Highlights of Trans-Siberian: Moscow - Kazan - Yekaterinburg - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk - uVisitRussia
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Highlights of Trans-Siberian: Moscow - Kazan - Yekaterinburg - Novosibirsk - Irkutsk

This 12-day tour offers the chance to cross Russia by train, traveling from Moscow to Irkutsk.

On the way, you’ll alight to visit some of the country’s most compelling sights, from St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin in the capital to the wooden architecture and lake views of the Irkutsk area. If you’re looking for a tour that captures the very essence of Russia, then look no further.

Type: Small Group Tours
Duration: 12 days

Itinerary Hide all details

Day 1: Saturday - Moscow

Arrival Transfer to the Hotel

Airport arrival at Moscow where our driver will be waiting a sign and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2: Sunday - Moscow

Moscow City Tour. Red Square, St. Basil’s, Lenin Mausoleum

Today’s orientation tour of the Russian capital is designed to give you a sense of what makes the capital tick. We’ll begin with a a walking tour that visits Lubyanka Square, home to the KGB in the Soviet era, and to Teatralnaya Square where you’ll find the famous Bolshoi Theatre. From bustling Tverskaya Street, we’ll stroll to Red Square where we’ll take a guided tour of the 16th century St Basil’s Cathedral. Its colorful domes will already be familiar but you’ll learn a lot from our knowledgeable guide.

Day 3: Monday - Moscow

Kremlin & Armoury. Moscow Underground. Departure to Kazan

On our second full day of sightseeing in Moscow, we begin with the Kremlin. Once the residence of the Tsars, it’s now the office of the Russian president. We’ll take a tour of its grounds in which stand beautiful orthodox cathedrals and also the Armoury Museum. It houses many treasures dating from the reigns of the Tsars. Once a storehouse, it’s held its current function since 1813 and inside, you’ll discover precious works of art, Faberge eggs and ancient suits of armor. We will also visit the Moscow Underground. One of the undisputed masterpieces of Soviet times, its ornate decoration of mosaics, murals and stained glass windows will leave you feeling that you’re in a museum rather than a working transit system. Later, you’ll return to the hotel and from there, make a transfer with our driver to the train station where you’ll pick up an overnight train that will take you to Kazan.

Day 4: Tuesday - Kazan

Kazan City & Kremlin Tour. Visit to Kul Sharif Mosque

Kazan lies in the heart of Tatarstan, equidistant from Moscow and Yekaterinburg. Its location has led to its development as a melting pot between Christian and Muslim populations and it’s a fascinating and vibrant city. Its Kremlin is the focal point for our first guided tour during our stay; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, it was built on the orders of Ivan the Terrible and houses many different structures. Among them are the Annunciation Cathedral, built between 1554 and 1562, and the leaning Soyembika Tower dating from the reign of Peter the Great. The city is also home to the Kazan Marjani, the oldest acting mosque in Tatarstan, and the Kul Sharif Mosque, which was built inside the Kremlin in the 16th century. After we conclude our sightseeing program, you’ll transfer to the train station where you’ll connect with overnight train which will take you to Yekaterinburg.

Day 5: Wednesday - Yekaterinburg

Transfer to the Hotel

Our driver will meet you at the carriage with a sign board and transfer you to the hotel.

Day 6: Thursday - Yekaterinburg

Ganina Yama & Cathedral on the Blood. Europe-Asia Border. Departure to Siberia

Our first port of call this morning will be to a memorial which honors the victims of Stalin’s repressions of the 1930s to 1950s. We’ll then visit the obelisk which marks the border of Europe and Asia. It’s traditional to toast this iconic location with a glass of champagne. Afterwards, we’ll return to the city to visit the Memorial Cathedral on the Blood in the Name of All Saints, constructed on the site of the execution of Tsar Nicholas and his family. We’ll continue to Ganina Pit, an orthodox monastery built where the imperial remains were initially discovered. We’ll visit seven wooden churches located deep in the pine forest that characterizes this area. Following our excursion, we’ll return to the hotel where you’ll await our driver who will deliver you to the train station for your connection on an overnight train to Novosibirsk.

Day 7: Friday - Novosibirsk

Transfer to the Hotel

Our driver will meet you at the carriage carrying a sign board and transfer you to your accommodation.

