Day 1. Ulan Bator

Day 1. Ulan Bator
In the morning, you arrive in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. The city is situated at about 4,250 feet (1,300 meters) above sea level and is surrounded by stunning views of the Khentii Mountains. The city is home to only 1 million inhabitants and still makes up more than one-third of Mongolia’s population. After you get settled into your centrally located hotel, you enjoy an exciting, guided tour of the city, which features the curious Choijin Lama Temple, with its unique depictions of a Buddhist conception of hell.

Overnight: Ramada Hotel (or similar). (LD)

Upon request, we can organize alternative lodging in a yurt in the beautiful landscape of the Mongolian Alps (supplement of $40/€35, please let us know upon booking), a rare experience and a dream come true for nature lovers.

Day 2. Mongolian Alps

After breakfast, you visit the impressive Buddhist Gandan Monastery, where you can observe a religious ceremony. Afterward, you take a trip to the beautiful countryside 90 minutes east of Ulan Bator. After a picnic lunch in a yurt camp, you experience a Mongolian archery show and a traditional wrestling match, similar to what you would see at the Naadam, an annual national festival. All guests enjoy a delicious dinner in a yurt restaurant and spend the night in a private yurt in the evening.

Overnight: Yurt in Terelj (BLD)

Day 3. Ulan Bator

After breakfast, you take a stroll and visit the enormous Genghis Khan statue, the tallest equestrian statue in the world. Afterward, you head back to Ulan Bator, where you visit the History Museum for an excellent review of Mongolia’s exciting history. Tonight, your private train heads for Siberia!

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 4. Ulan-Ude

Today you say goodbye to the Mongolian steppes. Your journey now takes you through the valley of the Selenga River, Mongolia’s largest river, which empties into Lake Baikal. You travel towards Ulan-Ude, where your private train reaches the main line of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Here, you have the chance to enjoy a stroll through the city or partake in an exciting guided tour.

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 5. On Lake Baikal

Today, the day is dedicated to the natural wonders of Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater reservoir on Earth. In the morning, your private train continues along the original route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad on the shores of Lake Baikal over dozens of bridges, through short tunnels, and over viaducts. Your train stops at two unique panoramic spots, where you can take in the majestic calm of this fantastic natural wonder. Here you can swim in the lake and visit a genuinely picturesque Baikal village! Weather permitting, dinner is served as a picnic on the gorgeous lakeshore. Afterward, you board your private train for Irkutsk.

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 6. Irkutsk City Tour

Day 6. Irkutsk: City Tour
Today you reach Irkutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia in tsarist times. You check into your room at your centrally located hotel, leaving your large luggage safely on your private train. You see the Drama Theatre, the new Monument to the Tsars, and the photogenic market hall on a guided tour. Around noon, you can take part in an exciting excursion to visit the open-air museum dedicated to work and life in old Siberia. You learn, among other things, how exiles (like the famous Russian author Dostoyevsky) marched to Siberia. You spend the night in your hotel.

Overnight: Hotel Irkutsk (or similar). (BLD)

Day 7. Toward Novosibirsk

After breakfast, you board your private train, which takes you through the varied landscapes of Eastern Siberia. As the peaceful scenery passes by your window, you can relax and let your mind wander or enjoy onboard lectures on various topics such as the Conquest of Siberia and the Origins of Russia. At a pleasant vodka tasting, you can enjoy typical Russian snacks and red caviar, as well as learn about the traditions of Russian hospitality, including a few clever toasts.

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 8. Novosibirsk City Tour

Around noon, you reach Siberia’s largest city, Novosibirsk, where you are welcomed with bread and salt in the traditional Russian way. You can go on a guided tour of the city, the most Soviet-style metropolis of your trip, where you marvel at the enormous Ob River. In the evening, your private train continues west.

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 9. Yekaterinburg City Tour and Trip Toward Kazan

After breakfast, you reach Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, situated on the banks of the Volga River. On a guided tour, you see Tatar mosques and Russian Orthodox Cathedrals. You also enjoy a guided tour of the Kazan Kremlin, where you learn a great deal about the turbulent history shared by the Tatars, Cossacks, and Russians. Afterward, you enjoy lunch in a city restaurant. In the evening, you say farewell to your dedicated train crew in the restaurant car.

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 10. Kazan City Tour and Restaurant Visit

After breakfast, you reach Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, situated on the banks of the Volga River. On a guided tour, you see Tatar mosques and Russian Orthodox Cathedrals. You also enjoy a guided tour of the Kazan Kremlin, where you learn a great deal about the turbulent history shared by the Tatars, Cossacks, and Russians. Afterward, you enjoy lunch in a city restaurant. In the evening, you say farewell to your dedicated train crew in the restaurant car.

Overnight: on board (BLD)

Day 11. Moscow Kremlin Visit

Around noon, you arrive in the mighty metropolis Moscow and are transferred to your hotel. You marvel at the size, vibrancy, and international diversity of the proud Russian capital. You visit the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin and watch the gilded domes of its cathedrals shimmer above the city. If you wish, you can see some of the buildings from the inside. You enjoy a guided tour of sights such as the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Moscow State University, and the Novodevichy Convent in the afternoon. You also see the famous Red Square, where the colorful St. Basil’s Cathedral, former home to the KGB, is situated.

Overnight: InterContinental Tverskaya (or similar)/Hotel Grand Marriott. (BLD)

Day 12. Moscow

After breakfast, you see the Tretyakov Gallery, one of Russia’s most important art collections, featuring about 150 thousand works of art by Russian painters and sculptors. The afternoon is yours to enjoy the city. In the evening, you can visit the Bolshoi Theatre, depending on the schedule.

Overnight: InterContinental Tverskaya (or similar)/Hotel Grand Marriott. (BL)

Day 13. Moscow—St. Petersburg

In the morning, you transfer to the train station and board the famous Sapsan high-speed train for St. Petersburg, where you are transferred to your hotel. On a guided tour, you see the city’s most important sights: the lively Nevsky Avenue, the magnificent Palace Square, the stock exchange, the old port, and much more.

Overnight: Hotel Park Inn Nevsky (or similar). (BL)

Day 14. St. Petersburg

Today you can visit the Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral, home of the imperial tombs, where you can see the remains of almost all Russia’s tsars and tsarinas. In a tour of the world-renowned Hermitage Museum, situated in the Winter Palace, a former imperial residence, you see Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael paintings, among others. In the evening, you have time for a long stroll, a visit to the theatre, or an atmospheric boat ride on the Neva River.

Overnight: Hotel Park Inn Nevsky (or similar). (BL)

Day 15. Return Home

After breakfast, you take a transfer to the airport and daydream about the unforgettable Trans-Siberian Railroad journey you just completed. (B)