Learn Russian while Traveling on the Trans-Siberian Train

Itinerary

Day 1: Evening departure from the Moscow railway station

Pass By: Yaroslavskiy Train Station, Komsomolskaya Sq., 5, Moscow 107140 Russia
Evening in the train, meeting with the group.


No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 2: Kazan & Sviyazhsk Fortress

Stop At: Temple of All Religions, Staroye Arakchino, 4, Kazan 420031 Russia
This unique religious complex incorporates architectural influences from 16 separate religions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the ancient Egyptian religion.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Sviyazhskiy Holy Dormition Monastery, Sviyazhsk s, Sviyazhsk 422500 Russia
Excursion to the island town of Sviyazhsk.
The magnificent architectural ensemble comprises 37 cultural monuments, including two monasteries and seven churches. Among them is Trinity Church – the only preserved wooden church in Sviyazhsk from the times of Ivan the Terrible (16th century).
On July 9, 2017, the Dormition Cathedral and the Monastery were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
The visit will include:
- the Dormition Cathedral
- the Assumption Cathedral
- the Female Monastery: St. John the Baptist, and the Cathedral of Our Lady “Joy of All Who Sorrow”
- the Male Monastery
In the evening, the dinner will consist of a typical Tatar dinner, and it is included in the price.

Duration: 4 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay with a Tatar family.

Day 3: Excursion around Kazan

Stop At: Kazan Kremlin, Kazan 420014 Russia
The Sightseeing of Kazan includes:
• Kazan Kremlin
• Kul Sharif Mosque
• Cathedral of Annunciation
• Old Tatar mosques
• Soyembika Tower
• Cathedral of Peter and Paul
• Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Duration: 3 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 4: Ekaterinburg

Stop At: Ekaterinburg, Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, 620075
This Sightseeing of Ekaterinburg includes:
- the Church of Blood at the Romanov Death Site
- the Chapel of St. Elizabeth
- the Square of the Soviet Army
- View of the Ural mountains from the 52nd Floor of the Vysotsky Tower
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: The Obelisk on the Border Between Europe and Asia, Moskovskiy trakt 17 km, 2, Yekaterinburg Russia
You will first visit the oldest tsar's obelisk near Pervouralsk (30 km west of Yekaterinburg), which was erected in 1837. A stop is also planned at the new monument on the Moscow highway (17 km west of Yekaterinburg) where you can buy souvenirs.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 5: Russian Classes On the Train

Stop At: Omsk State Museum of History and Regional Studies, Lenina St., 23A, Omsk 644024 Russia
The train will stop in Omsk for about 20 minutes
Duration: 20 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 6: Russian Classes in the Train

Stop At: Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre, Perensona St., 2, Krasnoyarsk 660049 Russia
The train will stop in Krasnoyarsk train station for about 20 minutes
Duration: 20 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 7: Irkutsk & the Lake Baikal

Stop At: Irkutsk Regional Memorial Decembrists Museum, Volkonsky House, Volkonskogo ul., d. 10, Irkutsk 664007 Russia
Sightseeing excursion of Irkutsk
Short walking around the historical city center with your guide.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Cape Burkhan/Shamanka Rock, Western bank of Olkhon island, Olkhon Island 666137 Russia
- Transfer to Olkhon Island (6 hours).
Olkhon is an island in the middle of the mystical Lake Baikal.
1. Depart on a bus from Irkutsk and arrive at the port of Olkhon.
2. From there, cross the "Little Sea" by ferry (the strait that separates the island from the mainland).
3. Arrive in Skahurta.
4. Transfer to Khuzhir, the main village of Olkhon.
- Khuzhir & the "Shaman Rock"
Enjoy the beautiful nature in and around the village discovering the famous Bourkhan Rock: the high place of the Shamanic culture in Siberia.
Duration: 6 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in a hostel / guesthouse in Khujir, on Olkhon Island.

Day 8: Olkhon Island

Stop At: Cape Burkhan/Shamanka Rock, Western bank of Olkhon island, Olkhon Island 666137 Russia
- Excursion on Olkhon Island
Four-wheel drive Russian military van (UAZ) picks you up and takes you to the northern part of Olkhon Island. You will experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Lake Baikal. A visit to some beautiful beaches will offer you an opportunity to swim! But beware, the water is cold, very cold, even in summer when air temperature can reach 35 degrees!
The lunch will consist of a traditional Russian barbecue (Shashlik) and is included in the price.
- Cape Khoboy
Take a short hike to Cape Khoboy where you will see a magnificient 360° panorama of 1 km-high cliffs.
- Love Peak
A long time ago, in this holy place, the Buryats left their infertile wives. Buryats are the local people from the region, sharing ancestors with mongols. They are following buddhism and shamanism traditions.
Return to Khuzhir to enjoy a traditional Russian banya.
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in a hostel / guesthouse in Khujir, on Olkhon Island.

Day 9: Back to Irkutsk and Train

Stop At: Irkutsk Regional Memorial Decembrists Museum, Volkonsky House, Volkonskogo ul., d. 10, Irkutsk 664007 Russia
Return to Irkutsk in the early morning (5-6 hours by minibus and boat).
Depart to Vladivostok, by train.
Duration: 6 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 10: Russian Classes in the Train

Stop At: Museum of History of Ulan-Ude, Lenina, 26A, Ulan-Ude 670000 Russia
The train will stop briefly in Ulan-Ude train station
Duration: 20 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 11: Russian Classes in the Train

Stop At: Chita Buddhist Temple, Bogomyagkova St., 72, Chita 672012 Russia
The train will briefly stop in the city of Chita
Duration: 10 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 12: Russian Classes in the Train

Stop At: Khabarovsk Regional Museum, Shevchenko St., 11, Khabarovsk 680000 Russia
The train will stop briefly in Khabarovsk
Duration: 20 minutes

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in the train (2nd class 4-berth)

Day 13: Vladivostok

Stop At: Vladivostok Fortress, Batareinaya St., 4A, Vladivostok 690091 Russia
Arrival in Vladivostok in the early morning.
Vladivostok Sightseeing tour with a local guide.
The tour includes:
- a walk on Arbat-Vladivostok
- the visit of the Memorial Submarine S-56 Museum, and
- a walk on Tsezarevich waterfront.
You will also hike up to the best viewpoint of the city and then return down using the famous Vladivostok funicular.
Farewell Toast
IIR offers you a farewell Russian toast in Zuma restaurant - several times elected Russia's best restaurant. We highly recommend that you try the seafood plates and in particular, the "Red King Crab" (the famous Kamchatka crab).
Duration: 6 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: night in a hostel in Vladivostok city center

Day 14: From Vladivostok with Love

Stop At: Vladivostok International Airport, ул. Владимира Сайбеля, 41, Artem, Primorskiy kray, Russia, 692756
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.