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zSt. Petersburg, Moscow & Lake Baikal

12 days

Never more than 16 guests. Guaranteed.

Small Group Discoveries

  • Explore the best of Imperial Russia... Extensive sightseeing with our Trip Leader Sasha includes the Catherine Palace and Kremlin Armory Museum.
  • Spend a day exploring along the shores of the world’s deepest lake... This historic 50-mile stretch of the original Trans-Siberian Railroad traverses 200 bridges along magnificent Lake Baikal!
  • Get to know the history, culture and residents of a remote and picturesque island... Olkhon Island is the largest in Lake Baikal and revered as a sacred site by the region’s indigenous Buryat people.

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Day
1

Welcome to St. Petersburg

Check in to the city-center Courtyard Vasilievsky Hotel. This evening, gather with your Trip Leader Sasha and fellow guests for a welcome dinner. Meals D

Day
2

Discover the best of St. Petersburg c

Drive down the elegant Nevsky Prospekt and behold the massive golden dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Admire the Church of the Spilled Blood, set along one of the city’s many picturesque canals, and then tour the Hermitage, erstwhile palace of the Czars, to view one of the world’s greatest art collections. Meals B

Day
3

By high speed rail to Moscow

Travel to Tsarskoye Selo and tour the Catherine Palace for a look into the lavish life of the Russian Czars. Journey to Moscow aboard the afternoon high-speed train and transfer to the Marriott Grand Hotel in time for dinner. Meals B,L,D

Day
4

Moscow sightseeing

See Red Square c, the colorful domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, the famed Bolshoi Theater, Novodevichy Convent c and more. Then enjoy a free afternoon or join Sasha to discover some of her favorite, off-the-beaten path sites. Meals B

Day
5

Tour the Kremlin and fly to Irkutsk

Ride the famed Moscow Metro, passing through some of the city’s most beautifully decorated underground stations. Enter within the massive walls of the Kremlin c for a tour of its grounds and the renowned Amory Museum, home to a fabulous collection of Imperial memorabilia. Transfer to the airport for your overnight flight to Irkutsk. Meals B

Day
6

Arrive Irkutsk

We’ve arranged for early check-in at the Courtyard Irkutsk City Center Hotel. After a free morning to relax, your tour explores the highlights of this historic city. Founded more than 350 years ago as a Cossack outpost, Irkutsk retains the spirit and architecture of a 19th-century Russian town. Meals B

Day
7

Excursion on the Trans-Siberian Railway

A day-long excursion on the most historic stretch of the fabled Trans-Siberian takes you along the picturesque shores of Lake Baikal. It’s a thrilling 50-mile rail journey encompassing 39 tunnels and 200 bridges. You’ll make several stops along the way to enjoy lunch and to take in the magnificent scenery. Meals B,L,D

Day
8

Into the heart of Lake Baikal c

Enjoy the pristine lake air as you travel by ferry to Olkhon Island. Although it’s the world’s largest lake island, it’s home to just 1,500 farmers and fishermen living in scattered settlements. Check in to the Baikal View Hotel.  Meals B,L,D

Day
9

Olkhon Island Adventure

Set out by jeep across the island’s rugged forested slopes and embark on a guided nature hike to scenic Cape Khoboi. After a picnic lunch, the afternoon is free to experience more of Lake Baikal’s stunning vistas and sublime natural beauty.  Meals B,L,D

Day
10

Return to Irkutsk

Journey across Lake Baikal back to the mainland and continue onward to your hotel in Irkutsk. Meals B

Day
11

Back to Moscow

Fly to Moscow and return to the Marriott Grand. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with Sasha and your fellow travelers. Meals B,D

Day
12

Depart Moscow

Our tour ends this morning or travel on to Mongolia with us. Meals B

Extend Your Trip

Add Mongolia & the Gobi Desert!

