+7 (812) 313-43-39 +7 (953) 140-80-89 [email protected] Grand Russia Welcome on board! We invite you to explore Russia from the western border till the eastern and feel yourself a real traveler. Traditionally the train is a most popular means of transport in Russia and the best way to feel and explore this country in no hurry. Lots of cities, northern nature, sightseeing, hiking, meeting locals in different parts of Russia will be on the route. All that will help you to make up your personal and truthful attitude to the country and feel the real Russia. Day 1: St. Petersburg Privet and welcome to St. Petersburg. We start from St. Petersburg, the so-called Northern capital of Russia, famous for its fascinating classic architecture, drawing bridges and the White nights. Built on the western border of Russian State, St. Petersburg has a symbolic significance of the Gate to Europe. It used to be the capital for two centuries, home for Romanov imperial dynasty and witness of all three Russian revolutions. Arrival day (meeting with tour leader or company representative to discuss the program and route) Stay overnight in hotel Day 2: St. Petersburg Breakfast Guided City tour with a visit to the city Fortress, photo stops with the most beautiful views of the historical city center which was built according to the city plan. Visit of Grand Maket Russia, unique private museum with a scale model of all Russian territory displayed on 800m2. Hundreds of trains and cars, light and sound effects, thousands of action figures, march of day and night effect inspires you on a further trip to Vladivostok. Free time Optional Boat tour Stay overnight in hotel Day 3: Peterhof Breakfast Half-day trip to Peterhof (20 km from St. Petersburg). Peterhof park is signed as UNESCO World Heritage site for the unique fountain system consisting of more than 150 fountains and 4 great cascades where water flows under its own pressure. Enjoy the park landscapes and panoramic views, find the joke fountains of 18th century, have a look on St. Petersburg from the shore of the Gulf of Finland. The tour includes a visit to one of the park palaces or engineering fountain tour to the Grotto (specify upon booking) Free time. Meeting at the hotel, transfer to the train station Overnight train +7 (812) 313-43-39 +7 (953) 140-80-89 [email protected] Day 4: Moscow Transfer to the hotel, Breakfast Metro Tour + Kremlin + Zaryadje observation point + GUM We will explore the real wonder of Russian Capital: the Underground constructed in Soviet times with the idea of becoming Palaces for work people – that is why beautiful and unique decoration was used for each station. You will see expensive materials, mosaics, sculptures and the best architectural solutions of that time. Then we will walk inside the Kremlin walls to see the medieval Churches with well-preserved frescoes and Presidential Residence. All must-sees such as Red Square, Lenin Mausoleum (outside only), Newly opened Zaryadje park and stylish GUM department store are included in our walking tour. Optional Folk-show Stay overnight in hotel Day 5: Moscow Breakfast Free day to explore Moscow. This majestic city is steeped in history and beauty. A trip here combines the old and the new - learn the story of communism at VDNKh park and the Cosmos Museum or enjoy the cosmopolitan life of modern-day Moscow. Optional Kolomenskoe Optional Back to the USSR tour (VDNH+Cosmos Museum) Optional Tretjakov Gallery + Zamoskvorechye + Gorky Park visit Optional Moscow River boat trip Meeting at the hotel, transfer to the train station Overnight train to Kazan Day 6: Kazan Breakfast Kazan is the capital of The Republic of Tatarstan and a very specific city, combining Russian and Tatar culture in a unique mixture. During the city tour we will visit the most remarkable sites as Kremlin and Kul Sharif Mosque, will try popular local fast food and walk in a historical Tatar district. Free time Stay overnight in hotel Day 7: Kazan Breakfast Kazan was a host to lots of international sport events in recent years. But the main national Tatar sport is horseracing. We will visit the Race track, one of the biggest in Europe and the only in Russia, and the museum of horse breeding. Optional horse riding. +7 (812) 313-43-39 +7 (953) 140-80-89 [email protected] A tea party at the museum of Chak-Chak. Hospitable host will tell you about this traditional sweet while you taste it in a nice atmosphere of old Tatar house. Transfer to the station, Free time till train Overnight train to Yekaterinburg Day 8: Yekaterinburg Afternoon arrival at Yekaterinburg, political and industrial center of the Ural Mountains, the city of hard workers and talented masters, the historical Gates to Siberia, the birthplace of the first Russian president Boris Yeltsin.