Day 8: Saturday - Novosibirsk

Novosibirsk City Tour. Visit to Transsib Museum or Boat Trip on Ob. Departure to Irkutsk

Novosibirsk has a population of over 1.5 million, making it the third most populous city in the country after Russia and St Petersburg. Today we offer a choice of sightseeing. Train buffs will want to opt for a visit to the West Siberian Railway Museum, which is located close to the Ob River just outside the city. It houses a large collection of steam locomotives and is a popular location for wedding photographs. Alternatively, you might prefer to relax with a boat trip down the Ob River (in Summer) or take a walking tour through the historic city center. Later, we’ll meet our driver at the hotel and then it’s over to the train station to pick up our train once more.

Day 9: Sunday

Onboard the Train to Irkutsk

Day 10: Monday - Irkutsk - Listvyanka

At Leisure on the Shores of Lake Baikal

On arrival at Irkutsk railway station after our long train journey from Novosibirsk, our driver will be waiting to transfer you to the pretty lakeshore village of Listvyanka. It’s located about 70 km from Irkutsk but is well worth the journey. Once there, you’ll be able to enjoy the serene setting of the world’s deepest freshwater lake, Lake Baikal. A choice of activity awaits: you could visit St Nicholas’ Russian Orthodox Church or the Baikal Lake Museum, for instance, take a boat trip on the water or simply relax and enjoy this delightful little place.

Day 11: Tuesday - Listvyanka - Irkutsk

Wooden Architecture Museum at Taltsy. Irkutsk City Tour

Today, you’ll be collected from your accommodation and taken to the Open Air Wooden Architecture Museum at Taltsy. Located on the bank of the River Angara, this collection of typical wooden structures offers a fascinating glimpse into what life was once like in this part of Russia. Highlights include the interior of a Russian fort, a shaman yurt and a 15th century watchtower. You’ll learn a lot about the culture and lifestyle of the Buryat and Evenk people who lived here. After our visit, you’ll be transferred back to Irkutsk where we have laid on a city tour. Irkutsk is known as the “Paris of Siberia” and once you lay eyes on its many imposing stone buildings you’ll understand why. But the city also has a plethora of quaint log houses featuring attractive fretwork shutters and a clutch of 18th century churches to explore.

Day 12: Wednesday - Irkutsk

Departure for the Airport

Our driver will meet you with a sign board at the hotel lobby and transfer you to Irkutsk airport for your onward flight.

What's included

  • Accommodation
  • Breakfasts in the hotels
  • Train travel (overnight)
  • Guided tours & entrance fees
  • Visa invitation
  • Airport & railway transfers
Not included in the price
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Optional excursions and services
  • Meals on the train
  • Visas: consular & processing fees
Additional expenses
  • Optional excursions
  • 1st class train upgrade
  • Theatre and circus tickets

Single supplement - $145

Solo supplement - $575

First Class train upgrade - $395

Additional info
  • Price “Excluding flight” does not cover airfare, you are free to book your own flights. Alternatively we can quote an airfare for you. We advise not to delay with booking your tour as airfares may go up.
  • Single supplement goes towards single room (cabin for cruises) accommodation.
  • Solo supplement is payable in the unlikely event when you are the only person on the tour. It will be refunded if other people join the same tour.

Price

Price packagePrice per person
Price per person

Excluding flights

Book now

Visa

Russian visa support (Russian visa invitation letter) is included.

