2010
Russia ● Mongolia ● China The World’s Longest Train Journey
By popular demand, we are running this trip for the second successive year. Without doubt, this is a journey of a lifetime; in which we explore three great nations and traverse a quarter of the globe. Explore the glittering St Petersburg and the grandeur of Moscow as you embark on an unforgettable journey beyond the Urals heading to the wild open plains of the Siberian taiga and the untamed desert wilderness of Genghis Khan’s Mongolia before ending your journey in Beijing, China. We join the locals on scheduled trains over a dramatic route that offers limitless opportunities. We take in the key attractions and experience the diverse cultures and people through our carefully planned stopovers. You'll learn about the Tsars and Russia’s Amish, take a dip in the majestic Lake Baikal, pass through the Taiga forests and get personal and dine with our friendly Siberian hosts. You'll surpass the ordinary life in the remote land-locked Mongolia and traverse the Mongolian Steppe and its ancient campgrounds of the Mongolian nomads. Interact with the Steppe nomads in Ger camps and learn about the life in one of the world's harshest regions. You'll then explore Beijing, the Great Wall and other artifacts of its majestic imperial past - All this packed in one unforgettable adventure you will not want to miss…
The Trans-Mongolian Fully Escorted Rail Adventure St Petersburg to Beijing: Sept 17 – Oct 15, 2010
Explore Great cities, Mountains, Lakes, Mongols & nomads, monasteries, the desert, the Great Wall & the Forbidden City and more……
Included Highlights Saint Petersburg ◊ Pushkin & Pavlovsk Palaces ◊ Peterhof summer palaces ◊ City sights & Peter & Paul fortress ◊ The Hermitage Museum
Moscow ◊ Kremlin Insider Tour ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Red Square & St Basil’s Cathedral Lenin Mausoleum & Gum store Tretyakov Art Gallery Old Arabat Street & Metro ride Bolshoi theatre show Novidevichy Monastery
Ekaterinburg ◊ ◊ ◊
Romanov Graves & Sites Gulag Memorials Typical Siberian Village tour
Irkutsk & Lake Baikal ◊ Old city of Irkutsk ◊
Circum Baikal Railway tour
Ulan Udey ◊ Atsagatsky Buddhist Lamasery ◊ ◊
Ivolginsky Datsan monastery Tarbagatay Amish village
Ulan Bataar(Mongolia) ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
Ulan Bataar city highlights Monoglian Steppe trekking/safari Eco-friendly Ger camping Nomadic cultural immersion
Beijing(China) ◊ ◊ ◊
◊
The Forbidden city The Great Wall trek Summer Palaces & temples Hutong Breakfast & rickshaw tour
A Word from your Tour Director I have been traveling to Russia for nearly three decades. Each of my Russian escapades has been unique and memorable. If you are looking for a trip that will allure you with an insider’s view of the historic lands beyond the Red Square and the Forbidden City, then look no further. A trip on Trans-Mongolian is as much about experiences off the train as it is on it – and as the interest expands to embrace anyone, whether you are a young or mature traveller orthe conventional adventure, this trip puts you through a test of will and tolerance that go along with a unique blend of activities and cultural connections. This is a superlative rail adventure that islegendary and is sure to convince the most discriminating travellers. Incomparable is one simple word to describe it all and there are no places like Russia’s inner beauty, its people, Siberia’s vast expanses, the experience of austere Mongolian desert life to trek the Great Wall or better yet, simply having breakfast with a local family in a 700 year old neighborhood in Beijing……
Without doubt the trip unravels the complexities of a mammoth journey to the world's largest land mass. Come with imagination and flair and more than a healthy dose of humour and good old fashioned honesty. It’s the only way to really enjoy this trip. This trip is neither an ordinary holiday nor it accords you the opulent luxury of modern day train travel. There will be times you feel the pain of travelling in these remote regions, dealing with the red tape, bureaucracy, the delays and not to forget the ‘provodnikas (stewardesses on train, aren’t they tough?) Yet it gives you an opportunity to touch and experience a part of this world you would otherwise dare to go. I invite you to take that opportunity now, travel with me and I assure you will treasure this for a long time.”
