On arrival in Beijing you're free to make your own way to the hotel. The Howard Johnson Paragon 4* Hotel is ideally located on East Chang An Street, opposite Beijing Railway station in the heart of the golden area of the capital city, surrounded by major business centres, tourist attractions and only minutes away from the Wangfujing Street. During your stay in Beijing you'll certainly want to visit both the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, these are within walking distance of the Paragon Hotel, and adjacent to each other, so this couldn't be more convenient! The hotel is situated 40 minutes from the international airport. The 10-story hotel boasts 308 modern furnished guest rooms and suites. Each room features modern facility including central air conditioning, satellite TV, minibar, IDD telephone, inroom safe and hair-dryer. (Chinese hotels cope badly with the idea of foreign travellers who haven’t arrived so for passengers commencing in Beijing or travelling onwards in China your train tickets will be delivered once you have checked in.)
No Meals.
Day 2 - Depart Beijing
Make your own way to the station giving yourself at least one hour on arrival to complete security (metal-detectors are now in force and there can be queues to use them) and find your train and platform. And then you’re heading off, along the most famous railway in the world!
No Meals.
Day 3 - Arrive Ulaanbaatar
Afternoon arrival in Ulaanbaatar. Our driver will meet you at the end of the platform and will be holding a meeting- board with your name on. Transfer from the station, to a hotel with a chance to freshen up and have light snack, before departing for your city tour. Then transfer to Elstei Ger Lodge (70km). A relaxed evening in the bar after supper there are occasional impromptu performances of live Mongolian music, where you might hear the Morin Khuur (horse-head lyre), the cimbalom, or native Mongolian throat-singing.
Light snack, supper.
Day 4 - Elstei Ger Lodge
With no specific activities planned you can choose to chill out, read, go walking, or (for a small payment made directly to them locally) you can go horse riding with local nomad horsemen.
Breakfast, lunch, supper.
Day 5 - Nomads
After breakfast you will depart Ulaanbaatar for the Bayangobi region. Picnic lunch enroute. Arrival at a herdsman encampment late afternoon. Tonight you are the guests of the herdsmen, and you’ll stay in a nomadic ger tent – supper with your herdsmen hosts. Breakfast, Lunch, Supper
Day 6 - Nomads Touring
Depart after breakfast for a day trip through the countryside of Övörkhangai Province in the direction of Harhorin (two hours of off-road driving each way). Our route takes us into the Orkhon Valley, a World Heritage Site, which can be called the birthplace of Mongolian civilisation – the sites of the earliest metal working (which created the weapons that made the Mongolian empire great) are located here. We stop for a picnic lunch amid the stunning scenery. This afternoon we arrive at modern Harhorin – the settlement Genghis Khan would have known as Karakorum. It was here at the legendary gathering of clans that they declared Genghis the “Great Khan” (“Chinghiskhan”), and his military campaigns of conquest began. Nothing is left of the
ancient settlement, but on its site is the (rather later) monastery of Erdene Zuu, one of the most important Buddhist centres in Mongolia… and on the grounds of the
monastery is the single turtle statue that remains of Genghis’s great Royal Court. Come
back to our nomadic host family and will have a traditional communal supper with them.
Breakfast, Lunch, Supper.
Day 7 - Return to Ulaanbaatar
Around 10am you make the return trip to Ulaanbaatar. Check into the Bayangol 4H
hotel. This is a great centrally located property and facilities include 5 restaurants, fitness centre, sauna and minimarket. The balance of today is free to explore more of the city. You can choose to visit the heady atmosphere surrounding the Gandan Monastery or visit the Choijin Monastery Museum, or the Bazaar… log on and pick up your email in one of the numerous internet cafes on Peace Avenue, have a latte and French pastries in the new generation of new-age coffee stores, go souvenir shopping in the peculiar grandeur of the Central Department Store, or pick up some snack food for the train in the Store’s food department… in the evening a wide range of traditional and new style Mongolian eateries are vying with European style places, Irish pubs and German beer halls to enjoy, usually with live music later on. Breakfast.
