Tour Duration: 9 - 14 days
Group Size: 2 - 5 people
Specialty Categories: Sightseeing, Railway Tours
Season: May - October
Tour Customizable: Yes
Price Per Person: USD 2,715 and above
Discover Moscow, a great, unique city which became the third Rome, fascinating both Russians and foreigners. It is one of the global capitals considered to be a must for everybody visiting Russia for the first time. Our program will allow you to feel the charm of the city and to see the most essential sites of Russia’s capital.
Proceed to Irkutsk which has always been a major transit point on the way from Europe to China. Nowadays, it is one of Russia’s cities that possesses the unique historical heritage. It is also located only 65 km (40 miles) from Lake Baikal famous for being the deepest and the largest in volume fresh-water lake in the world.
Continue your great Trans-Siberian railway journey to Beijing, the capital of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. During our three day tour you will see many human-made wonders including the Great Wall, most famous image of China throughout the world, the Forbidden City that hosts the Palace Museum, and numerous gardens and parks of the Summer Palace described to be the masterpieces of Chinese gardening art.
Tour Itinerary:
click headlines to see description
Arrive to one of Moscow airports or railway stations. We will meet you there and drive you directly to your hotel. Free time to rest and catch up sleeping after a long travel.
Take a panoramic sightseeing tour to see all major historical sights of Moscow. The tour starts with a hiking excursion to the heart of the city, the Kremlin Grounds. In the Kremlin you will visit one of the Cathedrals for an introduction to the Tsars who ruled from Moscow. Then, continue with 3-hour orientation trip around Moscow by private car or tour bus. After observing St. Basil's Cathedral, the State Historical Museum and other sights of the area we move along the Moskva River embankment passing the Cathedral of the Christ the Savior and then going further to Moscow State University. Near the university stop at the Sparrow Hills observation spot with an outstanding view on the central part of Moscow. After that take a ride through the new and old streets and squares of the largest city in continental Europe. Lunch in Russian cuisine restaurant. Return to your hotel. Includes: (B), (L).
Check out of your hotel and leave your luggage in hotel cloakroom. Meet your guide and depart for excursion to the Novodevichy Convent founded in 1524 and considered now to be one of the most beautiful sights in Moscow. Then, take Moscow State Metro excursion with your local guide. It is the world’s second busiest metro in the world. Moscow metro is well-known for the ornate design of its stations built in 1930s that represent outstanding examples of socialist realism. After a metro ride enjoy a slow pace walk along the Old Arbat pedestrian street. Bargain a good deal with local artists painting right there or explore numerous souvenir kiosks where you can see famous hand-painted matryoshka dolls, baboushka scarves and ushanka fur hats. After that, your guide can either leave you by yourself to explore the city center or take you back to the hotel. We will meet you tonight at the hotel lobby for a transfer to the railway station. Depart Moscow by Trans-Siberian train. "Rossiya" Express train No. 002 departs at 11:45 pm. Trans-Mongolian train 004/006 departs at 9:35 pm. Includes: (B), (L).
You will spend over 3 full days on board of a train running along the famous Trans-Siberian Railway which connects European part of Russia with Siberia and Russia's Far East at the Pacific coast. There is a la carte restaurant car on a train or you may choose to order tickets with meals already included into the ticket fare.
Early arrival to Irkutsk. Train 002 arrives at 7:30 am. Train 004/006 arrives at 4:25 am. Your guide will meet you at the railway station. Breakfast in a cafe. City tour around all of Irkutsk major historical sights including Znamensky Orthodox Cathedral, old-style wooden houses with distinctive hand-carved trims, the Monument to Russian Emperor Alexander III. Lunch in a restaurant. Departure to Listvyanka settlement at Lake Baikal waterside. Stop for a two-hour excursion to Taltsy open-air museum of wooden architecture where one can discover the culture and the lifestyle of native Siberians and Russians. Museum funds include over 40 original log buildings. The most valuable of them are the "Tower of our Savior" built in 1667 and the Khazanskya Chapel built in 1669. Arriving Listvyanka. Check in to your hotel. Overnight. Includes: (B), (L).
