RUSSIA & TRANS-SIBERIAN
Mongolian Yurts
St Basil’s Cathedral
The Kremlin, Moscow
TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY
One of the world’s great train journeys, the Trans-Siberian Railway is still one of the classic adventures. Travelling from the Russian capital, this epic journey crosses the Ural Mountains and the Mongolian steppes, taking in Lake Baikal and the Gobi Desert en route to the imperial treasures of Beijing.
MOSCOW Home to the Kremlin, one of the world’s most iconic buildings, Moscow can trace its history back over eight centuries. A city of incredible contrasts, you will get a chance whilst you are here to explore its famous Red Square on a guided tour and experience the city’s grandiose metro stations.
KAZAN
The ancient capital of the Tartars, Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers, one of Europe’s truly great rivers. The city’s magnificent Kremlin was built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.
EKATERINBURG
The capital of the Urals, Ekaterinburg straddles the border between Europe and Asia. Birthplace of Boris Yeltsin, the city is a pilgrimage site for the Russian Orthodox Church and includes a number of shrines, including the ‘Church on the Blood’, built to commemorate the massacre of the Romanovs in July 1918.
SIBERIA Stretching from the Ural Mountains to the Okhotsk Sea, Siberia accounts for over 75% of Russia’s total land mass. The train stops at Novosibirsk, where you’ll receive a traditional Russian welcome and an opportunity to explore the city, and one of the region’s largest cities, Irkutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia.
LAKE BAIKAL The deepest and, reputedly, oldest lake in the world, Lake Baikal is one of the most breathtaking settings in Russia. Home to some 2,000 different species of animals and plants, including Baikal sturgeon and freshwater seals, this natural treasure house has, with good reason, been christened the ‘Pearl of Siberia’.
MONGOLIA AND ULAAN BAATAR
Home to nomads, eagles, vast open grasslands and snowcapped mountains, Mongolia is a fascinating blend of culture, history and natural splendour. Its capital is one of the coldest cities in the world, where you’ll find the Gandan Monastery, the largest and most important Buddhist shrine in the country.
GOBI DESERT
Steeped in the history of the ancient Silk Road and the Mongol Empire, the Gobi Desert covers over 500,000 square miles. The train stops in the centre of this vast, unworldly emptiness, affording you a chance to take in landscapes that were once a bountiful refuge for dinosaurs.
BEIJING
The capital of China since the days of Kublai Khan, Beijing is an impressive mix of ancient and modern. One of Asia’s most vibrant cities, it is also a rich repository for some of imperial China’s most impressive monuments, including The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall.
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