Summer Westbound Explorer

Accommodation

• 3-, 4- or 5-star hotel of your choice, hand-picked by our staff for their excellent amenities and central location
• 1 night Vladivostok // 1 night Ulan-Ude with early check-in and late check-out // 2 nights Lake Baikal // 2 nights Yekaterinburg // 1 night Kazan // 1 night Nizhny Novgorod with early check-in // 2 nights Moscow
• 7 nights on board

Meals

• Full breakfast at the hotels (except Day 1)
• Buryat lunch in Irkutsk (or at Lake Baikal) // Siberian lunch at the Taltsy museum // Tatar cooking master-class with lunch in Kazan
• Russian tea ceremony in Gorodets (on Day 15)
• Group tour: Welcome dinner

Transportation

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

• from Vladivostok to Ulan-Ude by train fare first class

• from Ulan-Ude 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 Vladivostok to Ulan-Ude by train fare economy

• from Ulan-Ude 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

• 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.
• Meet & greet at the airports/train stations
• Private return airport/train station transfers
• Private transportation on tours as per program in a comfortable a/c car/minivan/bus (except on walking tours)
• Metro pass in Moscow

Sightseeing

• Full-day (6 hours) guided tour of Vladivostok: Highlights include harbour, Submarine S-56, Golden Bridge, viewpoint Eagle’s Nest, Vokzalnaya Square, the monument of the Trans-Siberian Railway, Vladivostok fortress museum
• Ulan-Ude full day (8 hours) guided tour: Atsagatski Datsan, Lenin’s head monument, Old town // Ulan-Ude full day (8 hours) guided tour: Ivolginsky Datsan, Old believers village
• 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
• Kazan full day (8 hours) guided tour: the Kazan Kremlin, Kul Sharif Mosque, Syumbike tower, Chak-chak museum, Old Tatar village
• 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 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)
• Russian Visa supporting documents, including an official visa invitation letter, and step-by-step guide on how to apply for your visa

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