Trans-Siberian Train Journeys. Monkeyshrine. Trans-Mongolian Railway: Beijing to Moscow including Mongolia and Lake Baikal Polny BM4 (UI) 15 days

Transcription

1 Trans-Siberian Train Journeys Monkeyshrine Trans-Siberian Adventures 2018 Trans-Mongolian Railway: Beijing to Moscow including Mongolia and Lake Baikal Polny BM4 (UI) 15 days

2 Trans-Mongolian Railway: Beijing to Moscow 15 day itinerary with tours in Mongolia, Irkutsk / Lake Baikal and Moscow Code: PO-BM4 (UI) from 1,995 Tour Introduction One of the most popular routes, this 15 day trip will take you to the main destinations along the Trans Mongolian Railway. You will spend 2 days on the open steppe of Mongolia and 2 days on the shore of Lake Baikal. As well as nights in Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, Irkutsk and Moscow. Route Beijing Ulaanbaatar (UB) and Mongolia s Open Steppe Irkutsk & Lake Baikal in Siberia Moscow. This tour has an optional extension to St Petersburg. Dates All year round with departure dates from Beijing depending on a seasonal timetable. The best time to travel is from mid May to early October to enjoy the warmest weather. Train #23 departures from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar: -From June 2017 onwards, the Mongolian train leaves on Mondays. -From October 2017 until June 2018, the Chinese train leaves on Tuesdays. -From June 2018 onwards, we expect the Mongolian train to leave on Saturdays and the Chinese train on Tuesdays. It is also possible to depart on the weekly Wednesday train #3; this train runs between Beijing and Moscow and is generally available for shorter routes. Tours Hotels Trains Start the journey travelling past the Great Wall of China on the International Trans- Mongolian train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar (1 night). A fully guided tour to the Open Steppe of Mongolia (2 nights), city tour and 3* hotel in Ulaanbaatar (1 night), international train from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk (2 nights on board), excursion to the shore of Lake Baikal (2 nights), city tour and 3* hotel in Irkutsk (1 night). Russian train from Irkutsk to Moscow (4 nights on board). Arrival transfer, city tour and 3* centrally located hotel (1 night) in Moscow. Tour Style Polny [полный] is a Russian word which means complete, full, total, entire, overall, absolute. Polny packages are small group tours with well designed stopover programs at a range of popular destinations along the route, with English speaking guides, 3* standard accommodation and all transfers included. Tour Includes Monkey info pack, local support, visa invitation documents Train tickets in standard second class four berth cabins, with option to upgrade to first class Beijing: 1 night at 3* Emperor Hotel, transfer to train Mongolia: 2 day Open Steppe program, transfers, guide, 2 nights accommodation at tourist ger camp, full board Ulaanbaatar: 1 night 3* hotel, all transfers Lake Baikal: 2 night Listvyanka tour. Includes: all transfers, 2 nights Guesthouse (incl. breakfast), English speaking guide for a day, guided tour of Listvyanka Village and Lake Baikal museum Hiking excursion around Listvyanka with picnic lunch Irkutsk: 1 night 3* hotel, guided city walking tour, all transfers Moscow: arrival transfer, 1 night 3* hotel, guided city walking tour Cover Photo by ADS, June 2015

3 Trip Highlights» Trans-Mongolian train journey, travelling 7,621 km from Beijing to Moscow across two continents.» Remarkable scenery including the Great Wall, Gobi, Mongolian Open Steppe, the wide expanse of Siberia, countless rural villages and, of course, magical Lake Baikal.» Stay in a comfortable traditional Mongolian ger, hike or ride a horse across the open steppe, visit the home of a nomadic family and the monument to Genghis Khan, while enjoying quality food and the warm and friendly hospitality of our local guides.» Explore Ulaanbaatar, while learning how important Buddhism is to the Mongolian people.» Stay in a traditional wooden home on the shore of Lake Baikal with a lovely host preparing local Siberian food.» Hike in Baikal National park with a picnic on the shore of Lake Baikal.» Comfortable and centrally located 3* hotel in Moscow, with orientation city tour of this fascinating capital. Ger Lodge, Mongolia The shores of Lake Baikal, Siberia

4 Day to Day Itinerary Day 1 Arrival to Beijing 1 night at centrally located 3* hotel. We can book extra accommodation and tours in Beijing, as well as domestic train tickets around China in advance of your Trans-Mongolian train journey. Trans-Mongolian Railway Day 2 Beijing Train Early morning transfer to Beijing Main Railway Station for the start of your Trans-Mongolian train journey. Depart on train #23 at 7:27am. The train meanders through the Yanshan mountains north of Beijing and across the Great Wall, before arriving at the Chinese border town of Erlian. The Chinese Mongolian border crossing takes around five hours for immigration and customs procedures and for changing the bogies to accommodate the different gauge railway lines between China and the rest of the TransMongolian / SIberian network. (B) Day 3 Train to Ulaanbaatar Wake up to the Gobi and cross central Mongolian steppe. Arrive to Ulaanbaatar (locally called UB) early afternoon around 2:35pm and meet your driver on the station platform for a transfer to your hotel. for 2 nights and explore local surroundings. During your time on the steppe your guide will explain local customs and offer cultural excursions to local nomad family and other sites such as the Genghis Khan monument. Horseriding can be arranged and paid for locally. Or you can relax at the camp or hike to nearby hills. If away from Gun Galuut, a picnic lunch will be provided. Enjoy a mix of local and western menus in the ger restaurant. (B L D) Gandan Monastery. Joanne Hucker, September 2012 Day 4 Gun Galuut Ger Camp Meet your guide after breakfast and drive east out of UB to the Ger Camp, around two hours drive. Settle in to your comfortable and traditional ger Mongolian Steppe. K Evans, August 2007 Gobi Nomad. Alfredo De Stefano, October 2013

