Trans-Siberian Monkeyshrine Trans-Siberian Train Journeys Adventures 2018 Trans-Mongolian Railway: Beijing to Moscow including Mongolia and Lake Baikal Osnova BM4 (UI) 14 days
Trans-Mongolian Railway: Beijing to Moscow 14 day itinerary with tours in Mongolia, Irkutsk / Lake Baikal and Moscow Code: OS-BM4 (UI) from 1,355 Tour Introduction One of our most popular tours when restricted on time. Well balanced stopovers at the highlights along the Trans-Siberian route. On this 14 day trip you will sleep in a ger in Mongolia, and explore the nature around Lake Baikal! You will stay in comfortable guest houses, and finish up with a night in a hotel in Moscow. Route Beijing Ulaanbaatar & Mongolia s Open Steppe Irkutsk & Lake Baikal in Siberia Moscow. 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) where you will head out Terelj National park and stay at a ger camp (2 nights). Train from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk (1 night on board), excursion to the shore of Lake Baikal (2 nights), and 1 night in Irkutsk. Russian train from Irkutsk to (4 nights on board) to Moscow. Arrival transfer, city tour and centrally located hotel (1 night) in Moscow. Tour Style Osnova [основа] is a Russian word meaning basis, base, framework, foundation, ground, or backbone. Osnova tours are budget friendly but combined with all the essentials for a comfortable trip. English speaking guides, local accommodation and most 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 Mongolia: transfer to Terelj National Park, 2 nights at ger camp and local meals Lake Baikal: transfer to Listvyanka village, 2 nights guest house Irkutsk: 1 night at Angara hotel, transfer to train Moscow: arrival transfer, 1 night hotel, guided city walking tour Cover Photo by ADS, June 2014
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 2 nights in a traditional Mongolian ger in Terelj National Park. Hike or ride a horse in the national park.» Stay in a traditional wooden home on the shore of Lake Baikal with local food and banya.» Comfortable and centrally located hotel in Moscow, with orientation city tour of this fascinating capital. Siberian wild flowers. ADS, August 2009 Mongolia, Terelj. ADS, August 2009
Day to Day Itinerary Day 0 Arrival to Beijing We can book accommodation and tours in Beijing, as well as domestic train tickets around China in advance of your Trans-Mongolian train journey. Day 1 Beijing Train Meet your local guide at Beijing Main Railway Station early in the morning for the start of your Trans-Mongolian adventure. The train travels westerly before turning north and passing through the Yanshan mountains north of Beijing and passing sections of 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 boggies to accommodate the different gauge railway lines between China and the rest of the Trans- Mongolian / Siberian network. Border control. Stickman, August 1998 Terelj, Mongolia. Longe Anie, July 2010 Day 2 Train to Ulaanbaatar Wake up to the sunrise of the Gobi and across the central Mongolian steppe. Visit the Mongolian dining car for a hearty breakfast. Arrive to Ulaanbaatar (locally called UB) around 2:35pm and meet your driver on the station platform for the transfer to your centrally located guest house. You have time to explore Ulaanbaatar, e.g. visiting the Gandan Monastery, Sukhebaatar Square and Zaisan Memorial hill. Day 3 Terelj National Park Meet your guide at guesthouse or hotel after breakfast. Travel east of UB (approx. 60km) to Terelj National Park, with a side-trip to the Chinggis Khan monument on the way. Settle into ger camp and have lunch at camp restaurant. Your guide will give you an overview of the valley, visiting a local family, and accompanying you on a short hike to enjoy the view over Terelj valley. Your driver and guide will return to UB in the evening. (B L D) Day 4 Terelj Free day in Terelj National Park to enjoy at your leisure. (B L D) Day 5 Ulaanbaatar Train to Irkutsk Free time before returning to Ulaanbaatar. Opportunity to freshen up at Zaya s Guesthouse (time permitting). Transfer and departure at 3:22pm on train #305 to Irkutsk. 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. (B) Day 6 Train to Irkutsk Listvyanka Travel through Siberian Russia, passing Ulan-Ude and the eastern shore of Lake Baikal in the early morning. Arrival in Irkutsk around 2:37pm and meet your local guide/driver on station platform for a transfer to Listvyanka, the main village on the shore of Lake Baikal (70km from Irkutsk). Staying two nights in a local budget guesthouse.
Omul fish, Listvyanka. ADS, June 2015 Day 7 Listvyanka Lake Baikal Free day to explore the town, the nature around the lake, and the interesting local Lymnological museum. (B) Lake Baikal, ADS with DJI drone, July 2015 Day 8 Listvyanka Irkutsk Return to Irkutsk by yourself on the public bus (your guide will provide instructions). Staying at Angara Hotel, 1 night (or downgrade to hostel dorm room). (B) Day 9 Irkutsk Train You should give Irkutsk at least a few hours to explore the wooden architecture. Irkutsk is an important staging post on the Trans-Siberian Railway, with an old centre which is very easy to navigate on foot with lovely Siberian wooden architecture and an amazing history of fires and rebuilding. Afternoon transfer to the station for onward departure to Moscow on train #69 at 5pm. (B) Day 10 On board train 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. The train will make regular stops, including longer stopovers in cities such as Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk where passengers can get off the train briefly to buy fresh produce from local vendors and stretch their legs. Day 11 On board train Euro-Asia border Passing cities such as Ekaterinburg and Perm as you cross the Ural Mountains and the geographic border between Asia and Europe. Day 12 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 close in on Moscow. Irkutsk. ADS July 2015 Day 13 Arrival Moscow Excursion Early arrival at 4:11am in Moscow. Meet your driver on the platform. Transfer to centrally located budget hotel. Meet your guide at 10am and enjoy a great 3 hour 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 s Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. 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)
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: +852 2723 1376 Beijing: +86 139 1008 1882 UK: +44 (0) 345 521 2910