While in Listvyanka visit Baikal Museum with the diverse collection of Baikal flora and fauna. You will also see here aquaria with some of Baikal endemic species including Baikal nerpa, the only fresh water seal in the world. Then take a chairlift to the top of Chersky peak from where one can enjoy breathtaking views on Lake Baikal, the Angara River and peaks of Khamar-Daban Mountain Range. Lunch in a fish restaurant. Attend a show of Baikal nerpa in Listvyanka nerpinarium located next to the main pier. Transfer back to Irkutsk for overnight. Includes: (B), (L).
Early transfer to the railway station. Board express train 004 to Beijing, China. Train departs at 4:50 am local time. Spend 2 full days and 10 hours on board of Chinese train crossing Mongolia and the Gobi Desert, then heading off for Beijing. There is a la carte restaurant attached to the train. Alternatively, you can take your own food supply into your train cabin.
Arrive to the Beijing railway station at 2:04 pm local. Transfer to your hotel. Free time to rest. Dinner with famous Beijing roasted duck. Roasted duck has been prepared since the imperial era and is now considered to be one of Chinese national dishes. Includes: (D).
Start your tour with the visit to Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, located in the heart of Beijing City. After a short hike proceed to the Forbidden City (Gugong), the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. Great squares, halls and gates contrast with the intricate networks of side halls, gardens, courtyards and quarters for those who lived in this “city within a city”. After lunch visit the Yonghegong Temple. It is one of the largest and most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world. The building and the artworks of the temple combine Chinese and Tibetan styles. Includes: (B), (L).
Half-day excursion to the Badaling Great Wall, the most magnificent section of five survived near China’s capital. Hiking up the steep steps to the top of the section takes about 2-3 hours. After lunch head back to the downtown Beijing to visit the Summer Palace, originally a temporary dwelling place for emperors of Qing Dynasty where they spent hot Beijing summers. In this beloved summer retreat of the Imperial families the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake in natural harmony. Includes: (B), (L).
Transfer to the airport. Have a good trip back home! Includes: (B).
Prices (per person)
Tour program:
- Deluxe accommodation (4-5* hotels)
* 2 pax: $2,315 p/p
* 3 pax: $2,080 p/p
* 4-6 pax: $1,995 p/p
* Single supplement: $910
- Standard accommodation (3* hotels):
* 2 pax: $1,690 p/p
* 3 pax: $1,510 p/p
* 4-6 pax: $1,425 p/p
* Single supplement: $310
Train ticket Moscow-Irkutsk:
- Option 1. Top-quality Train 002 "Rossiya". Days of running: Odd dates
* 1-st class (2-berth): No meals - $1,250, Meals included - $1,370
* 2-nd class (4-berth): No meals - $730, Meals included - $795
- Option 2 Express train 004/006. Days of running: Tue, Wed, Thu
* 2-nd class (4-berth): No meals - $495
- Option 3. Regular Train 340/350. Days of running: Daily
* 2-nd class (4-berth): No meals - $460, Meals included - $530
Train ticket Irkutsk-Beijing:
- Trans-Mongolian express train 004:
* 1-st class (2-berth), no meals: $890
* 2-nd class (4-berth), no meals: $565
Price Includes:
- Accommodation as stated in the itinerary on ½ DBL basis
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- All individual transfers by car or tourist coach
- English-speaking guide during excursions in Moscow, Irkutsk and Beijing
- English-speaking guide during transfers in Irkutsk and Beijing
- Entry and admission fees the sites and museums listed
- Russian visa support
Price Excludes:
- Air tickets or train tickets to Moscow/ from Beijing
- Guide services on Days 4-6 & 9-11 on board of trains
- Train tickets (fare depends on a train and class of service)
- Health insurance
Notes:
- Train trip can be substituted for airflight: Moscow-Irkutsk flight takes approximately 6 hours. Airfare starts from USD 350. Irkutsk-Beijing flight (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat) takes 2,5 hours. Airfare starts from USD 300.