5 Day 5 Gun Galuut Ger Camp You have the entire day to explore the open steppe with your guide, choosing from a wide range of excursions and activities. All meals are taken at the camp restaurant, or your guide can arrange a picnic lunch. (B L D) Day 6 Gun Galuut Ulaanbaatar Train to Irkutsk Free time before returning to Ulaanbaatar. Guided city tour, including: the Gandan Monastery, Sukhebaatar Square and National History Museum. Early afternoon transfer to train station. Depart at 3:22pm on train #305 to Irkutsk. (B) The northern plains of Mongolia are very flat and the train travels along the meandering Orkhon river up to the border. Cross the Mongolian - Russian border in the middle of the night, stopping in Sukhebaatar (Mongolia) and Naushki (Russia) for immigration and customs formalities. Day 7 Train to Irkutsk Listvyanka Travel through Siberian Russia, passing Ulan-Ude and the eastern shore of Lake Baikal in the early morning. Travel along the southern shore of Lake Baikal before arriving in Irkutsk at 2:37pm and meet your local guide/driver on station platform. Enjoy a guided city tour of Irkutsk before transfer to Listvyanka, the main village on the shore of Lake Baikal (70km from Irkutsk). Staying two nights at a comfortable guesthouse. Guided tour of Lake Baikal Museum. Day 8 Listvyanka Excursion Day 9 Listvyanka Irkutsk Free morning before transfer to Irkutsk. You will stay at an intimate boutique hotel in a district of wooden buildings. Guided walking tour to the main sites in the city centre, including Karl Marx Street, the Church of the Transfiguration, the Epiphany Cathedral and the former Polish Cathedral. Irkutsk is an important staging post on the Trans- Siberian Railway and during the walking tour you will see how the railway influenced and developed this city. Irkutsk has an old centre very easy to navigate on foot with lovely Siberian wooden architecture and an amazing history of fires and rebuilding. (B) Day 10 Irkutsk Train to Moscow Free day and afternoon transfer to train station for onward departure on train #69 at 5pm. Spend the next few days relaxing in your comfortable cabin, enjoying the view of the Siberian taiga forest. Outside of Irkutsk the train winds around the Sayan mountains with some lovely views. (B) Hiking at Baikal, ADS, September 2009 Baikal from the train. Curtis Ayers, August Enjoy a moderate hiking excursion (4-6 hrs) in Baikal National Park, navigating the taiga forests surrounding Listvyanka and skirting the high cliffs looking over Lake Baikal. Excursion includes a stop by the foreshore to enjoy a picnic lunch. Free evening in Listvyanka. (B L) Dining car and tank! Jennifer Rockett, August 2011

6 Day 11 On board train On board the train all day. Stroll along to the dining car or buy fresh produce from local vendors as you stretch your legs on the platform. The train stops around ten times per day, at cities such as Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk. This is the mid Siberian railway, which was built between 1893 and 1898 crossing the great rivers Ob and Yenisei. It is the half way point on the Moscow to Beijing Trans-Mongolian line. Moscow. Alexander Horse Fountains Moscow. Bill Birmingham, July 2011 Socialising in cabin, Anne Dudte, January 2013 Russian provodnitsa. Jay Stickman, August 1998 Day 12 On board train Passing cities such as Ekaterinburg and Perm as you cross the Ural Mountains and the geographic border of Asia and Europe. Day 13 On board train You will notice the land become less farmed and more industrial as you leave Siberia and cross into the Ural provinces and ultimately closer to Day 14 Train to Moscow Moscow Early in the morning, around 4:11am, you will arrive at Moscow Yaroslavsky station and the end of your four day train journey. You will be met and transferred to your central hotel, where you can freshen up in your room if early check-in has been booked. Enjoy a great 3 hrs orientation tour of Moscow city center. All our guides have their own personal itineraries and will visit many of the main sites, including: Tverskaya street and it s important buildings, Manezhnaya square, Marshal Zhukov monument, Lubyanka (former KGB building), Aleksandrovsky Gardens and of course the Red Square, St. Basil Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. You have a free afternoon to continue your exploration of this exciting and vibrant city and delve into the long and turbulent history of Russia. Moscow Kremlin, ADS, September 2009 Day 15 Moscow Tour extension Moscow is world class in terms of attractions and we recommend to spend at least 3 days in Moscow and we have a number of city tours and tour extensions in the city, before moving on to St Petersburg or onward connections to Europe. (B)

7 St Basil s Cathedral, Moscow. DB Handel, June 2011

8 Monkeyshrine Trans-Siberian Tours Monkeyshrine is a registered trading name of The Russia Experience Ltd 1d, The Court Lanwades Business Park Kennett, Suffolk CB8 7PN, UK Fully bonded tour operator Member of the TTA #U3665 Skype: monkeyshrine Hong Kong: Beijing: UK: +44 (0)