Overview:
By the time your train arrives in Vladivostok you will have passed through eight time zones, and travelled nearly 10,000 kilometers. This two week journey gives you plenty of time to take in and enjoy this Voyage of a Lifetime.
As well as Moscow, Russia’s vibrant capital, you will also stop at Yekaterinburg – where the Romanovs were executed – Kazan, with its beautiful Kremlin, Irkutsk and Ulan Ude, capital of the Buryat Republic. You will also stop at Lake Baikal, to visit a traditional fishing village – and enjoy a barbeque at the water’s edge. The train will branch off the Trans-Siberian main line to take a trip into Mongolia for a visit to the capital, Ulaan Baatar, before we return to Russia for the remainder of the trip to Vladivostok.
Departure Dates: no departures
Tour Itinerary:
Eastbound journey: Moscow - Vladivostok
Moscow - Kazan - Yekaterinburg - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - Lake Baikal - Ulan Ude - Ulaan Baatar (Mongolia) - Vladivostok
Day 1: Arrival in Moscow, Russia
After you arrival at the airport in Moscow, you will be transferred to the Four Seasons Hotel – a stylish 5-star hotel located right in the centre of Moscow. Many of Moscow’s most famous sights are within walking distance of the hotel such as Red Square, the Kremlin and the Bolshoi Theatre.
On the first evening in Moscow, you are invited to join a drinks reception before an exclusive Welcome Dinner. Specially selected wine is included with the dinner as well as the rest of the meals on the tour.
Day 2: Moscow - Freedom of Choice Touring
Today’s Moscow city tour will first introduce you to the Kremlin – the political centre of Russia and one of the most iconic symbols of Moscow. Here the group will have a private viewing of some of the Tsar’s treasures in the Armoury Chamber.
The tour will continue with a visit to Red Square – an emblematic symbol of Russia and the backdrop to many important events in the country’s history. On Red Square we will have a visit to St. Basil’s Cathedral, renowned for its colourful onion-domes and you will observe the beautiful GUM department store which was first opened during the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th Century.
Lunch will be served at Cafe Pushkin, one of Moscow’s greatest historical restaurants serving classic Russian cuisine amongst the atmosphere and grandeur of Imperial Russia in the early 19th Century. In the afternoon, we visit a crucial part of any trip to Moscow – the Moscow Metro. The stations were designed and built during the Stalinist period as “palaces of the people” and are decorated with a wide range of Socialist art, mosaics, frescoes and statues. The Moscow Metro is truly unmatched anywhere else in the world.
If this is not your first time in Moscow, you can take part in freedom of choice touring where you can see some of Moscow’s other sights including the Tretyakov Art Gallery or the Space Museum.
In the late afternoon, you will arrive at Kazanskiy Station in Moscow where you will be met in the ornate Imperial Waiting Room with canapes and a glass of Russian Champagne. Here you can mingle with the other guests and the train staff before departure. 30 minutes before the train departs, you will be escorted to Platform One where the luxurious Golden Eagle will be waiting for you, prepared for departure.
Day 3: Kazan
Today we visit the beautiful, historical city of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan located along the banks of the River Volga. The highlight of our city tour is a visit to the Kazan Kremlin which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inside the walls of this ancient fortress, we can explore the city’s beautiful historic mosque and cathedral. Kazan also happens to be the birthplace of one of Russia’s most well-known opera singers, Feodor Chaliapin and in recognition of this, we will enjoy a private concert of his music. You will also have free time to explore the pedestrian centre of Kazan and experience the atmosphere of this beautiful city.
Day 4: Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Urals, was founded by Peter the Great in 1723. The Ural Mountains mark the divide between Europe and Asia and you will be able to mark the cultural and architectural influences of these two continents as we continue our journey in Yekaterinburg. The city tour will take us to the spot where the last Romanov Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Today, a church stands on this site, dedicated to the memory of the Royal Family. We will then drive to the obelisk which marks the geographical border between Europe and Asia where we will enjoy an intercontinental glass of champagne with one foot in Europe and one in Asia.
