Trans Mongolian Discovery

21 days - from $4775

Itinerary:

Days 1-3. Beijing  
 Beijing will prove unforgettable, all senses assailed - colour and sound, smell and taste - leaving indelible memories of continual contrast, history and tradition alongside 21st century technology. Over our three days here the 'Scheduled Sightseeing' will begin with some of the city’s greatest highlights, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and of course 'The Wall' stretching 10,000 Li across the distant hills.
Day 4. Trans Mongolian Railway  
 At last to Beijing Station and aboard the first of the trains that will carry us across Asia. We're off!& Following the Great Wall northwest towards Mongolia. We settle in to our comfortable compartments and watch from the window as the towns and villages and the scenes of local life of Inner Mongolia go by. In the evening we settle down to our first night aboard as we cross the Gobi Desert.
Day 5. Ulaanbaatar  
 Bounded by Lake Baikal to the north and the Great Wall to the south is the Mongolian Plateau and Gobi Desert. At daybreak, classic scenes of traditional nomadic life greet us as the train winds impressively across the Mongolian Steppe and into the capital. Ulaanbaatar is a contradiction - a metropolis amid endless grass steppes, with donkeys and motorbikes, concrete apartment blocks and traditional gers.
Days 6-8. Mongolian Steppe  
 After breakfast we visit the Zaisan Memorial from which the entire city is visible. Also to the country’s largest remaining monastery, Gandan Hiid where you can mingle with Buddhist monks. In the afternoon we travel out across the grasslands through the countryside where we spend two nights in a traditional Mongolian nomad ger set amongst spectacular rock formations and wild rolling hills. We return to Ulaanbaatar and visit the National Museum before joining the train north to Siberia.
Day 9. Trans Mongolian Railway  
 Continuing towards Russia, leaving Mongolia at Sukhbaatar and travelling beyond the Russian border town to Ulan Ude, then west along the southern shore of the world's deepest freshwater lake - Baikal.
Day 10. Irkutsk (Siberia)  
 Almost in the centre of Asia, Irkutsk - 18th century churches, bright painted shutters and log houses decorated with wooden lacework. Modern administrative blocks and soaring bridges reach out across the Angara River in this beautiful town known as the "Paris of Siberia". On our walking tour you will discover the city’s wonderful historic sights.
Day 11. Lake Baikal (Siberia)  
 We also enjoy a full day at Lake Baikal and time to visit the village of Listvyanka with its traditional houses and beautiful wooden church and nearby Limnological Museum. To gain an insight into the traditional lives of Siberian people we also visit the Museum of Wooden Architecture.
Days 12-16. Trans Siberian Railway  
 We join the Trans Siberian Railway and travel via Novosibirsk, Omsk and Ekaterinburg booming over the steel bridges spanning Siberia's nerve system of 5,000 rivers. On past its suburbs and into the heart of& St.Petersburg the train arrives almost casually on time.
Days 17-18.& St.Petersburg&  
 It is the city on the water, the "Venice of the North", standing resplendent on the delta of the Neva River. St Isaac's Cathedral, richly filled palaces and museums, wide boulevards and canals. The gilded halls of the Hermitage Museum hung with the works of da Vinci, Rembrandt and many other great masters, and beyond the city lie the incomparable summer palaces of the tsars at Petrodvorets. Yet for all this, St.Petersburg remains one of Europe's best kept secrets. Our last rail journey is aboard the overnight express to Moscow.
Days 19-20.& Moscow&  
 Moscow will amaze you, its palaces and public buildings restored to their former glory. The echoing vastness of Red Square, the splendid twirled cupolas of St.Basil's across the cobblestones, and the Kremlin itself - that fabled palace-fort of gilded domes where we marvel at the exquisite collection of royal treasures in the stunning Armoury Chamber. We ride the palatial underground rail system, adorned with chandeliers, mosaics and baroque bas-relief and perhaps a river cruise or a magical evening at one of Moscow's great theatres or State Circus.
Day 21. Depart& Moscow  
 The last day has arrived too soon. The adventure is complete, the legendary rail journey that started many days ago has taken you across Asia, through lands and cultures literally worlds apart.
 

Details:

• Group Size 15 maximum, plus Tour Leader
• Accommodation Hotels - 8 nights (twin share) Mongolian Ger - 2 nights (shared) Siberian Guesthouse - 2 nights (twin share) Trains - 8 nights (4 berth) Meals 13 in total
• Breakfast (13) Travel by Train: Comfortable 4 berth sleepers
• There are 4 rail sectors on this journey - Beijing to Ulaanbaatar (1 night) - Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk (2 nights) - Irkutsk to St.Petersburg (4 nights) - St.Petersburg to Moscow (1 night) Other: For ‘Scheduled Sightseeing’ we generally use a small minibus, and for ‘City Exploring’ we use local taxis, public transport, underground metro and go on foot. 2 Berth Rail (Optional) Available for a supplementary price only when two people book and travel together
• Available on all rail sectors
• Sightseeing Scheduled Sightseeing is part of the itinerary and includes all transport, entrance fees and English speaking local guide
• Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall
• Ulaanbaatar: Zaisan Memorial, National History Museum, Gandan Hiid Monastery, Terelj National Park
• Irkutsk (Siberia): Walking tour of city, Museum of Wooden Architecture, Limnological Museum, Lake Baikal
• St.Petersburg: City tour, Palace Square, Hermitage Museum
• Moscow: City tour, St.Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Kremlin and Armoury Chamber. City Exploring is further sightseeing outside the itinerary guideline with the Group Leader. Visas Required for China, Mongolia & Russia
• Adventure Center will provide all required invitation letters and full visa support including detailed visa guidelines.