Sights included in program

Moscow : The Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin, the beautiful and ancient ensemble stands high on the hill towering over the left bank of the Moskva river. The Kremlin has always been perceived as a symbol of power and might of the Russian state, the national idea expressed in stone. It is the oldest part of the city, its political, historic and cultural centre, and the seat of the country's highest bodies of power. The Kremlin contains unique specimens of Russian metal cas... Read more
Moscow : Red Square
The famous Red Square is located in the heart of Moscow. Of course, no trip to Russia would be complete without a visit to Red Square, perhaps Russia's most well known place, and possibly the most famous city square in the world. It is Russia’s most recognizable landmark and is usually tourists first stop in Moscow. It is surrounded by Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the State History Museum, Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Kremlin. Visitors... Read more
Tverskaya Street is a central Moscow street as well as one of the oldest ones. According to certain historical data, Tverskaya Street already existed in the 12th century. Russian Monarchs entered Moscow through this street. It is hard to believe today but Moscow started where Tverskaya Street did. Moscow’s best buildings, hotels, and shops were built here. Tverskaya Street is one of Moscow’s most expensive trade streets. It is also a ... Read more
Moscow : Moscow Subway
Moscow's Metro stations together amount to the most beautiful public transport facility in the world. Visitors to Moscow should not miss taking a ride on this glorious underground rail system, and exploring the stations. Each one has its own distinct aesthetic identity, variously adorned with Realist artworks, chandeliers, ornate pillars and marble floors. Moscow's metro caters to two and half billion passenger rides per year, making it the secon... Read more
The Bolshoi Theatre is a symbol of Russia for all time. It is one of the leading ballet and opera companies in the world. It was awarded this honor due to the major contribution it made to the history of the Russian performing arts. This history is on-going and today Bolshoi Theatre artists continue to contribute to it many bright pages. The Bolshoi building, which for many years now has been regarded as one of Moscow's main sights, was opened on... Read more
The Armoury Chamber - a treasure-house, it is a part of the Grand Kremlin Palace’s complex, and is one of the oldest museums of Moscow, established in 1808. The museum collections were based on the precious items that had been preserved for centuries in the tsars’ treasury and the Patriarch’s vestry. Some of the exhibits were made in the Kremlin’s workshops, others were accepted as ambassadorial gifts. The Armoury Cha... Read more
The St. Basil’s Cathedral Moscow just that this fascinating church at the heart of Moscow, is an exemplary work of art, which touchingly and glamorously traces back the history of Russia in an encompassing and solemn manner, that no other tourist attraction can ever surpass. It is an interesting milestone and a great leaping step towards world tourism and the interesting pieces of history in its courageous, attractive and worth reading whol... Read more
The name is first mentioned in 1480, when Ivan III settled many Novgorodians in the area.They built the church of St Sophia, modelled after St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, and called the area Lubyanka after the Lubyanitsy district of their native city. Read more
This elegant square is named Theater Square because three of the surrounding buildings are theaters and several others are located nearby. Until the 19th century this was Petrovskaya Square, since Petrovka Street traversed it and the Royal Peter Theater sat on the site of the Bolshoi Theater. Briefly, it was known as Tsvetochnaya (Florist) Square, because the flower sellers did a roaring trade here. Read more
Irkutsk : 130 Kvartal
Transport yourself back in time and take a stroll along 130 Kvartal, a restoration project of traditional Siberian wooden houses of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some transported from other locations, some constructed to blend in with original structures in the area. Read more
A true adornment of Irkutsk is the Epiphany Cathedral. This church looks quite unusually. It is colorful and ornate and does not resemble classic orthodox churches. The matter concerns its decoration: the church’s façade and its tholobate are decorated with pictures of the saints in whole-length. Besides, the church is fancy decorated with ornamented tiles, and brightly painted like Russian popular prints. The influence of old-Russia... Read more
Siberia : Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is city that prides itself on size: it is the third-largest city in Russia (the biggest city east of the Urals), has the biggest railway station along the trans-Siberian route, the biggest library in Siberia, and the biggest opera/ballet theater in all of Russia - even bigger than Moscow's Bolshoy. The red-brick Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, while not the biggest, is considered one of the finest existing examples of pure Russian ... Read more
Baikal : Irkutsk
An unique old city, Irkutsk was known as «Paris of Siberia» in the middle of the 19th century. It plays a remarkable role in the Russian history and it's not accidentally called the city-museum. Irkutsk saves many ancient monuments, romantic look, church cupola's lighting upon the blue current of Angara River. This incredible city is called the midst of the Earth, since it's equidistant from the three world's oceans: the Arctic, the P... Read more
Listvyanka is perhaps one of the oldest Russian settlements on the shore of the great Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world. It is a charming village dotted with traditional Siberian wooden houses, with a main road that runs right along the shore of fantastic lake, making it the perfect base to explore this picturesque region. This old-style Siberian village is one of the most visited places in Siberia. Everything about it impresses our imag... Read more
Baikal Limnological museum is located at the beginning of Listvyanka, beautiful old-style Siberian village, on the shore of fabulous Lake Baikal. The museum is engaged in collecting and storage the materials and analysis of the information bound with the lake.The unique exhibits tell about the origin and the history of the lake, its fantastic flora and fauna, geological structure, climate and tectonics of Pribaikalye. All scientific activities of... Read more