Priyantha Amarasinghe
Exploring Russia since 1982
Dare to journey beyond the conventional boundaries of luxury train travel. A journey through Russia, Ural Mountains, Siberia, Lake Baikal, the Mongolian Steppe & China is just for you. Travel across a quarter of the globe, 9000km, ten time zones, 16 rivers and some 80 towns and cities on the original Trans Siberian trains. Yes, we travel first class wherever possible…
Day 14 (Sept 30) On board Another full
The Tour Itinerary (In Brief)
Day 7 (Sept 23) Moscow Walking tour to
Day 1(Sept 17) Depart Canada Depart Canada via London, UK.
Day 2(Sept 18) London-St Petersburg
Transit in London Heathrow airport. Fly to St Petersburg, Russia. Group is met and assisted on arrival in St Petersburg and coach transfer to Hotel Ibis for 3 nights. Welcome briefing, cocktails and dinner at the hotel. (D)
Day 3 (Sept 19) St Petersburg - Tour Pushkin & Pavlovsk
Pushkin is “Tsar’s Village” or place of summer residence of the imperial family of the 18th century. Visit Catherine the Great’s palace complex, admire the magnificent Amber Room and take a picture of the school where the great poet Pushkin studied. Continue to explore imperial delights in Pavlovsk and visit the last summer palaces of the Tsars. Visit the Paul I’s palace complex. Lunch at a local restaurant & continue the sightseeing. Return to your hotel in the evening. Own Dinner.(BL)
visit the Red Square, the Lenin mausoleum and the Cathedral of St Basil and Our Lady of Kazan. Walk through GUM market and lunch. After lunch complete the panoramic drive by tour to include History Museum of Russia, Embankment, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow State University, the Theatre district and the Parliament House. Early dinner at a local restaurant. A brief walk to the world famous Bolshoi theatre for an opera or ballet performance. (BLD)
Day 8 (Sept 24) Moscow Visit the Tretyakov Art Gallery, infamous KGB Headquarters now a museum, ride the Moscow Metro, Novodevichy monastery and the Arabat Street. Own lunch. Afternoon free. Dinner at a local restaurant. (BD)
Day 9 (Sept 25) Moscow - Ekaterinburg Morning free. Own lunch. Afternoon transfer to station to commence the Trans-Siberian journey to Ekaterinburg in the Ural mountains. Tavel on first class sleeper and dinner is served on board. (BD)
Day 5 (Sept 21) St Petersburg –Peterhof
Day 10 (Sept 26) Ekaterinburg
Spend the entire day on board taking in the beautiful Ural mountain region. Breakfast and lunch at the restaurant car. Evening arrival in Ekaterinburg. Transfer to Hotel Richmond for 2 nights. Dinner at hotel(BLD)
This guided tour shows you around the beautiful former tsar’s summer residence. Visit the 300-acre park on the shore of the Finish Gulf, spectacular fountains, the Grand Palace, crowning the hill above the fountains and numerous smaller Palaces and pavilions representing "Russian Versailles" styles of the 18th - 19th centuries. Lunch at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel to pack.Dinner on own. St. Petersburg- Moscow Late Evening transfer to rail station for our first leg of the rail tour with an overnight sleeper train to Moscow. We travel on 1st class 2-berth shared compartments with breakfast served in cabins. (BL)
Day 11 (Sept 27) Ekaterinburg
Day 6 (Sept 22) Moscow
Day 13 (Sept 29) Ekaterinburg – Irkutsk Wake up at mid night, transfer to
Arrive in Moscow. Coach transfer to our hotel in Moscow for 3 nights – Hotel Budapest. Free morning. After lunch at a local restaurant by the Kremlin, guided tour of the Kremlin, Cathedrals & the Armoury. Own dinner. (BL)
Day 15 (Oct 1) Irkutsk
Early morning arrival in Irkutsk. Met on arrival and transfer to Hotel Irkutsk, our hotel for 1 night. Breakfast and rest. Lunch at a local restaurant and a city tour of Irkutsk. Visit a `traditional Irkutsk home in the old city for a home-cooked dinner. Return to hotel. (BLD)
Day 16 (Oct 2) Irkutsk - Lake Baikal
Today we take on a fascinating trip to Lake Baikal along the famous Circum Baikal Rail line. You board an express train to the town of Sliudianka then change over to a diesel locomotive. This trip includes photo stops and walking along the Baikal shore with a guide and packed lunch. The Circum-Baikal railway is 89 km long and goes from Siudianka to Port Baikal. It has 4 stations, 38 tunnels, 15 stone galleries, 248 bridges and viaducts. The tunnels and stone galleries are unique due to usual construction style. Arrive at Port Baikal , take a short ferry ride to `Listvyanka village and coach transfer to the Lake Baikal Chalets, an authentic
Siberian log-cabin (izba).