ьIt is also known as the place of the tragic death of the last Russian Emperor and his family. During the city tour we will visit the central part of the city, the dam across Iset river and main pedestrian street, constructivism soviet buildings and brand new skyscrapers and get the guidelines what to do in free time. Stay overnight in hotel Day 9: Yekaterinburg Free day to explore city sites. We highly recommend you to visit Boris Yeltsin cultural center, learn the beauty of constructivism buildings, visit one of the Mineral Stone museums or choose one of our unique optional programs Optional Ural Gold mining tour. The Museum-Mine is not just an exhibition site with boring guides and huge halls - it's a small interactive attraction for adults. Two halls with an exposition, funny guides involving the whole group in mountain adventures, unforgettable legends. After mining gold as a true worker, you will visit and taste local craft beer and one of the owners will show you how it is produced. Optional Try Real Russia. Spend a day in a local village 40 km from the city. It is a good chance to see a typical way of life outside of the city, to meet with local family, cook local type of pelmeny with 3 types of meet together with a host, milk the cow, try tasty local homemade food. Meeting at the hotel and transfer to the train station Overnight train to Krasnoyarsk Day 10: Train Day at the train Day 11: Krasnoyarsk Breakfast If you have ever been to Krasnoyarsk, but haven’t visited the nature reserve “Stolby”, you haven’t seen the heart of the city, its lungs, it’s soul. Excursion around Central group of rocks, 3 km on foot. For those, who like spending a holiday in a calm or active way, who like to discover new spaces and observe panoramic views, who look for harmony with nature we offer the excursion to the reserve “Stolby” to explore Russian Taiga forest. This is the place to get unforgettable impressions. The tourist-bus goes along the forest road. After all we come back to the city and visit a local artist in her art studio, where she will tell you about her artworks, trips to the north of Siberia and local art life. Tea party with homemade pancakes. Stay overnight in hotel. +7 (812) 313-43-39 +7 (953) 140-80-89 [email protected] Day 12: Krasnoyarsk Breakfast Krasnoyarsk is the Easternmost million-plus city in Russia, the biggest economic and cultural center. We will have a city tour, and after a noisy city we will have a great panoramic view of Krasnoyarsk from the “Tsar Ryba” observation place. Also, you will see Krasnoyarsk Hydro Power Station which is one of the biggest Hydro Power Stations in the world. At the fun-park “Bobrovy Log” tourists will go up to the hill by the ropeway, visit special observation places from where they can have a great view on the Takmak district of the Nature reserve. Transfer to the train station Overnight train to Irkutsk Day 13: Baikal Morning arrival at Irkutsk Irkutsk is a city that can tell you all controversial history of Russian Siberia: this history is mostly about extraction of mineral recourses and exile of state prisoners. In some areas the city still preserves the atmosphere of the 19th century with old wooden houses of resettlers. Guided city tour (3 hours) We will visit the House Museum of Maria Volkonskaya. Sometimes called the Princess of Siberia, Maria was one of the many Decembrist revolutionaries' wives who voluntarily accompanied their husbands into exile. Transfer to Baikal lake, free time Stay overnight in hotel Day 14: Baikal Spend all day on a shore of Baikal - the largest freshwater lake in the world. Breakfast We will have a nice walk in Listvyanka, learn the story of Baikal evolution in the unique Baikal Museum and climb on a picturesque Chersky stone panoramic point (728 m above sea level). After a short break, let’s meet the locals. We invite you to spend your evening in a local house not far from Listvyanka. You will learn how to make Russian dumplings under the supervision of the host. Banya is also included. Optional Baikal boat trip Stay overnight in hotel Day 15: Baikal and Irkutsk Breakfast Trip to traditional Buryat village, where you will listen to local folk ensemble, try traditional Buryat dishes, visit a local museum and at the end have a meeting with a shaman. Transfer back to Irkutsk railway station +7 (812) 313-43-39 +7 (953) 140-80-89 [email protected] After the tour we will have some free time to visit local market to buy local specialties, such as cedar nuts, herbal teas, etc.