Day 8 - Depart Mongolia
If you are interested in Mongolian Buddhism you may be interested in making a return visit to the Gandan Monastery this morning, to see the morning prayer-ceremonies in progress. We also suggest you take an opportunity today to purchase picnic provisions for the next leg of your journey, as often this train as no dining car. This evening we will transfer you to the station where you will board the Ulan Uday train.
Breakfast.
Day 9 - Arrive Ulan Uday
Arrive in Ulan-Uday late evening. Our driver will
meet you at the end of the platform and will be
holding a meeting-board with your name on.
Transfer from the station to your home-stay. No Meals.
Day 10 - Around Ulan Uday
After breakfast a guided trip to Atsagatsky
Buddhist Lamasery, and the strange history of
its Abbot Dorjiev and his role in the life of
Russia’s last Tsar. After the monastery, try the
cuisine of Buryatia for lunch with a village
family. Return to host(s) for traditional supper.
If you rate comfort over authenticity hotel
upgrades are available. Breakfast, Lunch, Supper.
Day 11 - Depart Ulan Uday
Visit to the Ivolginsky Datsan. Excursion to
Tarbagatay, a village with traditional brightly
painted house, home to the "Old Believers",
whose simple life of hard work and avoidance of
luxuries have led some to call them "Russia’s
Amish" – they claim to be the true branch of
Russian Orthodox Christianity, and refused to
accept religious reforms of the C17th when they
fled to Siberia to escape the persecution that
followed. Late evening transfer to the station
where you will board the Irkutsk bound train. Breakfast, Lunch, Supper.
Day 12 -14 You Choose
Baikal programmes. Here we give you the option to make a choice of either Siberian
Village which is staying in Listvyanka Village on the shores of Lake Baikal OR Adventure Trek, which is available for two or more passengers travelling together, for arrivals between 1st June until 1st September. The Adventure Trek is a camping expedition and requires a good level of fitness OR Soft Trek, which is available
for solo passengers. Adventure Trek and Soft Trek you are required to help the guide carry the equipment provided.
Option 1 - Siberian Village
Day 12 - Arrive Irkutsk
Early morning arrival in Irkutsk. Our driver will meet you at the end of the platform, holding a meeting-board marked with your name. Transfer to “U Ozera Hotel” (the name translates as “At the Lake Hotel”, although it is not directly at the lake shore) situated in Listvyanka Village (70km) travelling by road through the forest. The facilities available at this hotel include; cafe-bar, Russian “banya” (sauna), safe at the reception. The nearest ATM-machine in the Baikal Hotel (Listvyanka remains a village, and doesn't have the range of banking services you could expect in a city). The official check-in time is 12 noon, the hotel reception will advise you they will need your passport for visa registration formalities. However if your room is available this will - of course - be allocated to you on arrival. (If your room is not available you will be able to leave your luggage with the hotel reception). You will have a chance to have breakfast before setting off on your walking tour around Listvyanka Village. This will include a visit to the Limnological Museum (this is an exhibition about the Lake, its formation, wildlife etc - it includes multimedia presentations, information about creatures which live in the darkest depths, and also an aquarium with living aquatic species, including the unique freshwater Baikal seals) and also a small wooden village Russian Orthodox Church dating back to the C18th. You return to your hotel at the end of the walk, with time to relax and enjoy your lakeside surroundings, maybe experience real Siberian "banya" (sauna -small payment locally at the hotel).
Breakfast.
Day 13 - Baikal Free Choice Programme
Choose one activity from the list, it’s all included in the trip price! You’ll need to inform us of your choice before commencing your journey, so that we can have the right staff on hand for when you arrive (please note the Siberian weather puts seasonal limits on some activities – details below). Want to extend your life? Local legend claims that you can get anything from five extra years of life (paddling up to your knees) up to twenty years if you manage to go swimming!
A. SIBERIAN TREK through the Taiga Forest with a local guide who will explain the wildlife, eco- system and lore of the Taiga (May-Oct).
B. CIRCUM BAIKAL PICNIC Take the Ferry from Listvyanka to Port Baikal which takes around 15 minutes. Walk around Port Baikal, where you will see the train station of the old Circumbaikal rail line. Then you will walk along the rail line to the nearest tunnel (2-3 km). Stopping for a picnic lunch on the shore of Lake Baikal. Return to Port Baikal, ferry back to Listvyanka (Jun-Sep).