7-Day Post-Tour Extension from $2,599

Travel with your guide on the Trans-Siberian to Ulaanbaatar. Venture deep into the Gobi, marvel at the majestic Flaming Cliffs, spend time with a Kazakh family of eagle hunters, learn how to build a ger, and more! Our June 27 trip also includes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the renowned Naadam Festival, the centuries-old test of Mongolian warrior skills and prowess. Visit GeneralTours.com for complete details.

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Day
11

From Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar aboard the Trans-Siberian

Enjoy a leisurely day in this fascinating city. Late this evening, you and our Russian guide will board the fabled Trans-Siberian Railway for an unforgettable 2-night journey into Mongolia!  (Meals B)

Day
12

A day on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Step off the train today in Ulan Ude. Once an important outpost on the tea route from China, this historic city is the religious center for Russian Buddhists. Here you’ll change trains and continue your rail journey into the vast Mongolian steppes en route to Ulaanbaatar. 

Day
13

Discover Mongolia

Arrive this morning in Ulaanbaatar and step off the train to meet our engaging Mongolian Trip Leader. Together you’ll make the journey to Terelj National Park, famous for its wildlife and spectacular rock formations. You’ll spend the afternoon experiencing the natural beauty of this pristine National Park and getting to know the ways of the various Mongolian ethnic groups who inhabit the region. Meet a Kazakh family of Eagle hunters and get a hands-on demonstration in how to build a Ger, a traditional Mongolian tent dwelling. Then spend the night in your own private Ger at the Guru Eco Camp. Meals L,D

Day
14

Into the Gobi Desert!

After breakfast, travel back to Ulaanbaatar for your included flight to Dalanzadgad, the capital of Omnogovi Province. From here, you’ll journey through magnificent desert landscapes to Gobi Three Beauties National Park. Enjoy a guided hike through Yolyn Am Canyon and continue your exploration of the region by camel! At the local Natural History Museum, you’ll learn more about the fascinating flora and fauna of the Gobi Desert. Enjoy two unforgettable nights in a private tent at the Dream Gobi Ger Camp.  Meals B,L,D

Day
15

The Flaming Cliffs

Follow in the footsteps of Roy Chapman Andrews, fondly known as “the Real Indiana Jones.”  He was an early 20th-century explorer and adventurer who became a renowned director of the American Museum of Natural History. It was here in Bayan Zag, also known as the Flaming Cliffs, where Mr. Andrews found the first-known nest of fossilized dinosaur eggs. Before returning to your Ger camp, you’ll get to spend time with a local Nomadic family. Over a traditional bowl of tea in their Ger, you’ll gain rich insight into life here in the steppes of Mongolia. Meals B,L,D

Day
16

Back to Ulaanbaatar

After breakfast at camp, you’ll return to the airport in Dalanzadgad for your included flight to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival, your city tour includes Gandantegchenlin Monastery, the center of Buddhist life and culture in Mongolia. At the city’s Natural History Museum, you’ll learn more about Mongolia’s history from the Stone Age through the time of Genghis Kahn and up to the present day. This evening’s music and dance concert of the renowned Tumen Ekh Ensemble includes traditional Mongolian throat singing and other colorful folk traditions. Overnight at the comfortable Ramada Ulaanbaatar City Center Hotel.  Meals B,L,D

Day
17

Depart Ulaanbaatar

Our tour services end this morning after breakfast.  Meals B

Private Tour Add-Ons

St. Petersburg

Our 4-day FreeStyle Travel package with a choice of fine city-center hotels, breakfast daily, in-depth private car sightseeing expertly guided by our own resident staff, and chauffeured airport transfers

Moscow

Our 4-day FreeStyle Travel package with a choice of city-center hotels, breakfast daily, in-depth private car sightseeing expertly guided by our own resident staff, and chauffeured airport transfers

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Family + Friends

Travel is one of  life's most rewarding experiences, perhaps even more so when it's shared with those you love! Take advantage of our Family & Friends offer and Save $100 per person anytime you book 4 or more people on the same A+R program.

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