a year-round adventure
THE TRANS-SIB ROUTE INCLUDES
THE DEPTHS OF SIBERIA & THE GOBI DESERT! HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT SEASON? HERE
ARE OUR TIPS
The extremes of temperature in
our destinations would go off the scales used by conventional travel companies!
The Siberian winter can hit –40C with ease – but summer in the
Mongolian Gobi hits +40C – and no-one's surprised. But what does come as a surprise to
most people is that Russia (including Siberia) has blazing-hot summers –
and the Gobi has thick snow in winter!
But within this there are a few nuances, plus there are seasonal
activities, festivals and so on to take into account. Here's our Expert Season
Guide – compiled from doing these trips ourselves yearly for ten years! (note: the local climate means seasons
may fall in different months to those you expect from home).
SPRING (May-June)
This is a great time to travel
– really the best combination of weather throughout the trip. You get the
spring greenery and flowers, before everything's been singed by the summer
heat. You'll find the locals in an upbeat mood too – the long winter has
finally lifted. The last week of June is 'super-peak' in St Petersburg, because
of the White Nights – the longest days of the year, when it's dark for
less than an hour – and more especially because of the White Nights
Theatre & Classical Music Festival. The city's full to bursting, so either
book early, or schedule around it.
SUMMER (July to mid-September)
This is the traditional Summer Holiday season, and the time when most visitors
come. Mongolia's summer Naadam Festival in August causes log-jamming on the very limited
international travel to the world's most land-locked country. The warm weather
in Siberia enables a host of outdoor activities - trekking, rafting, riding, diving - featured in our
trips! Don't come in summer if
you're seeking the Russian ballet or opera – it mostly closes-down to a
skeleton operation at best (winter is Theatre Season in Russia).
AUTUMN (mid-Sept, October and November)
The weather can be hard to
predict, as Russian autumn weather barely exists – it's just a
quick-change into Winter, and by November you can expect some sleety snow.
There's a surge in Trans-Siberian passengers trying to catch the last of the
good weather at the end of September and early October. Mongolians will take
the chance for last outdoor sports and fun together before deep winter snows
leave nomadic communities isolated for the long months of winter in a largely
roadless country. Theatres will be
wheeling-out their latest shows for the new season from October onwards, if you
want to see the ballet or opera.
WINTER (December-April)
Russia's five-month winter is
the secret jewel in the crown. It was always a time for fun and frolics –
no more work could be done in the fields, whilst the nobility would move back
to the city from summer on their Estates - and expect to be entertained! Russia's most traditional appearance is
when dusted with snow – you can enjoy winter-only activities like
husky-dog sleighing, or travel around Old St Petersburg in a troika? New Year
sees glittering spectacles in the theatres, and special shows at the Circus
– it's the biggest holiday of the year. China's New Year is a little later, so you get a second
chance – maybe visit the famous Ice-Lantern Festival in Harbin (see the
Snow-Train itinerary), and wish your friends Kung Hei Fat Choy! – A Happy
New Year! On 25th December
everything is open in Russia as usual – because the Orthodox Church dates
Christmas as January 7th.
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