The Epic Trans Siberian Trans Mongolian Express, 13 days

The Epic Trans Siberian Trans Mongolian Express, 13 days

One of the world’s greatest travel experiences. 6,300 kilometres transcontinental rail journey between Asia and Europe.

Experience the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway and the Trans-Mongolian Railway on board a private charter train. Forget about any hassle of packing and unpacking every day. Your cabin is your “home on wheels” during the entire rail cruise journey.

This epic vacation offers you the possibility to experience remote areas of the world like Siberia, Lake Baikal and Mongolia. At the same time, enjoy the comfort which is possible only onboard a private charter train.

A choice of 4 categories of accommodation onboard as well as a restaurant, a lounge and an area for destination talks. Stops for included land excursions at the most exciting places along the route every day. In selected cities like Ekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk near Lake Baikal and Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, overnight in international managed 4* or 5* hotels as part of the itinerary.

The journey may be booked either eastbound > starting in Moscow to Ulaan Baatar, or westbound > beginning in Ulaan Baatar to Moscow.

Duration: 13 days

Itinerary

Highlights

~ Moscow, most vibrant and fast developing metropolitan city of Europe;
~ Kremlin, the centre of power in Russia;
~ Ekaterinburg, capital of Ural Mountains;
~ Siberia, a huge land of extreme dimensions;
~ Boat cruise on Siberia’s mighty River Yenissei or Ob;
~ Private classical concert in the wooden residence of a former Duke in Irkutsk;
~ Lake Baikal, deepest lake, and biggest freshwater reserve of the world;
~ Amazing Mongolian steppes, yurts, and horses;
~ Cultural show of Mongolian artists;
~ Special Naadam show of Mongolian horse racing, wrestling, archery.

Advantages of Private Train

~ Choice of 4 different categories of sleeping accommodation from Economy to Deluxe;
~ All sleeping cars are newly built or reconstructed after 2008, equipped with modern vacuum toilets;
~ Modern Deluxe Silver and Deluxe Gold sleeping cars with private lavatory, toilet, and shower ensuite;
~ Beautifully decorated restaurant cars;
~ Cozy lounge with live evening piano music;
~ Relaxing corner for destination talks and onboard entertainment;
~ Daily shower guaranteed for travellers of all categories;
~ Daily stopovers for included sightseeing;
~ Travel in style, safety, and comfort.

Day 01 Arrive Moscow

Upon arrival into Moscow International Airport, get transfer to the hotel. Depending on your flight arrival, you may have time at leisure.

Meal: Dinner

Stay: hotel

Day 02 Moscow

A full day sightseeing tour shows you the magnificent Red Square, the Kremlin grounds and other highlights of Moscow. Moscow is a vibrant city, full of life, comparable to Paris or Rome. This afternoon, transfer to the railway station to board our private train, the Grand Trans Siberian Express. The first leg of the almost 8,000 KM long journey to Ulaan Baatar.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: onboard the train

Day 03 Moscow – Ekaterinburg

Enjoy a typical day on the Trans Siberian Railway. Our train passes through endless scenery of forests, lakes and small settlements, followed by the Ural Mountains. A day to relax onboard, watch the landscape, and listen to talks about Russia and its people. This evening, arrive in Ekaterinburg, the “Capital of the Ural Mountains”.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel

Day 04 Ekaterinburg

Ekaterinburg – “Capital of the Ural Mountains”. The city was founded in 1723 by Czar Peter I as the centre of the metallurgical industry. By the 20th century, it had become one of the largest and the most important financial, industrial, and cultural centres of Russia. Ekaterinburg is located at the geographical border defined by scientists between Europe and Asia.

A morning sightseeing tour shows you the city centre, visit a place of remarkable importance for Russian history: the “Cathedral on The Blood” which was built at the site where the Bolsheviks executed Czar Nicholas II and his family in 1918.

