ESSENTIAL TRANS-MONGOLIAN

ULAANBAATAR ● MOSCOW ● ST PETERSBURG

TOUR OVERVIEW

DURATION, PRICE, TOUR TYPE & DEPARTURES

12 nights from UK £ 2,705 / US $ 3,780 per person*

*Price based on 2 people travelling in a shared 4 berth second class cabin. Upgrade to your own cabin from UK £ 165 / US$ 230 per person. These prices are based on 2021 rates and are here to give guidance. Final quotes vary by date, exchange rates and are subject to availability.

PRIVATE TOUR - NOT A GROUP TOUR - CAN BE TAILORED 

SEASON - may to september WITH WEEKLY DEPARTURES

TOUR CODE : TS-UB-03-SP

MAP & DESTINATIONS

THE STOPS VISITED ON THIS TOUR

?? ULAANBAATAR - 3 nights

Remote capital of Mongolia and the start of a steppe adventure.

?? MOSCOW - 2 nights

Russia’s vast and iconic capital and the start of this railway adventure.

?? ST PETERSBURG - 3 nights

Russia’s vast and iconic capital and the start of this railway adventure.

ON THE TRAINS - total 4 nights

This beautiful and cultural city is a completely different experience to Moscow.

TSUB03SP map

OUR EXCLUSIVE TRIP GUIDEBOOK

This trip includes our exclusive 200+ page guidebook personalised to your trip with sections about the trains, destinations, timetables and emergency contacts and allowing you to be fully prepared for your trip of a lifetime - an invaluable resource!

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

DAILY DESCRIPTIONS OF ACTIVITIES, MEALS & OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION

DAY 1 - ULAANBAATAR

ARRIVE IN MONGOLIA’S CAPITAL TO START YOUR ADVENTURE

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia and a truly unique destination that is for many a real highlight of the trip. Transfer to your hotel to rest up (or if you arrive early we can arrange city tour on this day).

MEALS: None Today.

OVERNIGHT: Bayangol Hotel ★ ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 2 - ULAANBAATAR

HEAD OUT TO ELSTEI GER CAMP IN THE ROLLING STEPPE

Transfer on to Elstei Ger camp located 55 km outside of the city in the open steppe stopping at the 40 meter high Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue (a further 25 km from Elstei) that sees that most famous of Mongols survey the grasslands. Elstei offers comfortable and spacious ger accommodation. Click here to learn more about ger camps in Mongolia.

A range of options are available including visits to local nomads and learning about their way of life and hiking the grasslands. There are also opportunities to for horse riding (payable locally) and, for much of the year, activities such as archery, ger building and even the opportunity to learn how to wrestle Mongolian style! Of course, you can simply relax and take in this extraordinary landscape.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast & lunch and dinner at the Ger Camp.

OVERNIGHT: Elstei Ger Camp - click to learn more.

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DAY 3 - ULAANBAATAR

ENJOY THE STEPPE FURTHER OR RELAX AT THE GER CAMP

A full day at Elstei Ger camp to enjoy this unique experience with assistance from your guide when required. Today is a good opportunity to range further into the steppe from the ger camp either by foot or horseback (local hire fees apply) and, if the guide is notified the night before, the kitchen can arrange a packed lunch.

MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at the Ger Camp.

OVERNIGHT: Elstei Ger Camp - click to learn more.

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DAY 4 - on the train

CITY TOUR & FREE TIME BEFORE DEPARTURE TOWARDS RUSSIA

After breakfast return to Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia’s capital is home to around a third of the entire population and has experienced a major boom in the last 10 years. There is much of cultural interest here and the this morning’s city tour includes Gandan Lama Monastery, impressive Sukhbaatar square and the views and Soviet monuments of Zaisan Hill.

After the tour some free time before a transfer to the train station to catch your onward train through the grasslands up to the Russian border.

Evening arrival at the Mongolia-Russia border at Sukhe-Bator. The stops on each side are long but manageable as Mongolia’s track is the same gauge as Russia so the bogies do not need to be changed.

MEALS: Breakfast at the Ger Camp.

OVERNIGHT: On the train - click to learn more.

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DAY 5 - on the train

PASS ULAN UDE & TRAVEL ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE BAIKAL

Today is usually the scenic highlight of the entire journey, a day of lake, forest and mountain views. Early in the morning you reach Ulan Ude before joining the main Trans-Siberian line on to Moscow. Later in the day the train rumbles around the Southern shore of stunning Lake Baikal often passing within a matter of meters of the lake and providing endlessly changing vistas. Irkutsk itself is reached in late afternoon before the train continues on through Siberia during the night.

MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.

OVERNIGHT: On the train - click to learn more.

DAY 6 - on the train

PASS THE MAJOR SIBERIAN CITIES OF KRASNOYARSK & NOVOSIBIRSK

Today’s landscape consists of gently rolling hills, rivers, ponds and dense forests of larch, pine and birch trees. Pass prosperous Krasnoyarsk after which the scenery becomes flatter and the forests thinner. Late afternoon reach Siberia’s largest city of Novosibirsk before spending your last night in Siberia on the train.

MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.

OVERNIGHT: On the train - click to learn more.

