Westbound Express Beijing to Moscow

Accommodation

• 3-, 4- or 5-star hotel of your choice, hand-picked by our staff for their excellent amenities and central location
• 3 nights Beijing // 1 night Ulaanbaatar // 2 nights Lake Baikal/Irkutsk // 2 nights Yekaterinburg // 1 night Kazan // 1 night Nizhny Novgorod // 2 nights Moscow
• 1 night at Terelj National Park in ger camp (yurt)
• 5 nights on board

Meals

• Full breakfast at the hotels (except Day 1)
• Full board in Mongolia (except the day of arrival in Ulaanbaatar: on this day only lunch and dinner included)
• Buryat lunch in Irkutsk (or at Lake Baikal) // Siberian lunch at the Taltsy museum // Tatar cooking master-class with lunch in Kazan
• Chinese tea ceremony in Beijing (on day 2) // Russian tea ceremony in Gorodets (on Day 16)
• Group tour: Welcome dinner

Transportation

• Train 1st class compartment (2-berth) as per itinerary

• from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar - Terelj National Park - Ulaanbaatar by train fare first class

• from Ulaanbaatar - Terelj National Park - Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk / Lake Baikal by train fare first class

• from Irkutsk / Lake Baikal to Yekaterinburg by train fare first class

• from Yekaterinburg to Kazan by train fare first class

• from Kazan to Nizhny Novgorod by train fare first class

• from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow by bullet train, standard class, 4 hours ride

• Train 2nd class train compartment as per itinerary

• from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar - Terelj National Park - Ulaanbaatar by train fare economy

• from Ulaanbaatar - Terelj National Park - Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk / Lake Baikal by train fare economy

• from Irkutsk / Lake Baikal to Yekaterinburg by train fare economy

• from Yekaterinburg to Kazan by train fare economy

• from Kazan to Nizhny Novgorod by train fare economy

• from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow by train fare economy

• Meet & greet at the airports/train stations
• Private return airport/train station transfers
• Metro pass in Moscow
• Private transportation on tours as per program in a comfortable a/c car/minivan/bus (except on walking tours)
• Superior trains on the route with a/c, heaters and dining carriage for your comfort. 1st class: one place in 2-seats compartment. 2nd class: one place in 4-seats compartment. If you'd like more privacy, we can buy out an entire compartment for you.

Sightseeing

• Beijing full day (8 hours) guided tour: Tiananmen Square with the National Flag Pole, the Monument to the People's Hero, the Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, the Great Hall of People, the National Museum, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
• Beijing full day (8 hours) guided tour: Ming Tombs, Jade Carving Factory, the hike on Badaling Great Wall (Cable car is available and optional)
• Terelj National Park full day guided tour: Turtle Rock, Temple of Aryavalokiteshvara, Aryabal Monastery, Praying Lama Rock
• Terelj National Park and Ulaanbaatar full day guided tour: Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, Zaisan Memorial, Buddha Garden, Tumen Ekh-traditional folklore concert
• Ulaanbaatar half-day guided tour: Gandan Monastery, National History Museum
• Lake Baikal (Listvyanka) full day (8 hours) guided tour: Shaman rock, Baikal Museum of Limnology, Chersky Stone observation point (Cable car), local souvenir market, boat cruise
• Irkutsk half-day (4 hours) guided tour: St. Epiphany Cathedral, Kirov Square, Taltsy Museum guided tour with national folk performance
• Full-day (8 hours) guided tour of Yekaterinburg: highlights include Ganina Yama Monastery, Church of All Saints, Europe-Asia Border, the Pyzhma military museum
• Gorodets full day (8 hours) guided tour with Russian craft master-class and Russian tea ceremony// Nizhny Novgorod day (6 hours) guided tour: the Kremlin, historic downtown
• Full-day (8 hours) guided tour of Kazan: highlights include the Kazan Kremlin, Kul Sharif Mosque, Syumbike tower, Old Tatar village
• Full-day (8 hours) guided tour of Moscow; Highlights include Moscow Kremlin (visiting the Cathedrals and the Armory), the Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral (outside), Lenin’s Mausoleum (outside), GUM, the Bolshoi Theatre (outside), metro tour

Entrance tickets & visas

• Entrance tickets to all included sightseeing attractions (except optional)
• Chinese, Mongolian and Russian visa letters of invitation (required by the Embassies to grant you the visas) are provided free of charge

We value your comfort

• Dedicated local English-speaking guide in all places as per program
• 24/7 support before and during your trip with us
• Best places to stay, to eat, to go out and have fun - safe and secure with the tour operator that specializes in Russia. Tips already included
• Group tours are fully escorted by a bilingual tour director
• Maximum group size 16 people