An afternoon excursion into the Ural forests takes you to Ganina Yama, which today is considered by Russians as a “holy place.” It is an assembly of small wooden chapels which were erected in the 1990s to honour the last Czar’s family of the Romanov dynasty who were buried in Ganina Yama.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: onboard the train

Day 05 Ekaterinburg – Novosibirsk

An almost full day of relaxation and talks on the train. Today, pass through the plains of Western Siberia and arrive into Novosibirsk in the late afternoon. With 1.5 million inhabitants in Russia’s third largest city and the biggest of Siberia, it is widely regarded as the centre of Siberia. It was founded in 1893 as the future site of the Trans Siberian railway bridge crossing the Siberian River Ob.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel

Day 06 Novosibirsk

A morning city sightseeing tour shows you some remarkable orthodox churches which have survived the Soviet period, and see the famous Opera House which is the largest in Russia, situated in the centre of the city at Lenin Square.

The afternoon excursion takes you out of the town into the Taiga. Located about 30 KM out of the city, you have the opportunity of visiting the largest open air railway museum of Russia, a collection of more than 60 showpieces of steam, diesel and electric locomotives as well as several historical passenger cars – a perfect insight into the development of the trains on the Trans Siberian Railway. A boat cruise along River Ob shows you one of the mightiest rivers which is crossed by the Trans Siberian Railway.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: onboard the train

Day 07 Novosibirsk – Krasnoyarsk

Krasnoyarsk, like Ekaterinburg and Ulan-Ude, used to be a “closed city” during Soviet times – closed to foreigners and to most Soviet citizens at that time. It is located along the Yenissei River, which is the greatest river system flowing to the Arctic Ocean.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: onboard the train

Day 08 Krasnoyarsk – Irkutsk

Irkutsk is famous for its trade with Mongolia and China and used to be called “Paris of Siberia” because of its colourful lifestyle during the time of the Tsars. Visit the old town with its large quarters still consisting of wooden houses. One of the cultural highlights of the tour will be a private classical concert in a Mansion of historical background.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel

Day 09 Irkutsk – Lake Baikal – Irkutsk

One of the top highlights with the Grand Trans Siberian Express that will hold you in awe is Lake Baikal – the biggest freshwater reserves in the world. It stretches up to 26 miles from east to west and more than 370 miles from north to south. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, reaching 1,620 metres at its deepest part. You will never forget the mountain ranges around Lake Baikal and the deep blue water of the lake.

An hour coach journey takes you from the hotel to Lake Baikal. A walk through the village of Listvyanka shows you St Nicholas church, a typical orthodox wooden build church beautifully renovated in the 1990s. On a typical Siberian lunch, taste fresh fish from Lake Baikal. This afternoon, a boat takes you on a short cruise on Lake Baikal to the small village of Port Baikal where our private train is waiting for you.

The train will travel at low speed along the scenic Circum Baikal Railway line between Port Baikal and Sludyanka, which for many years has been used only by a few of local trains and tourist trains. A photo stop will be arranged at a small village and you can get off the train, put your feet into the clear and cold water of Lake Baikal. With some luck, we may get to visit the typical wooden houses of local people. A Baikal barbecue is prepared for us.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: onboard the train

Day 10 Irkutsk – Ulan-Ude

Ulan-Ude is the capital of the so-called “Buryat Autonomous Republic” of the Russian Federation. Buryats is an ethnic group close to Mongolians with an amazing mix of cultures and religions. Ulan-Ude is a meeting place between East and West. Like Irkutsk, the city still has large areas with typical Siberian wooden houses. Your sightseeing excursion goes to one of the villages of Orthodox “Old Believers” who are still practising their live like people did it centuries ago.

