Date
September 2019
About This Tour
Siberia! Thanks to popular novels and movies, the word conjures up images of an endless expanse of barren, frozen wastelands – a place only suitable for prisons, labor camps, and exile. The reality is that this region, although remote and scarcely populated, is an ideal destination for Toto travelers who appreciate the beauty of untouched nature, fantastic landscapes with green valleys and high mountains, and rich flora and fauna.
The best way to explore Siberia is to make a rail crossing via the world famous Trans-Siberian Railway. The Trans-Siberian railroad, still the longest in the world, celebrated its centennial of continuous service between European Russia and the Pacific Ocean port of Vladivostok in 2016.
This is a sneak-peek at our plans to undertake this expedition in September of 2019. The dates and pricing are not yet finalized, but we can share the itinerary as it is currently being operated by the railroad company. Our aim is to have sufficient advance reservations to be able to secure a private, nine-cabin train carriage for our group. The carriage is decoupled from the train at our overnight stops, meaning that even though we sleep at a hotel in those towns, we won’t have to unpack everything. We can leave our belongings on the train carriage and take only what we need for the one- or two-night stay.
After reading the itinerary below, click the “Book Now” button to hold your space for this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Deposits will be fully refundable up until two weeks after the tour is finalized with dates and pricing. Getting your deposit in now will secure your space on this exclusive expedition that is sure to sell out quickly. If you are a dedicated world traveler constantly in search of stunningly beautiful new territories to explore which are as yet absent the tourist hordes, this is the trip for you in 2019!
ITINERARY
Arrival in Moscow
Welcome to the gorgeous capital of Russia - Moscow! Your driver meets you at the airport and transfers you to your centrally located hotel for check-in.
The rest of the day is free so you can relax in your cozy room, dine in one of the nearby restaurants or start exploring the charming city center on your own.
In the evening you enjoy Welcome dinner at your hotel that provides you with a great opportunity to get acquainted with the rest of your group and discuss an exciting journey that awaits you ahead.
(Welcome Dinner)
Moscow City Tour & Visit to the Kremlin
Following breakfast you meet your private guide in the hotel lobby and explore one of the most outstanding Moscow icons - the Kremlin. You go inside the Kremlin walls to visit its famous Armoury Chamber that houses a unique collection of crown jewels, stunning coronation finery, hand-forged armor and weapons, royal carriages and sleighs, and world-famous Fabergé eggs.
After lunch in a city restaurant you have a wonderful city tour around the most magnificent Moscow landmarks. During the tour you take a walk at the beautiful Red Square, go inside the colorful St. Basil's Cathedral, see the spectacular Cathedral of Christ the Savior and enjoy one of the best city views at Sparrow Hills.
After the tour you return to your hotel. In the evening you enjoy welcome meeting with the tour leader. (Breakfast / Lunch)
Nizhny Novgorod City Tour
In the morning you check out from the hotel and your driver transfers you to the railway station where you board a high-speed train that takes you to Nizhny Novgorod in just 4 hours.
Upon arrival you meet your guide at the train station, have lunch and go on a wonderful panoramic city tour around the most famous attractions of Nizhny Novgorod. During the tour you stroll through a pedestrian Bolshaya Pokrovskaya street, see the beautiful Stroganovskaya Church, explore the ancient Annunciation Cathedral, enjoy fantastic city views from the Volga slope and visit the famous Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin.
After the tour you are transferred to your centrally located hotel for overnight. The rest of the day is free. (Breakfast / Lunch)
Arrival to Perm & Free Evening
Today early in the morning you check out from the hotel. Your guide and driver transfer you to the train station where you board the train to continue your journey. In the evening your train arrives in Perm - a major rail junction connecting Siberia and the Far East with the European part of the country.
Upon arrival your driver meets you at the train station and transfer you to your centrally located hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to relax in your cozy room or start exploring the city center on your own. (Breakfast box)
Exploring Kungur Ice Caves
Following breakfast you check out from your hotel and prepare for an exciting full day trip to explore the Kungur ice caves, located in the outskirts of Perm. Known since time immemorial, the caves encompass the remains of ancient settlements dating back to VII-IX centuries.
Upon arrival to Kungur you have a brief city tour around the major sites of the area. Your tour then continues to the mysterious and ancient Kungur ice caves located in the Ice Mountain.