(BLD)
Day 17 (Oct 3) Lake Baikal – Ulan Udey
You’re now in the heart of Russian Siberia! A brief walking tour of Listvyanka Village on the shore of Lake Baikal, the world’s largest fresh water lake, visit Limnological museum and the Bolshie Koty settlement. After lunch enjoy a session of Banya, a traditional Russian sauna. Return to Irkutsk for dinner in town. After dinner, transfer to Irkutsk station to continue our train journey further east to Ulan Udey. This is a shorter overnight trip and we travel 2nd class/4 berth cabins reserved for 2-person use. (BLD)
Day 4 (Sept 20) St Petersburg
Explore a city of beautiful Baroque Palaces, picturesque canals, splendid avenues and elaborate cathedrals. Drive along the Nevsky Prospect. An outside view of Admiralty, The Monastery of Alexander Nevsky, St.Isaac Cathedral etc. Stop for an excellent picture opportunity by the city’s Rostral Columns. A walking tour on the grounds of St. Peter and Paul Fortress and a sepulcher of the Romanovs including the recently reburied holy remains of Nicolas II and his family. After lunch – tour the Hermitage Museum - one of the world’s largest with a collection of over 2million work of art including the masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt among others. Dinner on your own. (BL)
day on the train through Siberian taiga. All meals on board. (BLD)
Walking Tour of Ekaterinburg. Visit the Minerlogical Museum, Europe-Asia border and the Gulag memorials. Own lunch. Afternoon a comprehensive guided tour to the sites of the Romanov saga( Last Tsar’s of Russia), the monastery and the memorials. Return to hotel and dinner at a local restaurant. (BD)
Day 12 (Sept 28) Ekaterinburg
Full day Siberian countryside & historic village tour. Includes home-cooked lunch, a folklore show, exhibitions of local crafts and troika horse cart riding. Return and dinner at hotel and early to bed. (BLD)
station to board the train to Irkutsk, the longest ride of the trip. During stops, get off and take a breath of fresh air. We Travel first class with meals on board. (BLD)
Day 18 (Oct 4) Ulan Udey Early arrival in Ulan Udey, met on arrival and transfer to our hotel Baikal Plaza. Breakfast at hotel and embark on full day a guided trip to Atsagatsky Buddhist Lamasery. We then try the cuisine of Buryatia, a regional specialty for lunch with a local family. Afternoon visit Ivolginsky Datsan monastery and Tarbagatay, a village with traditional brightly painted houses and home to the "old believers" or "Russia's Amish". Own dinner. (BL) Day 19 (Oct 5) Ulan Udey – Ulan Bataar Transfer and depart for Mongolia. We travel 2nd class and spend a whole day on board. One packed meal is provided and additional food and water is carried as there is no restaurant car on board. Border crossings last long for immigration and customsformalities.