When leaving Ulan-Ude, the Grand Trans-Siberian Express will switch from the Trans Siberian mainline to the Trans Mongolian mainline before commencing its way to Ulaan Baatar. The train will reach the Russian border station Naushki and the Mongolian border station Sukhbaatar where Russian and Mongolian immigration formalities will take place in the train. You may stay in your compartment and don’t have to leave the train.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: onboard the train

Day 11 Ulan-Ude – Ulaan Baatar

This morning, the Grand Trans Siberian Express arrives in Ulaan Baatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Start the sightseeing tour and visit the famous Ghandan Monastery, the central Sukhabaatar Square, the Bogd Khan Museum which used to be former winter and sometimes also the summer palace of the Khans’, as well as the Zaisan monument at a viewpoint high above the city. From there, you will have an excellent view of the city which is surrounded by large areas of nomadic yurt settlements. An amazing cultural music and dance show will introduce Mongolian folk music and culture to you. This evening, experience a traditional Mongolian hotpot dinner.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel

Day 12 Ulaan Baatar

An unforgettable excursion will take you to the Terelj National Park which is famous for its nature. A stone formation called the “turtle” and the beautiful mountainous scenery will fascinate you. In the park area, you will have the chance to meet a herder family inside their yurt. A Naadam show specially arranged for the guests of the Grand Trans Siberian Express demonstrates 3 disciplines of the Mongolian National Naadam festival: Wrestling, Archery and Horseracing.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Stay: hotel

Day 13 Depart Ulaan Baatar

Choose to sleep in or simply rest and relax until check out (11 AM) or it’s time for your departure to Ulaan Baatar Airport.

Meal: Breakfast

Inclusions

~ 6 nights accommodation onboard the Grand Trans-Siberian Express in your choice of cabin category;

~ 6 nights hotel accommodation as per illustrated in the itinerary;

~ arrival airport transfer in Moscow day 1;

~ departure transfer in Ulaan Baatar day 13;

~ 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners;

~ sightseeing tours in Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, Ulan-Ude, Ulaanbaatar;

~ private concerts, cultural events as illustrated in the itinerary, introduction talks to Russian culture, history, language and day of life of Russian people;

~ English speaking tour guides and tour directors throughout the tour;

~ Supported travel document for Russian visa application.

Exclusions

~ air travel to Moscow, Russia xx Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia;

~ visa arrangement (if required);

~ comprehensive personal travel insurance;

~ expenditure of personal effects;

~ gratuities (EUR 150 / USD 180 tipping recommended);

~ anything not specified in the itinerary and inclusion.

Important Notes

~ Non – refundable deposit, 30% of total tour price is required at the time of booking or up to 120 days before departure. Full or balance payment is 90 days prior to departure.

~ Majority of nationalities require a visa to visit Russia and/or Mongolia. Should you require a visa to enter Russia and/or Mongolia, it is your responsibility to obtain such document before departure. Check your entry requirement and apply for your visa HERE if you require.

~ Our utmost priority is always the safety of the travellers. Therefore inclusion of the itinerary may be altered due to (not limited) to bad weather, local conditions, accommodation book out, the skill levels of the travellers and/or other unexpected circumstances beyond our control. We reserve the right to make changes necessary and there will be no refund should you decide to discontinue with the trip.

~ Daily shower is guaranteed in all categories of train accommodation. Guests travelling in Deluxe Silver and Deluxe Gold have bathrooms with shower and toilet ensuite, onboard the private train. Guests travelling in Standard Economy and Standard Plus have day rooms during the stopovers in Krasnoyarsk and Ulan-Ude.

~ Every effort is made to ensure the trip and included experiences take place during the ideal time or period of the year, however certain sights are subject to weather conditions and seasonal variations that are not within the control of Travel Wander. Although you may get to see and/or experience, we cannot guarantee the sightings.

~ Provision of meals during the trip showcases local authenticity, cuisine and food culture of the places we are visiting. All food allergies and dietary restrictions must be disclosed to Travel Wander at the time of booking. We will use reasonable efforts to accommodate special requirements or requests but this is not always possible given the nature of the destinations visited and availability of options. We cannot guarantee that dietary needs or restrictions can be accommodated. Travel Wander is not liable for failure to accommodate or fulfil such requests. Meal supplementary charges may be imposed to meet your dietary needs.

~ Purchasing comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended. See HERE for details.

~ By making a payment to Travel Wander LLP, you (and on behalf of the rest of travelling companions) acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to Travel Wander’s Booking Conditions and Other Important Information: Cancellation and Amendment, Modes of Payment, Privacy Policy, Indemnity Policy, and Terms & Conditions.