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DAY 7 - on the train

ENTER THE ROLLING URAL MOUNTAINS, PASS EKATERINBURG & THE EUROPE ASIA BORDER

The scenery today is flat, often swampy or forested and with few major settlements except for Omsk. Later in the afternoon you enter the rolling hills of the Ural's before reaching Ekaterinburg, historic capital of this mineral rich region. Shortly after Ekaterinburg you pass the Europe Asia border leaving Siberia to the East for the last section of the journey to Moscow.

MEALS: None today - however the train does have a dining car.

OVERNIGHT: On the train - click to learn more.

DAY 8 - moscow

ARRIVAL IN MOSCOW & A WALKING TOUR OF THE CITY

Your last morning on the train through a relatively highly populated region by Russian standards - a landscape of farms, small towns and villages. Stop at the historic cities of Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir before an early afternoon arrival at Moscow’s large Yaroslavsky station. Transfer by private car to your hotel.

Moscow, Russia’s capital and its largest city with more than 12 million people, is the political and economic centre of this vast country and with over 800 years of history there is a wealth of architecture, museums and monuments.

Once checked in you will have the perfect introductory walking tour of central Moscow designed to orientate and open up its hidden treasures. Your guide will take you along the main streets and less visited back roads to see the diversity of architectural styles from the austere and restrained Russian style to richly decorated Moscow Baroque, elegant Empire, fascinating Art Nouveau and even Pseudo-Chinese and Moorish. Hear stories and legends not found in the guidebooks as well as passing the most important sites in the city including the Bolshoi Theatre, Tverskaya street, GUM Department store, Red Square and St Basil’s Cathedral.

MEALS: None today.

OVERNIGHT: Budapest Hotel ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 9 - moscow

FREE DAY TO EXPLORE RUSSIA’S CAPITAL & ITS MANY WORLD CLASS SIGHTS

A free day to explore Moscow. The city has much to offer whatever the weather from the famous museums such as Pushkin Fine Arts and Tretyakov Art Gallery to more outdoor areas including the Park of the Fallen Idols and Novodevitchy Convent. Of course, if the weather is not so good Moscow is one of the few cities where a day spent on the metro is a tourist attraction with many beautiful stations to visit and all for the price of a single ticket! For relaxing we recommend the bars, galleries and cafes of the Red October district or the fabulous Gorky Park.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Budapest Hotel ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 10 - ST PETERSBURG

HIGH SPEED “SAPSAN” TRAIN TO ST PETERSBURG IN JUST 4 HOURS

Free time before a late morning transfer by an English speaking driver to the “Sapsan” train to St Petersburg. The journey takes just 4 hours with an early evening arrival Russia’s cultural centre and arguably one of the world’s most beautiful cities - an architectural wonder often referred to as the “Venice of the North.”

Transfer from the station by private car and English speaking driver to your hotel. Free time for the rest of the day.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Cronwell Inn ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 11 - ST PETERSBURG

AN IDEAL 3 HOUR INTRODUCTORY WALKING TOUR OF THE CITY BEFORE A FREE AFTERNOON

Begin your time in St Petersburg with this superb introduction to this beautiful city with your private guide, learning about the history and architecture as well as life in today’s St Petersburg. The tour focuses on Nevsky Prospect including the Palace Square, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Winter Palace and the Admiralty amongst many other points of interest. The tour will usually finish on arrival at the Peter and Paul Fortress where you can visit the burial place of all the Russian Tzars from Peter the Great to Nicholas II.

Free time for the rest of the day, perhaps to explore the Peter & Paul Fortress or some of the many other sights. Alternatively, St Petersburg is an excellent place to walk and admire the architecture stopping at the occasional cafe!

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Cronwell Inn ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

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DAY 12 - ST PETERSBURG

A FREE DAY TO EXPLORE THIS MAGNIFICENT CITY

A free day to explore St Petersburg. This city has so much to offer so it is a good idea to plan a little in advance if there are specific places you want to visit. However, this is also a fantastic city to aimlessly wander, exploring side streets, canals and the beautiful parks that feature across the city. Don’t forget there are also excellent sights outside the city including the opulent palaces of Peterhof and Pushkin.

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

OVERNIGHT: Cronwell Inn ★ ★ ★ click to view hotel.

DAY 13 - end of tour

DEPART ST PETERSBURG & RUSSIA AFTER AN EPIC TRANS-SIBERIAN ADVENTURE

Today is a free until a transfer to your onward travel from Russia. We sincerely hope that you will have enjoyed your epic journey as much as we have many times already and we look forward to welcoming you back on another one of our trips!

MEALS: Hotel Breakfast.

Thank you so very much. We had the best time!
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AMY WEGERHOFF

"Your company really did an amazing job on this trip."
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ENGELA POTGIETER

"Nothing short of outstanding & the fulfilment of a lifetimes dream."
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INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS

FOR FULL DETAILS ASK UP FOR DOWNLOAD THE TRIP DOSSIER

Train tickets in second class – ask us about upgrades.
All accommodation as specified above.
All private transfers and transport as described.
All meals as specified in the itinerary.
All tours as specified including entrance fees.
24 hour emergency assistance
Visa Paperwork you need in order to obtain the visas.
Financial Peace of Mind as your trip is protected.
Our exclusive 200+ page trip guidebook.
International Airfare to / from the start / finish of your trip – we can book these flights on request.
The Russian and Mongolian visas – we can advise and partner with VisaCentral.
Travel insurance to cover any medical treatment – we canadvise on options.
Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW

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