| day 01
Arrival in Moscow! We whisk you by car directly to your hotel – your first night in Moscow.
day 02
Moscow Calling! Your Moscow Buddy is on hand to smooth your path... at least until lunchtime! Afternoon and evening - it's all in your hands!
day 03
A full free day – take your pick of the best of Moscow! Mid-evening we take you to your waiting train – to Siberia!
day 04
Full day on train through the Ural Mts, arrival late evening in Ekaterinburg - car to Hotel.
day 05
Walking Tour of Ekaterinburg with local guide. Afternoon and evening free to explore further.
day 06
Your choice of the following programs (one choice is included in your trip - no surcharges!)
Summertime Choices
(check applicable difficulty-level for each)
(a) Romanov Graves (& Europe/Asia Border Monument en-route). Car excursion to site where the Romanov bodies were hidden. 5-6 hours. No physical exertion involved.
(b) Walk in the Taiga Forest The unique forest ecosystem of the Steppes, with car to/from. 6 hour walk. Good fitness req'd
(c) Siberian Wilderness Adventure Combined soft raft (6km) and Forest Hike (12km) - optional cave visit. Good fitness req'd.
(d) Siberian Countryside & Historic Village Visit to an old village now under a Preservation Order. Includes home-cooked lunch, exhibitions of craftlore, horsecart riding. 8-9 hours. No physical exertion involved.
(e) Urals Mountain Bike Adventure All gear provided, for a 16km off-road course at Devil's Rock. Transport to/from included (40km). Fitness and bike skills req'd.
Option to either remain at your hotel until 02:00 (we hold your room on for late check-out) or check-out early-evening and chill-out in the Malachit Nightclub (admission tickets and bar-bill are yours, but we take you there and back) and then directly (with luggage) to station. Depart 04:00 eastwards....
day 07 & 08
Onwards via Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk to Irkutsk
Baikal Programmes
(Choose one of the 2 options below)
(1) SIBERIAN VILLAGE (Option One)
day 09
Arrival in Irkutsk and car (1hr) to Listvyanka Village (shore of Lake Baikal). Lunch, walking tour of the village including Lake Wildlife Museum. Then get it all off your chest the Siberian way - in the banya! (sauna). You'll be ready for your home-cooked supper after all that - then sleep like a log in a log cabin.
day 10
Choose one activity from the list, its all included in the trip price!
(a) Taking a short soft trek with a local guide in the Baikal-side forests.
(b) Take a freshwater scuba dive in Lake Baikal (they say you gain a year of life if you dive in!) with highly-qualified CMAS-instructors (requires PADI-1), 2 dives included.
(c) Take yourself for a walk out of the village with a packed lunch and a book, and contemplate the vastness of the world's hugest lake. Then get it all off your chest the Siberian way – in the banya! (sauna). You'll be ready for your home-cooked supper after all that – then sleep like a log in a log cabin.
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 23-DAY VERSION OF THE ITINERARY, THIS IS YOUR EXTRA DAY!
(day 11)
Day entirely free at Lake Baikal – breakfast and supper with your host family – overnight.
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 22-DAY VERSION OF THE ITINERARY, YOUR ITINERARY CONTINUES LIKE THIS:
day 11 (12)
Transfer to Irkutsk. Free time to explore on foot (we watch your bags) until evening departure to station and on by overnight train to Ulan-Uday.º
OR
(2) BIG CATS ADVENTURE TREK (Option Two)
Available 15th June to 1st September. Only available for two or more passengers travelling together.
day 09
Arrival in Irkutsk and by car to host family. Shower and breakfast, prepare for trekking (you can leave heavy baggage in Irkutsk). Departure by public bus to Goloustnoye Village at 18.hrs. Short trekking (3km), mid-evening campfire supper and overnight camping (tents) on shore of Lake Baikal. (Your trek guide will carry the tent – you carry only your own pack).
day 10
Trekking along the Baikal shore (25 km). Picnic lunch en-route. Make camp at Sennaya Bay, supper and overnight (tents).
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 23-DAY VERSION OF THE ITINERARY, THIS IS YOUR EXTRA DAY.
(day 11)
Trek onwards to Bol'shie Koty (“Big Cats”) Village (9km). Ride the city hydrofoil service to Listvyanka Free time to explore the village. Supper, overnight with family host.
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 22-DAY VERSION OF THE ITINERARY, YOUR ITINERARY CONTINUES LIKE THIS
DAY 11 (12)
Breakfast with host family, transfer to Irkutsk City. Return to family stay and reunited with your baggage. Free time to visit the city. Supper. Transfer to station and depart by overnight train to Ulan-Uday.
day 12 (13)
Arrival early am in Ulan-Uday, car to Family Stay. Car/guide trip to Atsagatsky Buddhist Lamasery. After the monastery, try cuisine of Buryatia for lunch with a village family. Return to Ulan-Uday. Supper and overnight. (Option to upgrade to 3* hotel, at extra charge. Meal basis B&B).
day 13 (14)
Visit to the Ivolginsky Datsan (a much larger monastery). Lunch. Visit to Centre of Eastern Medicine (optional consultation). Supper and overnight.
day 14 (15)
Early transfer to the station and depart for Mongolia – midnight border crossing (with halt for formalities).
day 15 (16)
Arrival in Ulaanbaatar. Car to hotel. Guided walk of the old city centre. Depart from city to stay in Gers with herdsmen (nb this is not a tourist camp – you are the guests of the nomads). Traditional supper, and overnight.
day 16 (17)
Jeep trip into Bayan Gobi (all meals included). Supper and overnight with herdsmen in Gers.
day 17 (18)
Jeep trip onwards to ancient Karakorum (modern Harhorin) – 8 hours off-road driving, picnic lunch en-route. Supper and overnight in gers with local herdsmen.
day 18 (19)
Sightseeing in the Gobi. Picnic lunch. Return towards Ulaanbaatar, drive to Elstei Ger Camp. Supper and overnight in “tourist” gers (there are wc and shower facilities at the camp – unlike with herdsmen).
day 19 (20)
Free day at Elstei Ger Camp – for walking, horse-riding (arrange/pay locally) or relaxing. Supper and overnight.
day 20 (21)
Return to Ulaanbaatar. Day free to explore the city. Overnight at centrally-located 3* hotel.
day 21 (22)
Car transfer* to station, catch the train to Beijing. Spectacular scenery en-route. Midnight border crossing.
day 22 (23)
Thunder on across China – past the Great Wall. Mid-afternoon arrival into Beijing Central Station. Your trans-siberian journey comes to an end. For services in China and beyond please see pages 38-43.
* if you are travelling on the same day as other passengers, we may substitute an air-conditioned minibus for this journey. This can happen - because there's only one train per week for the final leg into Beijing |