Taltsy Museum of Wooden Architecture is an unique storage of history and culture of the peoples of Eastern Siberia. This incredible open-air museum consists of several fabulous exhibit areas which hold interesting ethnographical collections and show life of the Siberians. The variety of amazing Siberian wooden izbas, churches, living houses and Buryat wooden yurts were brought together from different parts of Siberia. The museum is conveniently l... Read more
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church is one of the few preserved architectural monuments in Listvyanka. The building dates from the middle of the century before last. Such buildings in Russia were called the "octagon on the quadrangle". A wooden two-tiered church with belfries is very beautiful and majestic. St. Nicholas Church has its own interesting story. Read more
Empress Catherine II returned from her 1767 trip to the Kazan Governorate so impressed by what she had seen and by local hospitality that she issued a decree allowing the construction of mosques in stone. She issued another decree in 1773, "On the Tolerance of All Faiths," which made life much easier for Moslems. Read more
Annunciation Cathedral of Kazan Kremlin was the first Orthodox church within the walls of the Kazan Kremlin. Initially, a wooden church was quickly built under direction of Tsar Ivan IV in 1552, before it was replaced by a stone cathedral. The cathedral became the center of religious and educational life and missionary efforts in the province of Kazan. Read more
The Kazan Kremlin is the chief historic citadel of Tatarstan, situated in the city of Kazan. It was built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the former castle of Kazan khans. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2000. Read more
The Kul Sharif Mosque built in place of the old mosque of the Khanate of Kazan that was destroyed in 1552 is the great symbol of Kazan and the Republic of Tatarstan. The mosque was named after Kazan’s last great Imam before Ivan the Terrible invaded and seized the city. Read more
Syuyumbike Tower, also called the Khan's Mosque, is probably the most familiar landmark and architectural symbol of Kazan. Once the highest structure of that city's kremlin, it used to be one of the so-called leaning towers. By the early 20th century, its inclination was estimated at 194 centimeters (76 in). Diverse stabilization methods were used to straighten the tower in the 1930s and 1990s, and it no longer leans. Read more
1/7th of the World : Baikal
Lake Baikal in Siberia is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site and was also voted as one of Russia's Seven Wonders. It's not hard to see why. Baikal is one of those rare spots on the earth where nature has still remained genuine and untouched. The magnificent landscapes – the lake is surrounded by high mountain chains - and the unique clarity of the crystal-clear water, which runs into a darkness teeming with fish. Siberians believe that ... Read more
1/7th of the World : Kazan
Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, one of the largest and most beautiful cities of Russia, which is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage cities. According to official version accepted nowadays, Kazan was founded no less than 1000 years ago. The atmosphere of this intriguing autonomous republic is redolent of Central Asia. The spires of many mosques dot the skyline - including the grand Kul Sharif Mosque inside the historic kremlin... Read more
1/7th of the World : Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a beautiful and well developed city with many fabulous historical buildings in classicism style, with one of the world's biggest collection of constructivist architecture buildings and with several modern high-techs skyscrapers. It is situated in the central part of Russia, on the eastern slopes of the amazing Ural mountains and almost on the border between Europe and Asia. Yekaterinburg was founded in 1723 and named i... Read more
Explore : Moscow
Moscow can be an overwhelming experience for visitors - there's just so much to see in this vast and vibrant city, from the truly sublime to the ever-so-slightly ridiculous. Moscow has been one of the world's ballet capitals for almost two centuries. It is home to the Bolshoi Ballet, founded in the late 18th century and based at the Bolshoi Theatre. It is called the "world capital of museums". It's no surprise, considering that there are over a ... Read more
Admire the mighty machines that once regularly crossed the vast expanses of Siberia and served as the only link between remote places at West Siberian Railway History Museum. Read more
The Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land is a Russian Orthodox church built on the site of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, where Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, and his family, along with members of the household, were shot by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. The church commemorates the Romanov sainthood. Read more
Yekaterinburg : Ganina Yama
Ganina Yama is a relatively new monument constructed out of wood and the story of its erection is full of tragic accounts. It is visited by orthodox people from all over the country to pay homage to the late Romanovs – the emperor dynasty of Russia. Found at the location where the given temple complex was built were the remains of the royal family. It is the also where their bodies were buried after they were shot to death. Read more
Border between Europe and Asia is one of the features of the Ural area. Read more
US$ 1945
per person, based on 2-people group
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Price for persons:

Our flexible payment options allow you to pay 20% of a deposit first and the remaining 80% in 14 days prior to your tour date - payment can be done both online or over the phone. This gives you the peace of mind knowing your spaces are booked on the tours and that you do not miss out on making the most of your time in Russia.

Also you get the best, top-rated and most experienced and knowledgeable hand-picked tour guide appointed on a priority basis.
In our experience, exceptional travel experiences are almost always delivered by exceptional people. With that in mind, we utilize a comprehensive approach to select and employ the best tour guides only. Multilingual and well travelled, each possesses deep insight into the diverse attractions and cultural patterns throughout the region. With us guides undergo a rigorous selection process, achieving outstanding knowledge of local culture and language. Rest assured that the best tour guides only will be working on the tours to give you excellent opportunity to explore the best of the sights during both short and long-term stay in Russia.

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+1 (888) 845-8877

Speak to an expert
Call us now

+1 (888) 845-8877

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