The Trans-Siberian Express - 10 days from £3899

Accommodation

Train
5 nights. Aboard the Tsar’s Gold you stay in Standard Plus cabins. These cabins sleep two in lower berths. WC facilities are located at the end of each compartment, showers are located every 2nd to 3rd wagon and can be booked on a rota basis. For more facilities why not upgrade to Nostalgic Comfort class with a hand held shower shared between 2 cabins. All meals are included on board and are served in the restaurant car.

Listvyanka - Hotel Mayak (3-star) or similar
1 night. This modern hotel is located in the lakeside village of Listvyanka and enjoys spectacular views of the lake. The hotel offers a bar and restaurant. Guest rooms are comfortably furnished and all have private facilities, TV, telephone and air-conditioning.

Irkutsk - Hotel Irkutsk (3-star) or similar
1 night. This hotel enjoys a location overlooking the Angara River. Facilities include a bar and restaurant. Guest rooms all have private facilities, TV and telephone.

Moscow - Hotel Renaissance (4-star) or similar
1 night. This modern, recently refurbished hotel is located close to the heart of Moscow’s attractions. Hotel amenities include a selection of bars and restaurants as well as a gym with large indoor swimming pool. The comfortable guest rooms all have private facilities, TV, telephone and air-conditioning.

Please note: Details of your confirmed hotels will be advised in your final documentation, which will arrive approximately two weeks before departure.

Itinerary

Day 1: UK/Irkutsk

Your amazing journey starts the moment you step aboard your overnight flight to Irkutsk.

Day 2: Listvyanka

Having met your Specialist Guide and dropped your luggage off at your hotel in the nearby town of Listvyanka, you’ll get your first taste of this fascinating area with a visit to Lake Baikal. Discover the biological significance of the lake at the Limnological Institute. Then it’s on to a local house, known as a dacha, where lunch will be enjoyed with the family who live there. A short walk along the Angara Dam and through the village of Bolshaya Retshka will work it off before taking a chair lift to the top of a mountain to take in the magnificent views.

Meals: Lunch / dinner

Day 3: Lake Baikal

This is the world’s deepest lake and a cruise on it (weather permitting) allows you to truly appreciate its immense size. Returning to dry land, your train will be waiting and porters will be standing by ready to take your luggage straight to your compartment. This is where your magnificent Trans-Siberian adventure begins as you sit back and relax as you head along the lake’s shoreline towards Irkutsk.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 4: Irkutsk

The regional capital of Eastern Siberia, Irkutsk is a city full of sights and in particular, a number of historic churches. Take a tour of the city to experience the lively market hall and the drama theatre before staying overnight in a hotel.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 5: Trans-Siberia

Rejoining the train you journey through the stunning landscapes of Eastern Siberia today. From your comfortable seat, admire the towering mountains, crystal-clear rivers and lush vegetation through your window. Accompanying your journey will be a series of entertaining talks, shedding a little light on Siberia’s sometimes turbulent history. There will also be a traditionally Russian get-together complete with caviar and vodka.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 6: Novosibirsk

As you arrive in the vibrant city of Novosibirsk, you will be greeted with bread, salt and balalaika music in the traditional fashion. A bridge was constructed here over the River Ob during the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and from that point, the city grew. Explore the old part of the city centre and the embankment where it all began. Your journey then takes you overnight by train to Ekaterinburg.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 7: Ekaterinburg

Ekaterinburg is located on the border between Europe and Asia and is the capital of the Ural Mountains. During your discoveries of the city, you’ll visit the Church on Blood, built between 2000 and 2003 on the spot where Tsar Nicholas II and members of his family were executed.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 8: Kazan

Just after breakfast today you’ll arrive in the old Tartar capital of Kazan. Sat on the banks of the River Volga, there is plenty of history to be found here and you will be able to immerse yourself in it as you enjoy a little sightseeing. Later on, take a boat trip with lunch on the Volga before re-boarding your train for the final time.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 9: Moscow

Your spectacular rail journey ends this morning in Moscow where there is much to enjoy. The oldest part of the city is the red-bricked Kremlin, with its impressive cathedrals and Armoury, which you will get to explore at your own pace. After dinner, enjoy a trip through the city, stopping at Red Square and taking a ride on the Metro to visit two of the beautiful stations.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 10: Moscow/UK

There is yet more to see today as you go in search of some of Moscow’s main attractions in the company of your Specialist Guide. Hear the story behind the reconstructed Cathedral of Christ the Saviour; admire Lomonossov University and the New Virgin Monastery; and discover Red Square with its colourful St Basil’s Cathedral, as well as the former KGB headquarters and the White House. Sit back and reflect on all you’ve seen as you head home on your flight back to the UK tonight.

Meals: Breakfast