C. TALTSY WOODEN MUSEUM A three hour trip which includes a driver, and English speaking guide to the Taltsy open air wooden museum on the shore of Lake Baikal. This picturesque area shows how life was and has been sympathetically restored as a tourist attraction where you can ride Troikas and also buy authentic souvenirs. There is a tea house here also to refresh you after a busy morning sightseeing. (Year round)
D. DO YOUR OWN THING maybe take off on a cliff side walk, or mosey around the village, or take a dip in Lake Baikal! (Weather permitting!)
Balance of day free time to explore the village at your own pace. Maybe try a local bar?
Breakfast.
Day 14 - Depart Irkutsk
After breakfast transfer back to Irkutsk city. You will be given a map and some
recommendations of interesting places to visit by our local staff. Afternoon transfer to the station where you will board the Ekaterinburg bound train. Breakfast.
Option 2 - Adventure Trek
Day 12 - Arrive Irkutsk
Early morning arrival in Irkutsk. Our driver will meet you at the end of the platform and will be holding a meeting-board with your name on. Transfer to your hotel, where you will have the opportunity to have a shower and enjoy breakfast before preparing for your trek. (Leaving your heavy baggage in Irkutsk). After lunch you will depart by hydrofoil (2 hrs) to Bolshie Koty. On arrival there will be a trek of 9km before setting up camp in Sennaya Bay. Breakfast, Supper.
Day 13 - Day Trek
Trekking along the Baikal shore (25 km). Picnic lunch along the way. Set up camp at
Semenikha Bay. Breakfast, Lunch & Supper.
Day 14 - Depart Irkutsk
Trekking to Goloustnoe Village (9 km). Return to Irkutsk by public bus. Where you will have the option to leave your bags at our local office. You will be given a map and some recommendations of interesting places to visit. We suggest you take this opportunity to purchase refreshments for the next leg of your journey, as often this service has no dining car. Evening transfer to the station where you will board the Ekaterinburg bound train. Breakfast.
Day 15 - On board the Trans-Siberian Express
On board The Trans-Sib… travelling towards
Moscow. The dining car is the heart of social
life on the train. It functions as bar, lounge,
and take-out snack store, as well as a café
serving reasonably priced meals. It is a great
place to meet fellow travellers and locals alike,
sharing your experiences of your journey so far
with a few drinks, which no doubt will include
some Vodka – and maybe smoked salmon and
caviar too! No Meals.
Day 16 - Arrive Ekaterinburg
Afternoon arrive in Ekaterinburg where our driver will meet you at the end of the platform and will be holding a meeting-board with your name on. Transfer to the Hotel Suite, which is centrally located. There is a walking tour around the well known and less obvious attractions of Ekaterinburg, with a local expert guide. You’ll visit the historical centre of the city, including the scene of the assassination of the Romanov Royal Family, on which a Cathedral now stands to mark the event. You’ll also see something of Ekaterinburg’s involvement in Russia’s military
history. The last half-hour will be spent at The Museum of Gems. The tour ends in the downtown area (we make sure you know the way back!) No Meals.
Day 17 - Ekaterinburg Free Choice Programme
(Geographical note: Ekaterinburg has borders on both the Western and Eastern sides of town… to the West is the official border between Europe & Asia, and to the East of Ekaterinburg is where Siberia officially begins.) The Siberian border was more than symbolic in the C19th – it delineated an area where a more rough and ready system of justice operated, where escaped serfs who had run away from their masters could legally claim sanctuary. For oppressed religious minorities, escaped serfs and others, the one way trip to Siberia was, ironically, the “highway of hope”.
Please make a choice of one of the day trip options. They’re included in the trip price! ( please note the Siberian weather puts seasonal limits on some activities – details below).
Breakfast, lunch.
A. ROMANOV GRAVES (Europe/Asia Border Monument en-route). Car excursion to site where the Romanov bodies were hidden. Duration; 5–6 hours. No physical exertion involved. Light lunch provided. Year round.
B. SIBERIAN COUNTRYSIDE & HISTORIC VILLAGE Visit to an old village (145 km each way) now under a Preservation Order. Includes home-cooked lunch, exhibitions of local craft, horse cart riding. Duration; 8–9 hours. No physical exertion involved. Year round.
