Trans Siberian Railway Tour: Moscow To Mongolia & Beijing

Trans Siberian Railway Tour Itinerary

• Day 1 - Welcome to Moscow

  You’ll soon see that Moscow is a vibrant and dynamic city. The Christ the Saviour Cathedral, built after the collapse of the Soviet Union, now dominates Moscow’s skyline and is sure to take your breath away. Beneath the city lies the palatial metro rail system draped in chandeliers, mosaics and baroque bas-reliefs. Nearby, you’ll find the cobblestone streets and discover Red Square surrounded by the State History Museum, Lenin’s Mausoleum as well as the iconic swirled cupolas of St. Basils Cathedral, now a museum.

• Day 2 - Moscow to Kazan

  Showcasing monumental walls, towers and golden-domed cathedrals, we pause at the city’s impressive Kremlin. Here we marvel at the exquisite collection of royal treasures, Faberge jewels and icons of the lavish Armoury Chamber.

  The afternoon is yours to further explore this city drenched in fascinating history, before making our way to the station to meet our onward train to Kazan.

• Day 3 - Kazan to Yekaterinburg

  Today we arrive in the picturesque and historic city of Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. It’s an impressive city where the domes of Orthodox churches and the minarets of the Islamic mosques vie for attention in the skyline. Today, we visit Kazan’s UNESCO World Heritage Listed Kremlin. You cannot help but admire the marvelous towers, glistening domes, and ornate minarets encased within the Kremlin that is still today the very heart of the city.

  Later in the evening we return to the station to recommence our train journey. We pass through the Ural Mountains before stopping just inside Asia at Yekaterinburg, considered to be the dividing point between Europe and Asia.

• Day 4 - Yekaterinburg

  Yekaterinburg is a vibrant, modern city with a brutal past. Here we delve into the history that brought the end to Tsarist Russia, always a fascinating stop en route.

• Day 5 - Trans Siberian Railway

  After a free morning in Yekaterinburg we transfer to the station where we will rejoin the train that will carry us to the heart of Siberia, Irkutsk.

  Settle into life on board, enjoying the time to get acquainted with Russian travellers on the train as we cross the Irtysh and Ob rivers and head out over the vast Siberian silver and green taiga.

• Day 6 - Trans Siberian Railway

  Life on board is a destination in itself! Mingle, learn some new phrases, or practice those you have learned on the locals over the mandatory vodka. When your train pulls into the many stations along the way hop off, stretch your limbs and restock on supplies from the platform kiosks for the next leg of your journey.

• Day 7 - Irkutsk to Lake Baikal

  Our train pulls into Irkutsk this evening. Beyond the city and following the fast-flowing Angara River upstream lies the great lake of Siberia, Baikal, which contains one fifth of the world’s fresh water, and as the world’s largest it has dimensions and scale spectacular in every sense.

  We spend two nights in the Siberian village of Listvyanka – a popular summer resort for locals. Its small port is often lively with a chance to bargain with the locals, try some delicious smoked fish, the typical dish of the region, and admire the 2000km of shoreline as well as magnificent vistas across the icy waters.

• Day 8 - Lake Baikal

  Today we will enjoy our time in Listvyanka on the shores of the world’s deepest freshwater lake, Baikal. Here we have time to explore the village with its traditional houses, Limnological Museum and spectacular landscapes.

• Day 9 - Irkutsk

  Upon our return to Irkutsk we will embark on a walking tour where you will discover the city’s wonderful historic sights – 18th century churches, bright painted shutters and log houses decorated with intricate wooden lacework.

• Day 10 - Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar

  Early this morning we climb back aboard our train bound for Mongolia! Settle into life on board with your fellow travelling companions. As the train leaves Irkutsk you will skirt the shores of the magnificent Lake Baikal, before entering the mountains that border Mongolia to our next stop, Ulaanbaatar.

• Day 11 - Welcome to Mangolia

  At daybreak, classic scenes of traditional nomadic life greet us as the train winds impressively across the Mongolian steppe and into the capital.

  We then travel out across the grasslands to Terelj National Park where we spend the night in a Mongolian ger - a traditional felt and wood frame house used by nomadic herdsmen for centuries, set amongst spectacular rock formations and wild rolling hills. Among nomadic families and their grazing livestock we can explore nearby valleys or just relax and enjoy the area.

• Day 12 - Ulaanbaatar

  We enjoy the morning on the steppe before returning to Ulaanbaatar for a night in the capital, with the opportunity to listen to unique Mongolian throat singing at an evening cultural performance (optional) and a last chance to soak up the charm of this beautiful country.

• Day 13 - Ulaanbaatar to beijing

  The Beijing Express departs in the morning. We travel over the steppe of Mongolia and further to the south, the Gobi Desert, towards the Chinese frontier at the border town of Erlian where the train’s bogies are changed from a wider gauge used by Russia and Mongolia to a narrower Chinese gauge.

• Day 14 - Arrival Beijing

  Arrive Beijing – a city that never sleeps! Immerse yourself in this bustling metropolis. During your free time explore the remarkable Temple of Heaven, wander through Tiananmen Square and the Hutong area to see a vanishing world.

• Day 15 - Beijing

  Our epic journey concludes with an excursion to the remarkable Great Wall. Built as a defence against the fierce and capable Mongol equestrians, the Wall stretches 500 km across China’s mountainous northern frontier - you will literally walk through history.

• Day 16 - Departure from Beijing

  Our adventure has drawn to a close. Say farewell to your travelling companions and tour leader before departing your hotel this morning.