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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 into 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!)
Year-Round Choices
(check applicable season &
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. All Year. No physical exertion involved.
(b) Walk in the Taiga Forest
The unique forest ecosystem of the Steppes, with car to/from. 6 hour walk. 15 Jun - 15 Sep. Good fitness req'd.
(c) Siberian Wilderness
Adventure Combined soft raft (6km) and Forest Hike (12km) - optional cave
visit. 12 Jun-12 Sep. 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. Year round.
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). 15.May-30.Sep. Fitness and bike skills req'd.
Special Winter Activities
(check applicable season and
difficulty-level for each)
(a) Winter Walk to the Druzhba
Caves. 16km distance, no climbing. 01.Dec-01.Mar. Good fitness req'd. take warm
clothes and boots.
(b) Skiing At Ezhovaya Slopes
Ski Resort - even Putin skis here (sometimes). Skis/Poles/Lift-Pass package
purchasable locally approx $25 payable in roubles. 01 Dec-15.Mar. No
instruction is included - this program is for those who can already ski without
instruction.
(c) Ice-Fishing Yes, you saw
the cartoons, now you can try it yourself. Tackle, Angler's Hints & Fur
Coat provided. 15 Nov - 15 Dec & 01 Feb - 15 Mar. We don't guarantee you'll
catch anything! Takes 8 hours but you can come back sooner if you get cold.
(d) Siberian Husky Dog-Sledding
Exactly what it says!
A whole day adventure to
include 3-4 hours sledding following a made track through the forest. 15 Nov -
01 Mar. (unavailable 31.Dec 10 Jan). No special fitness required, but be ready
to fall-off in the soft snow a few times - they're pretty fast!
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 at 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
day 09
Arrival Irkutsk
No Frills:
Car to family
homestay for 3 nts in Irkutsk - Car trf to
station on departure.
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. Get it all of your chest in a real Siberian Sauna (banya),
which will give you an appetite for a home-cooked supper. Overnight with host
family.
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, (May-Oct)
(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), (May-Oct.) 2 dives
included (Feb-Mar.) Ice Dive. 1 dive 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 (year-round). 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 20-DAY
VERSION OF THE ITINERARY, THIS IS YOUR
EXTRA DAY!
(day 11)
Day entirely free at
Lake Baikal - breakfast and supper. Overnight with your host family.
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 19-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.
OR
(2) FISHERMAN'S CAPE OF LAKE BAIKAL (Option Two)
Day 09
Car directly from
Irkutsk Station to the remoter village of Bolshoe Goloustnoye (110km on rural
roads). Your local guide shows you the village, the Old Church, and lake
shoreline. Get the 20th Century out of your system in a real Russian banya
(sauna) which will sharpen your appetite for home-cooked food for supper. Sleep
soundly - the modern world is far, far away.
Day 10
Leisurely lakeside walk
(8km) to Ushkani Cape, and visit our friends the fishermen for lunch at their
cabin. A gentle return walk (on the way see a dried-up Lake.) Sauna and supper
in the hushed silence away from the tourist throng.
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 20-DAY
VERSION OF THE ITINERARY, THIS IS YOUR
EXTRA DAY!
(day 11)
Breakfast Walk back to
Bolshoe Goloustnoye. Lunch. Sauna. Free time. Dinner. Overnight.
IF YOU'VE CHOSEN THE 19-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.
day 12 (13)
Arrival early
morning 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)
Mid-morning arrival
in Outer Mongolia! Shower, breakfast, then by car* to a Mongolian Ger Camp -
with accommodation in traditional Mongolian wood-framed felt tents (gers). The
huge area of the Mongolian steppes around the camp is yours to explore. Lunch
and Supper are included (yes, there are vegetarian options too). [No Frills:
car transfer to 1* Hotel in Ulaanbaatar for a 3-night independent stay]
day 16 (17)
Horse-riding is
available (for a small local charge) with local herdsmen leaders - or walk,
relax, or sometimes play traditional Mongolian sports? (FB incl).
day 17 (18)
Back to
Ulaanbaatar. Your local Mongolian Buddy will help you find the very best of
ÒUBÓ. Overnight at 3* hotel giving you time to sample Mongolian cuisine for
supper
day 18 (19)
Car transfer* to
your departing Beijing-bound train this morning. Midnight border crossing and
onwards into China!
day 19 (20)
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
† not included on the no-frills
version of the trip
* 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.
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