If time permits, the Freedom of Choice programme will allow you to visit the Museums of Military Machinery This museum is home to a wide range of different military equipment including aircraft, tanks, boats and even a few armoured trains. This museum trip is fascinating for all but especially for those with an interest in Soviet history. As an alternative, we can make a short visit to the recently opened Boris Yeltsin Presidential Centre which presents the modern political history of Russia and the country’s first president, Boris Yeltsin.
Day 5: Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is a vibrant, modern ‘Soviet’ city and today we will enjoy the city’s rich artistic and scientific culture. The city is situated right in the centre of Russia on the banks of the river Ob. Our tour of the city will cover Lenin Square, see the imposing statue of Lenin and visit the city’s impressive Opera House. The opera house was completed in 1944 and is one of the largest opera houses in the world.
If time permits, we can visit the Railway Museum, just south of Novosibirsk. On display at the museum are locomotives and rolling stock dating from the late 19th Century, including carriages used by the Tsars and Soviet era trains. Alternatively, you can choose to visit the Mineralogical Centre which has a fantastic exhibition of Siberian minerals.
Novosibirsk is a vibrant, modern ‘Soviet’ city and today we will enjoy the city’s rich artistic and scientific culture. The city is situated right in the centre of Russia on the banks of the river Ob. Our tour of the city will cover Lenin Square, see the imposing statue of Lenin and visit the city’s impressive Opera House. The opera house was completed in 1944 and is one of the largest opera houses in the world.
If time permits, we can visit the Railway Museum, just south of Novosibirsk. On display at the museum are locomotives and rolling stock dating from the late 19th Century, including carriages used by the Tsars and Soviet era trains. Alternatively, you can choose to visit the Mineralogical Centre which has a fantastic exhibition of Siberian minerals.
Day 6: Onboard
Today, we will have time to relax and unwind as we spend the day on board the train. You have a chance to mingle with your fellow passengers, maybe learn a little Russian or simply sit back and take in the beautiful, ever-changing scenery as you fly through the vast Siberian landscape.
Day 7: Irkutsk
Today we visit Irkutsk, the ‘Paris of Siberia’. Our tour will take in the most fascinating museums and sights of the city. You will explore the traditional wooden architecture of with its beautifully carved decorations which give the buildings in this region a unique and distinctive feel. You will then pay a visit to the Volkonsky House Museum, dedicated to the memory of the aristocrats who were sent into exile in Irkutsk after the attempted Decembrist uprising of 1825. The atmosphere of that period will be recreated with a private concert and champagne reception. With the freedom of choice touring, you have the option to attend a cooking class with a local chef where you will learn to prepare some classic Russia cuisine. There is also the option to visit a ‘dacha’ (a traditional Russian country house) or an apartment in the city where you can experience the life of a typical Russian family.
Day 8: Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world and it is definitely one of the main highlights of this journey along the Trans-Siberian railway. Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest lake and contains around 20 per cent of the planet’s fresh water. The lake is sometimes referred to as the ‘Pearl of Siberia’ and is the native habitat for the freshwater Baikal seal and more than 50 different species of fish. The train will wind through tunnels and cliffs all with a fantastic view of snowy mountains and the stunning blue lake. If weather permits, we will stop for a photo break with the awe-inspiring backdrop of Lake Baikal and for the courageous ones, there is a chance to take a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear lake. As we continue along to the end of the Baikal branch of the Trans-Siberian railway, we will depart the train for a boat trip across the lake to the small town of Listvyanka. Here we will visit the Lake Baikal Museum and the Aquarium where you will discover all about the lake and its flora and fauna. After this, there will be a delicious barbeque with smoked omul (a fish native to Lake Baikal), freshly prepared on the shore of the lake. With the Freedom of Choice touring, you can join a hiking excursion which will give you some magnificent views of the lake beneath you.
Day 9: Ulan Ude
Ulan Ude is the capital of the Republic of Buryatia and the city has a fantastically diverse ethnic and cultural heritage. There will be a visit to a village of the “Old Believer’s”, where we have the chance to learn all about the history and way of life of this religious group. In the evening, there will be a local concert including folk singing.