Please, note: Average temperature inside the cave is +5C. Ice crystals can be seen at the entrance and exit from the cave any time of the year. The best time to see the crystals is from February to June.
The caves represent a system of labyrinths and are famous for their unique grottos. There are about 70 underground lakes of different sizes in the caves, exact number depending on the time of year. During your tour exploration you pass the large excursion ring traveling 1300 meters underground. Lunch in a local cafe is included.
Upon return to Perm in the evening you are transferred to the train station as it is time to say good-bye to Perm and continue your journey to the capital of Ural - Ekaterinburg. You spend the night on board the train. (All meals)
Ekaterinburg City Tour
At about 3:15 a.m. you arrive in Ekaterinburg. Upon arrival you are met by your driver who takes you to the hotel for early check-in and some rest.
After breakfast you enjoy a guided sightseeing tour around the most remarkable city landmarks. During the tour you take a walk through the historical city center, go to the Vysotsky hotel observation platform to see incredible panoramic views of the city, visit the Ural Craftsman Lane where you can buy some traditional hand-made souvenirs and see the magnificent architectural ensemble of the Rastorguev - Haritonov’s House.
While on tour you also learn about the last days of the Russian Imperial Family - you visit the Church on Blood built on the site of the notorious Ipatiev House, where the last Russian Emperor, Nicolas II, and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. The highlight of the day is a trip to the famous Europe-Asia monument where you can happily experience being at two places at once putting one foot in Europe and the other in Asia.
After the tour you are transferred to the train station where you board a train running to Novosibirsk. You spend this night on board the train.
(All meals)
Arrival in Novosibirsk & Free Evening
Today your train reaches a region with great history and unique Siberian style and nature, as your train arrives in Novosibirsk - a city that proves that Siberia may be distant, but is certainly not desolate.
Upon arrival in the evening your driver meets you at the railway station and transfers you to your centrally located hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is at your leisure. (Meals available for purchase on train)
Novosibirsk City Tour
Following breakfast you check out from the hotel and enjoy a guided tour around the most interesting attractions of Novosibirsk, including the central Lenin Square, the Opera and Ballet Theater, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Ob River embankment.
During the tour you also see the Local History Museum, visit the Beresta Museum and spend some time at the Central Market, where you can buy traditional Russian souvenirs and experience the local life.
In the evening you are transferred to the railway station to continue your journey. (All Meals)
Krasnoyarsk City Tour
Early in the morning you arrive in Krasnoyarsk that is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Siberia. Your driver meets you at the train station and takes you to your centrally located hotel for early check-in.
After having some rest you enjoy a wonderful sightseeing tour around the most famous city landmarks. During the tour you explore Mira Square that offers outstanding views of the Enisei River, take a walk along the old city streets, see the monument to Andrew Dubenskoy, visit the Praskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel and enjoy panoramic city views from Karaulnaya hill.
After the tour you return to your hotel and have the rest of the day free. (Breakfast / Lunch)
Free Morning in Krasnoyarsk & Train to Irkutsk
This morning is free for you to continue discovering the main attractions of Krasnoyarsk on your own. Ask your travel specialist about available options.
In the afternoon you are transferred to the railway station where you board a train running to Irkutsk. You spend this night on board the train. (Breakfast)
Lake Baikal & Listvyanka Village Tour
In the morning you arrive in Irkutsk, informally known as "Paris of Siberia" for its rich architecture and colorful live. Your guide meets you at the train station and takes you to the nearby Listvyanka Village located on the shore of Lake Baikal where you have breakfast at the Krestovaya Pad hotel (early check-in is not included).
Later in the morning you enjoy a sightseeing tour around the village. During the tour you visit the Baikal Limnological Museum and Aquarium that houses an interesting display of the unique flora and fauna of the lake.
Then you take a chair-lift to the nearby viewpoint to take some magnificent panoramic pictures of Baikal, view the Chersky Rock and visit the 19th century wooden St. Nicolas church and spend some time at a local fish market where you see a great variety of fish and different ways of cooking it.
After the tour you return to your hotel, check-in and have the rest of the day free. In the evening you enjoy traditional Russian banya and dinner at your hotel. (All meals)
Trip to Taltsy Village
Following breakfast you take a day trip to the open-air museum of wooden architecture located in Taltsy Village.
