. Irkutsk became the major center of intellectual and social life for these exiles, and much of the city's cultural heritage comes from them; also, many of their wooden houses, adorned with ornate, hand-carved decorations, survive today in stark contrast with the standard Soviet apartment buildings that surround them.

Today the train reaches Irkutsk, capital of Eastern Siberia. During a city tour you will see the new statue of Alexander III, the former Tran Siberian Obelisk and lots of picturesque Siberian houses. After lunch, you will have an excursion to the open air museum "Life and Work in the Time of the Tsars", which presents the region’s history in a clear and vivid manner. A taiga dinner in a Siberian forest restaurant is the excursion’s romantic finale.

Spend the night at an Irkutsk hotel, best available standards.

Overnight at Irkutsk Hotel.

Day 8 Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is in Southern Siberia in Russia, located between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, near the city of Irkutsk. It is also known as the "Blue Eye of Siberia". It contains more water than all the North American Great Lakes combined. At 1,637 meters (5,371 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, and the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume. Like Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed in an ancient rift valley and therefore is long and crescent-shaped with a surface area (31,494 km²), less than that of Lake Superior or Lake Victoria. Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. At more than 25 million years old, it is the oldest lake in the world. A Russian mini-submarine attempting to set a record for the deepest freshwater dive on July 29, 2008 was originally reported as being successful, but a correction later emerged that reported the MIR I failed to do so, reaching a depth of only 1,580 meters.

Today you will visit a Siberian village by vehicle, (shared) directly located at Lake Baikal, the largest reservoir of freshwater in the world. A boat takes you across the deep waters to Port Baikal, where your special train awaits you. The Tsar’s Gold rolls on tracks closed to public transport otherwise, taking you directly along the shore of Lake Baikal for several hours. At a particularly beautiful location your train makes a long stop to give you a good opportunity to enjoy the majestic peace of this unique natural wonder. Dinner is served in typical local style as a picnic on the shores of the lake (weather permitting).

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 9 Ulan Ude

Ulan-Ude is the capital city of the Buryat Republic, Russia, is located about 100 km south-east of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga. According to the 2002 Census, 359,391 residents lived in Ulan-Ude, and it is the third largest city in eastern Siberia.

This day will take you along a different part of the shore of the mystical Lake Baikal, and then onwards through the wild and lonely mountain steppes of Eastern Siberia. On the way to the Mongolian border the train will stop in Ulan Ude, where you attend the city tour. The perfect finish of this day will be tonight’s convivial dinner.

Tsar’s Gold will travel onward to the Mongolian border with your special train. The formalities while crossing the Mongolian border are handled in the comfort of your compartment.

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train (4*).

Day 10 Ulaan Bataar

Ulaan Bataar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. The city is an independent municipality not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is just over 1 million. Located in the north central part of the country, the city lies at an elevation of about 1,310 metres (4,300 ft) in a valley on the Tuul River. It is the cultural, industrial, and financial heart of the country. It is also the center of Mongolia's road network, and connected by rail to the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Chinese railroad network. The city was founded in 1639 as an initially nomadic Buddhist monastic centre. Since 1778 it has been located in the Tuul river valley. In the 20th century, Ulaanbaatar grew into a major manufacturing centre.

In the morning you arrive in Ulaan Baatar, the capital of Mongolia. You can leave your large luggage in the security of the train. In the course of a city tour you will see the impressive Buddhist Gandan Monastery, the open air railway museum and the Lama Museum. Beer gardens are very popular in Mongolia – in the evening, your tour guides can show you the best one in the city.

You will spend the night in a good, centrally located medium-class hotel in Ulan Bator. The Ulaanbaatar Hotel is favorably located in the heart of Ulaanbaatar. Perfect for sightseers as, in close proximity to the hotel, there is Sukhbaatar Square with Government buildings, National University of Mongolia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Overnight at Ulaan Baatar Hotel.

Day 11 Gobi Desert

The Gobi, "gravel-covered plain" is the largest desert region in Asia. It covers parts of northern and northwestern China, and of southern Mongolia. The desert basins of the Gobi are bounded by the Altai Mountains and the grasslands and steppes of Mongolia on the north, by the Tibetan Plateau to the southwest, and by the North China Plain to the southeast. The Gobi is made up of several distinct ecological and geographic regions based on variations in climate and topography. This desert is the fifth largest in the world. The Gobi is most notable in history as part of the great Mongol Empire, and as the location of several important cities along the Silk Road. The Gobi is a rain shadow desert formed by the Himalaya range blocking rain-carrying clouds from reaching the Gobi.

Today you attend a tour to Mongolian Switzerland, a must for everyone who loves nature. After breakfast, a bus trip reveals the beautiful countryside, where your lunch venue will be situated within the typical tent settlements of nomadic herdsmen, among herds of horses and shaggy yaks (wild Tibetan cattle). A Mongolian horseback riding show will be performed.

The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activities and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train.

Day 12 Gobi Desert

In the early morning your train halts in the middle of the Gobi Desert, some time ago one of the favourite settlements of dinosaurs. Towards noontime, you reach the Chinese border, where due to the different Chinese track gauge your Chinese train is ready for departure. The Chinese train has no Nostalgic Comfort and Bolshoi cars, only two bed or 4 bed cabins.

"Tsar’s Gold" will travel onward to the Chinese border with your special train.

Overnight at Tsar`s Gold Train.

Day 13 Beijing

Beijing is China's foremost city and capital for twenty four successive emperors. Some of the major sights include: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall and Summer Palace. The complete range of Chinese cuisine can be found in the capital, and evening entertainment is superb.

Enjoy the outskirts of Beijing, observing the impressive scenes of Chinese rural life from your compartment window.

Enjoy a transfer to/from train station with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide.

Discover the wonders of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Temple of heaven with deluxe lunch on a half day private guided tour. Tiananmen Square was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and was the front door of the Forbidden City. The present square stretches over a vast 440,000 square meters and features Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People and Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings across 74 hectares, surrounded by a six meter deep moat and ten meter wall, and is divided into two parts. The Outer Court was where the Emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten Emperors of the Qing dynasty reigned here until 1924.

The Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing is a modern oasis, right in the heart of Beijing's bustling cultural, commercial, business and entertainment center. With its superb location, spacious facilities and personalized service, the Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing is the ideal choice for both business and leisure guests. All guestrooms feature Western décor and are furnished with lounge chairs in sandstone colors.

Overnight at Park Plaza Wangfujing.

Day 14 Beijing

Enjoy a full day private guided tour with lunch at the Great Wall at Mutianyu located 45 miles northeast of Beijing. This section winds along lofty, cragged mountains for 1.4 miles. Construction was started in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577) and was restored in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Built mainly from granite with 8m walls and 5m wide at the top, it is notable for its 22 watchtowers. Lunch is included.

Overnight at Park Plaza Wangfujing.

Day 15 Beijing

Take an airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide.

Depart from Beijing International airport - end of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart.

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