(B & one meal)
Day 20(Oct 6) Ulan Bataar(Mongolia)
Tour Pricing
Land Only Price
CA $9695.00 per person
Flights (Approx)
Toronto- St Petersburg| Beijing-Toronto
From CA $1475 per person*
* From Toronto. Taxes and fuel surcharges CA $290 approx. Single room supplement on request
LAND ONLY PRICE INCLUDES ◊ 1st class reserved train tickets (2
persons per cabin) wherever possible (If 1st class is not available on scheduled trains, 2nd class is booked)
◊ Centrally located first class hotels in all stopover cities and Ger camping in Mongolia. ◊ Meals as indicated in the itinerary including some pre-ordered set meals on board the trains (B- Breakfast; L – Lunch; D – Dinner) ◊ Land transport by private coaches ◊ English speaking local tour guides on all sightseeing tours throughout ◊ All admission tickets to tourist attractions, museums, palaces, parks, game reserves. ◊ Exclusive sightseeing in St Petersburg, Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, Ulan Udey, Ulaan Bataar and Beijing as indicated in the program ◊ Services of a Canadian trip director throughout the tour
Not Included in Land Only Price International flights; mandatory medical, emergency and cancellation insurance; meals other than specified; Russia, Mongolia & China visa fees (Approx CA $200 for all 3); Beverages, wine, mineral water at restaurants during meals; Personal expenses, tips for guides, porters, drivers and hotel and restaurant staff.
Morning arrival in Ulan Baatar. Transfer to Chinggis Khaan Hotel or similar for 1 night. breakfast and freshen up. Guided tour of the old city centre and visit Gandan monastery and National museum. Lunch and continue exploring the city. Dinner and night. (BLD)
How Does it Work?
Day 21 (Oct 7)Hustai National Park
Drive by bus to Altanbulag steppes and visit nomads on the treeless grasslands. Picnic lunch Visit a local home and family in the area. Cross the Tuul River and drive into Hustai National Park from an unusual side. Dinner and night at Hustai Ger Camp. (BLD)
Day 22 (Oct 8) Hustai National Park
Early morning game drive for Przewalskii Horses and return for breakfast. Hike the trail to Moilt, visiting on foot near the core area. Red Deer are in rotting season and vocalizations are common. Afternoon game drives. Dinner and night at Ger camp. (BLD)
Maximum Group Size: 16 participants Age group: No restrictions, anyone fit enough to endure long train travel and be able to participate in intensive sightseeing tours and walks during stopover city breaks Visas: Prior visas required for all 3 countries. We assist with all the paper work! Health: No major health or vaccination requirements. Details on req. Bookings: Deposit - $500 per person Balance: 60 days prior Conditions: www.tourcanvacations.com
Last date for bookings: July 17, 2010
Day 23 (Oct 9) Ulan Bataar
Return to Ulan Bataar with packed lunch. Free time in the capital. Traditional Mongolian dinner with entertainment. (BLD)
Day 24 (Oct 10) Ulan Bataar – Beijing
Breakfast and early transfer to station for Beijing bound Chinese train. We travel first class here and spend the whole day, lunch and dinner on board. Midnight border crossing and onwards to China! (BLD)
Speak with our past clients.. Interested to know more about this trip and hear from the people who have been there and done that? Contact us for references from our past clients who would be happy to guide you.
Day 25 (Oct 11) Beijing
Afternoon arrival in Beijing. Your TransMongolian rail journey comes to an end, and you’ve just completed the world’s longest train journey! Met by our guide and transfer to Wangfujing Grand Hotel for 4 nights stay. Dinner at hotel. (BD)
Day 26 (Oct 12) – Beijing Visit the Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City to take look into the lives of the ancient Chinese emperors. We then take rickshaws on a tour of Beijing’s 700 year old Hutong neighborhood and enjoy a home-cooked lunch with a family. Own dinner. (BL)
Day 27 (Oct 13) – Beijing Today we trek
the Great Wall of China. Lunch. Bvisit the Ming tombs, the Mausoleums of emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Own dinner (BL)
Day 28 (Oct 14) – Beijing
Visit the Temple of Heaven & Summer Palace. Take part in a session on Ribbon dancing and optional photo-op on Qing style dresses. Lunch and free time. A musical evening and farewell Peking Duck dinner. (BLD)
Day 29 (Oct 15) – Beijing - Canada
Transfer to Beijing International airport for your flight to Canada. (B)
Trans-Siberian Handbook By Bryn Thomas
With a deposit of $500 get this guide book (Value $60)
FREE 1027 Yonge St, Suite 310 Toronto, ON M4W 2K9
1 800 263 2995|416 391 0334 Press 3 & Extension 2680 priyantha@tourcanvacations.com www.tourcanvacations.com Contact: Priyantha Amarasinghe