C. HIKING TRIP IN THE URALS Outdoor adventure in an area which is a designated nature park. Car transfer, then 18km walk where you will see a variety of flora and fauna and learn about the indigenous species of wildlife. No special equipment needed. Duration; 8 hours. Lunch provided. 15 June–15 September. Weather permitting.
D. SIBERIAN WILDERNESS ADVENTURE Combined soft raft (6km) and Forest Hike (12km) – optional cave visit. Good fitness required. Duration; 9-10 hours. Lunch provided. 15 June–15 September. Weather permitting.
Day 18 - Depart Ekaterinburg
Early morning transfer to the station where you will board the Moscow bound train. Breakfast.
Day 19 - Arrive Moscow
“S Priezdom! Welcome to Moscow!” early morning arrival. Our driver will be there to meet you at the end of the platform, and will be hold a meeting-board with your name on. You’ll then be transferred to the Irbis 3H Hotel. The facilities available at this hotel include a Restaurant, Lobby Bar, Lobby Wi-Fi access, Luggage Room, Safety deposit boxes and an ATM machine. At check-in, (after 2pm) the hotel reception will advise you they will need your passport for visa registration. This process takes 1–2 hours. Your complimentary InfoPack is full of ideas for getting the most out of your free time.
No Meals.
Day 20 - Around Moscow
After breakfast one of our local expert staff will meet you at the hotel to take you on a three hour walking tour round the highlights – you’ll use public transport around the centre to avoid the traffic jams and get the hang of the system for when you come to use it independently. Our staffers are full of ideas for this walk but are flexible about other ideas if you have your own. Your walk ends in the city centre around lunchtime. If you haven’t prebooked any of our range of city excursions the rest of the day is your own to explore further. Some of our top suggestions (please check opening times/days before setting off) would include visiting the Moscow Kremlin, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, or a boat trip along the Mosvka River… perhaps locate some tickets for ballet, opera, circus or a concert this evening? As well as famous classical music traditions Moscow features on the touring schedules of world names in jazz, rock, pop and world music.
Breakfast.
Day 21 -Depart Moscow
You’ll need to check out of your room by 12 noon today. For services we offer in
St. Petersburg please refer to our "St. Petersburg Add On" Breakfast.
Included in the trip:
Train: 2-Class 4-berth rail for complete journey. BEIJING: One night, room-only. 3* Hotel MONGOLIA: Walking tour of Ulaanbaatar. One night 3* Hotel, central Ulaanbaatar, breakfast included. Two nights camping with Nomads. (full board), Two nights tourist ger camp (full board). One night 3* Hotel, central Ulaanbaatar, breakfast included. Sleeping bags are provided ULAN-UDAY: Transfers on arrival and departure. Two nights family stay, full board. Including excursions as per itinerary. LAKE BAIKAL: Choosing to stay out of the City and up at the Lake gives you the option to choose from two all inclusive programmes. If camping Sleeping bags are provide EKATERINBURG: Transfer on arrival and departure. Two nights 3* Hotel breakfast included. Three hour walking tour of city, free choice excursion. MOSCOW: Transfer on arrival only. Two nights 3* Hotel, breakfast included. 3 hours personalised walking tour.
Trip Price Guide (per person):
1 person
2 people
3-9 people
Full on
$5693
$4025
$3945
Spicing it up
Extra night Moscow
$177
$111
$111
Upgrade to hotel Ulan Uday 2 nights
$219
$105
$105
Upgrade to 2 berth
$1090
$1090
$1090
Due to the nature of these destinations all prices are subject to change. Contact us to confirm exact price.
these are the dates when this itinerary works:
2012 - 21days
2012 - 22 days*
August 8, 22
September 12, 26
May 07, 14
June 08, 15, 22, 29
July 06, 13, 27
August 03, 10, 17, 24, 31
September 07
*Supplement per person for the extra night is $167 for one, $109 for two or more.
Extra night Siberian Village - Listvyanka Village
Extra night Adventure Trek - Listvyanka Village
Booking Flights?
We have a range of airline tickets which fit in well with our trips. Run your flight requirements past us before confirming your flight arrangements.
