Moscow to Beijing

St. Basil's Cathedral

Once you arrive in Moscow, your tour guide will welcome you at the airport and accompany you to your hotel to settle in and leave your heavy luggage behind before heading out for your first taste of Russia’s historic capital. You will be taken on a ‘City of Lights’ tour to see the exquisitely illuminated city, with visits also to Red Square and the metro system to see the ornately decorated stations. Once you have finished you will return to your hotel to rest up and prepare for the adventure ahead. Overnight: InterContinental Tverskaya/ Radisson Royal Ukraina (or similar). Meals included: dinner.

Moscow View

MoscowYour grand, guided, city tour will begin in the morning, taking in the Kremlin and its marvellous Tsarist-era cathedral. Later on in the day you will be taken aboard your home for the next two weeks, and introduced to your travelling companions in the dining car while you are given more details about the upcoming journey. This will be your first night on the train. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Kazan Kremlin

On the morning of day three you will arrive in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, on the banks of the Volga River. The highlight of this stop is a guided tour of the, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kazan Kremlin. With its wonderful panoramic views of the Volga, you will learn all about the turbulent history of the Tartars, the Cossacks and the Russians. That evening you will head back to the train before heading further eastward! Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Temple on the Blood

Around noon your train will stop in Yekaterinburg, the historical capital of the Urals. The city is most (in)famously known for being where the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and his family were murdered in 1918. As part of your tour you will visit the Cathedral of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood, a cathedral built in commemoration of that tragic event. In addition you will be taken around the attractive city centre before heading back to the train. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Novosibirsk View

Novosibirsk is in the heart of Siberia and is, in fact, the most populous city in Asian Russia. You will be welcomed to the city in traditional Russia style with bread and salt, before being guided around the most Soviet of all the cities you will see on our journey, including visits to the Trans-Siberian Monument and the mighty Ob River. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

You will cross a large portion of Siberia today, crossing over the Yenisei River along the way. With stunning views of verdant forests and crystal-clear lakes and rivers, it is the perfect day to relax and just enjoy the view. Your talented chefs will not be relaxing though, as they will be busy putting together their speciality ‘Tsar’s Feast’. This will be a chance for you to taste a number of Russian snacks accompanied by many toasts; true Russian hospitality. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia, and today you will be guided around some of the best sights the city has to offer. During the tour you will have the opportunity to view the beautiful wooden Siberian cottages, with their intricate, lace-like decorations, the new statue of Alexander III (the Trans-Siberians instigator) and the lively market hall. Later on in the day you will be taken to an open air museum nearby, chronicling the history of Siberia from the 17th century onwards. Overnight: hotel in Irkutsk. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Baikal

You will be ferried by boat to Port Baikal on the morning of day eight, where the train will be awaiting you, before continuing the journey around the grand Lake Baikal, following the original route of the Trans-Siberian. Later in the day the train will stop to allow you to take in the beauty of your surroundings while you enjoy a picnic on the shores of the lake. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

You will continue along Lake Baikal today, heading towards the home of the Buryat people, Ulan-Ude. A brief tour will take place here before moving onwards towards the border with Mongolia. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Early risers will have the opportunity to see the magnificent landscapes of Mongolia before arriving into Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. Once in Ulan Bator the tour will take in many of the key sights around the city, including the impressive Buddhist Gandan Monastery, and the Choijin Lama Temple that was built between 1904 and 1908 before being converted into a museum in 1938. That evening you will have the chance to attend a unique performance of traditional Mongolian folk arts, including throat singing, horse-headed fiddle playing, national costumes and dances (optional, to be paid on site). Overnight: Ramada Hotel (or similar). Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

You will leave the centre of Ulan Bator today for a trip to the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park to explore a traditional side of Mongolia; nomadic herdsmen with their Ger settlements, horse herds and yaks. A small horse-riding demonstration will be put on for you, as well as a picnic, before heading back towards Ulan Bator and the train in order to continue on your adventure. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Crossing the vast Gobi desert you will have time to take in the views, socialise with your travelling companions, most importantly, relax. Around noon you will change trains as the private rain is unable to travel on Chinese rail system due to a change in gauge. The last section of your journey before Beijing will be aboard a regular passenger train. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

You will arrive in Beijing sometime in the morning, and be transferred to your hotel. After this you are free to explore the beautiful Beijing at your leisure. Overnight: Capital Hotel (or similar). Meals included: breakfast and lunch.

Beijing

Your first, full, day in Beijing will be split in two. First you will be taken on a tour of the city to see some of the most important and historic sites, including the Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square, as well as some of its more contemporary architectural achievements, including the ‘Birds Nest’ Olympic Stadium and the thoroughly modern skyscrapers now dotting the Beijing skyline. In the afternoon you will be given the opportunity to enter the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace, and the centre of Chinese politics for nearly 500 years. The complex consists of 980 buildings, and while you will be unable to see all of them, you will have ample time to see many of the temples and halls that make up this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overnight: Capital Hotel (or similar). Meals included: breakfast and lunch.

To many, the Great Wall of China is the eighth wonder of the world, stretching, as it does, 6000km through the Chinese countryside, and it is here where your tour will start today. Along your walk you will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ming Tombs, the burial place of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors, as well as the impressive Spirit Way. That evening you can enjoy a farewell dinner of local favourite, Peking Duck, while swapping stories with your travelling companions, and plan for your next adventure! Overnight: Capital Hotel (or similar). Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

This will be your last day on tour. After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to begin your journey home. If you are not yet ready to journey home, why not try ‘Dragon City’ Beijing extensions?