Day 10: Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia
The next stop on our Trans-Siberian journey will take us to Ulaan Baatar, the capital of Mongolia. Once the heartland of Genghis Khan’s vast empire, Mongolia is country famed for its enless steppes dotted with yurts, rich nomadic culture, and history. Our tour begins at Gandan Monastery, on of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia which is home to over 500 monks. The monasteries complete name “Gandantegchinlen” can be translated into English as “the great place of complete joy”. In the city, we visit Sukhbaatar Square where an imposing monument to Genghis Khan is located. After that, we will drive out from the city to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park where we have the chance to enjoy the stunning scenery of Mongolia. We have an opportunity to visit a traditional Ger (yurt) where we can meet a local nomadic family and try out horse riding.
As an alternative, you can stay in the city as part of the Freedom of Choice touring. There is a chance to explore the National Museum and learn more about this country’s fascinating history. We will also visit the Winter Palace of the last Mongol Emperor Bogd Khan, which was completed in 1903. There is also time to continue exploring Ulaan Baatar and purchase some traiditonal Mongolian souvenirs such as Mongolian cashmere. In the evening we will enjoy a special performance of contortionists and traditional Mongolian throat singers.
Day 11: Onboard
Today, you have the chance to relax on board the train as we cross the border back into Russia from Mongolia. You can attend a number of interesting lectures or Russian language lessons.
Day 12: Onboard
The Golden Eagle train continues its journey today, flying through the remote wild landscape of Russia’s far east alongside the River Amur on China’s northern border.
Day 13: Onboard
We will spend the last day on board the train as we cover the most easterly part of our journey. The train will pass through the city of Khabarovsk where we make our crossing of the mighty River Amur. Tonight, we will enjoy our last dinner on board the private train which you will have made home for the past twelve days as we approach our final destination on this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Day 14: Vladivostok
After covering 2 continents, 6,660 miles (10,600 km), and 8 time zones, our train will at last arrive at its final destination, Russia’s Far Eastern port of Vladivostok. The city is situated om the Sea of Japan and is home to Russia’s Pacific Fleet. Because of the city’s strategic importance, the Vladivostok was close to foreigners during the Soviet Union. Today, you are free to explore many of the city’s military attractions, including an S-56 submarine which served during the Second World War. Our tour of the city will then take us to see the famous suspension bridge over the Golden Horn Bay opened in 2012 for an APEC conference in Vladivostok. You will spend the night at the 5-star Lotte Hotel in Vladivostok.
Day 15: Departure from Vladivostok, Russia
After breakfast at the hotel, you have the morning to explore Vladivostok at your own leisure before your transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Westbound journey: Vladivostok - Moscow
Vladivostok - Khabarovsk - Ulaan Baatar (Mongolia) - Ulan Ude - Lake Baikal - Irkutsk - Novosibirsk - Yekaterinburg - Kazan - Moscow
Package Includes:
- Flights from London to Moscow and return from Vladivostok or vice versa
- 1 piece of check-in luggage per traveler
- Airport transfers in Moscow and Vladivostok
- 1 night's accommodation at 5* Four Seasons Hotel, Moscow
- 12 nights' accommodation onboard the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
- 1 night's accommodation at 5* Lotte Hotel, Vladivostok
- Route guide, itinerary and information pack
- Full board daily
- Laundry facility
- Guided tours as per itinerary
- Tour Managers & Local Guides
- On board doctor
- Games, Books, Entertainment
- 24 hour Service Attendant
- All gratuities
- 24 hour emergency service
- ATOL protection
Not included in price are Visas for Russia and Mongolia.
UK citizens will require a single entry visa for Mongolia and a double entry visa for Russia. Please ask us for more details and allow at least a month to obtain your visas.
* Freedom of Choice Touring
It is possible to customise your trip further by choosing from a range of Freedom of Choice tours. You will still be able to visit all the major attractions of the locations you will visit but, in certain places, you will be offered a choice of optional excursions. This allows you to visit what you want and make your trip as interesting for you as possible. For example, in Moscow you have the opportunity to visit the Tretyakov Art Gallery or you could go shopping in one of the local markets or relax in a spa (treatments extra). All these tours are included in your holiday price with nothing extra to pay. This means you do not need to worry about additional payments on the tour and you can relax and enjoy everything this country has to offer. The exact Freedom of Choice tour options may vary slightly depending on the final train schedule and local charges. Generally, you will be informed of the various tour options the evening before each tour.
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