| 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
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 01:00 (we hold your room on for late check-out) or check-out
early-evening and check-out 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 03:00 eastwards...
day 06
Onwards towards Barnaul.
Overnight onboard.
day 07
Meet guide on arrival in
Barnaul and travel on public bus service (6 hrs) to Chemal Village in the heart
of the Altai Mts. Accom at family stay and late lunch. Afternoon walk and info
about local Altaic people. Sauna and supper.
Day 08
Car excursion to site of
ancient cave- and cliff-paintings. Picnic lunch. Opportunity (small local cash
payment) to ride Altai Mountain Horses. More information about the ancient
Chuisky Tract - the route of Genghis Khan's messengers. Supper. (gear not
needed on raft, can be packed and stored tonight).
Day 09
Arrival at rafting
launch-point, safety briefing and rafting know-how. Set off (with instructor
& guide), some white-water. Picnic lunch stop en-route. Continue rafting
the Katun River in afternoon - campfire supper and pitch tents for overnight.
(Bring suitable clothes and footwear for rafting. All other gear & sleeping
bags provided. Vegetarians must advise in advance!).
Day 10
Continue rafting route,
including some rapids. Picnic lunch at the riverside. Return by road to Chemal.
Free time, sauna, supper.
Day 11
After early breakfast
depart to Novosibirsk by road by car (7-8 hrs). Accomodation in a hotel (supper
independently - lots of choice in Novosibirsk).
Day 12
Guided sightseeing walk
of Novosibirsk, then free time (own lunch and supper arrangements). Transfer to
station for late evening train departure.
Day 13
Continue eastwards on
the Trans-Siberian towards Irkutsk.
Baikal Programmes:
(Choose one of the 2 options
below)
Listvyanka is a lakeside
village with one foot in the present – Bolshoe Goloustnoye is a more
remote and timeless choice.
(1) SIBERIAN VILLAGE (Option
One)
day 14
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 15
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.Sauna and supper after your exertions & maybe
try the local bar? Overnight with host family.
day 16
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) BIG CATS ADVENTURE TREK
(Option Two)
Only available to two or more passengers travelling together.
day 14
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 15
Trekking along the
Baikal shore (25 km). Picnic lunch en-route. Make camp at Sennaya Bay, supper
and overnight (tents).
day 16
Trek onwards to Bol'shie
Koty ('Big Cats') Village (9km). Ride the city hydrofoil service to Irkutsk.
Return to family stay and you are reunited with your baggage. Free time to
visit the city. Transfer to station and depart by overnight train to Ulan-Uday.
day 17
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 18
Visit to the Ivolginsky
Datsan (a much larger monastery). Lunch. Visit to Centre of Eastern Medicine
(optional consultation). Supper and overnight.
day 19
Early transfer to the
station and depart for Mongolia - midnight border crossing (with halt for
formalities).
day 20
Early morning arrival in
Ulaanbaatar. Chance for a quick shower, then a guided Walking Tour of the old
part of the city.Depart by jeep to Bayan Gobi – on arrival supper and
accommodation with local nomads (in ger tents). (NB. this is not a tourist camp
- you are the guests of the nomads).
day 21
Onwards by jeep to
ancient Karakorum (modern Harhorin) 8 hrs off-road driving. Picnic lunch
en-route. Supper and overnight with local herdsmen (in ger tents).
day 22
Sightseeing by jeep in
Bayan Gobi. Picnic lunch during 6-hr drive towards Ulaanbaatar, accommodation
at Elstei Ger Camp (this is tourist-type accom - unlike with nomads). Supper
and overnight.
day 23
Free day at Elstei Ger
Camp - for walking, horse-riding (arrange/pay locally) or relaxing.
day 24
Return to Ulaanbaatar
and check-in at 3* centrally located Hotel Bayangol. Free time to explore the
city, own lunch and supper arrangements. Overnight.
day 25
Car transfer* to
station, departure to Beijing via spectacular steppe scenery. Midnight border
crossing (and stop for border formalities).
day 26
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
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