This reconstructed Siberian village consists of a number of buildings that were threatened with flooding when the Irkutsk Dam was constructed on the Angara River. All the buildings at the Taltsy museum were rescued from the rising waters and brought here to serve as models of Irkutsk regional architecture.
After lunch in a local restaurant we have planned an exclusive experience for you - a 3-hour cruise on the magnificent Lake Baikal. Together with the guide you board a ship that takes you to one of the stations of the first Baikal railroad. While on board, you enjoy the calm waters of Baikal and feel the power of the world’s deepest lake. After you get ashore your guide takes you to the tunnels of the old railroad, where you have a chance to take pictures. On the way back you relax on the open-air deck of the ship with a cup of hot Siberian tea and local candies, listening to the stories about the life of locals.
After the cruise you return to your hotel and have the rest of the day free. In the evening you enjoy dinner at your hotel. (All meals)
Irkutsk City Tour
After breakfast you check out from the hotel and your driver transfers you to Irkutsk. Upon arrival you leave your luggage at the hotel and have a guided tour around the most remarkable city landmarks.
During the tour you explore the historical part of the city, including the Epiphany Cathedral, the oldest stone-structure Church of our Saviour and the only Catholic Cathedral in Irkutsk, the Polish Roman Catholic Church.
Then you walk through a beautiful Kirov Square and a central Karl Marks Street that will lead you to the Angara river embankment - the most popular meeting place among the locals.
After the tour you are transferred to your hotel for check-in and overnight. The rest of the day is free. (Breakfast / Lunch)
Ulan Ude City Tour
Early in the morning you check out from the hotel and are transferred to the train station to board your train and continue your journey.
In the afternoon you arrive in Ulan Ude - the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia. Upon arrival your guide meets you at the railway station and takes you first to lunch and then on a city tour around the most interesting city landmarks.
During the tour you visit the beautiful Odigitria Cathedral, take a walk at a central Lenina street abundant in former merchant houses, and explore Soviet Square where you see the world’s largest head statue of Lenin.
After the tour you are taken to your hotel for check-in and have the rest of the day free. (Breakfast box)
Enjoying Ulan Ude
Today after breakfast you have the morning free to continue exploring Ulan Ude on your own or you can join a carefully planned optional tour.
In the afternoon you are transferred to the railway station where you board a train running to Khabarovsk. You spend the rest of the day on board your train enjoying fantastic scenery passing by your window and a company of your fellow travelers from all over the world. (Breakfast / Lunch)
On Board the Train
You spend this day on board your train enjoying fantastic scenery passing by your window and a company of your fellow travelers from all over the world. (Meals available for purchase on train)
Arrival in Khabarovsk & Free Evening
This evening your train arrives in Khabarovsk. Your driver meets you at the railway station and transfers you to your centrally located hotel for check-in.
The rest of the day is free for you to take a good rest after a long train journey or start exploring the historical city center on your own. (Meals available for purchase on train)
Khabarovsk City Tour
Following breakfast you meet your private guide and driver and set off on a wonderful sightseeing tour of Khabarovsk.
During the tour you explore the most interesting landmarks of the sity including the main street Muraviev-Amurskiy, the Amur river view point and the Amur Cliff considered as a Khabarovsk city visit card. You also ride across the Amur River Bridge which is a part of Trans-Siberian Railway. The bridge is famous for being depicted on a 5000-ruble banknote.
In the evening you are transferred to the railway station where you board a train that takes you to your final destination - Vladivostok. (Breakfast / Lunch)
Vladivostok City Tour
After traveling through 8 time zones and covering around 6,600 miles (10,600 km) along the epic Trans-Siberian route, early in the morning your train finally arrives in Vladivostok - one of the most significant Russian ports located on the western shores of the Sea of Japan.
Upon arrival you meet your guide at the train station and enjoy an exciting sightseeing tour around the most interesting city attractions. You visit the Vladivostok Railway Station that is the terminus of the Trans-Siberian railroad, the Memorial Submarine S-56 Museum and the Arseniev Museum where you learn more about the region’s rich flora and fauna as well as the culture and history of Vladivostok.
After the tour you are transferred to your hotel for check-in. In the evening you enjoy Farewell dinner at hotels Sky Bar & Restaurant "Pacific" within a company of your guide and fellow travelers. (All meals)
