13 DAYS TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS TRAIN: ULAANBAATAR TO MOSCOW

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and transfer for lunch at a local restaurant before checking in to your hotel.

Ulaanbaatar Highlights
Explore Ulaanbaatar with visits to Gandan Monastery and Choijin Lama Temple. In the evening, enjoy a traditional dance and Khoomei music performance, followed by dinner.

Terelj Valley Excursion
After breakfast, set out across the vast Mongolian Steppe to visit the site believed to be the tomb of Genghis Khan and the world’s largest equestrian statue. Continue to a traditional ger, where a local family shares homemade butter, cheese, and kaymak.

Proceed to Terelj National Park for a private Mini Naadam Festival, featuring horse games, wrestling, and archery, followed by a traditional lamb lunch. Return to Ulaanbaatar for dinner before boarding the Trans-Siberian Express and settling into your cabin as the journey to the Russian border begins.

Scenic Siberian Journey
Wake to stunning Siberian scenery as the train journeys through the Selenga Valley and the foothills of Eastern Siberia. Arrive in Ulan-Ude, Russia, for a guided city tour featuring the iconic Lenin Head Square and traditional Buryat architecture. Afterward, reboard the train and continue your journey, with dinner at a local restaurant and overnight onboard.

Picturesque Lake Baikal
Spend a full day exploring Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater lake and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. Admire its crystal-clear waters and dramatic landscapes while discovering the unique culture of this remarkable region.

Irkutsk Exploration
Tour Irkutsk, known as the “Paris of Siberia” for its cultural heritage. See the Angara River, historic wooden houses, Alexander III statue, and the Decembrist Museum. Visit the Tea Museum to learn the history of the Tea Road connecting China to Russia. Enjoy free time at the city’s vibrant marketplace before returning to the train.

Taltsy Open-Air Museum
Visit the Taltsy Museum, an open-air museum depicting life in Tsarist Russia and the culture of the Buryat people. Return to the train and watch Siberia’s dramatic landscapes pass by, from mountains and rivers to waterfalls. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Krasnoyarsk Tour
This afternoon, arrive in Krasnoyarsk, a city shaped by exiles, including Lenin. Explore the city with a panoramic and walking tour, admiring the dramatic Yenisei River cliffs and historical sites. Return to the train for dinner and overnight.

Novosibirsk, Siberia’s Largest City
After lunch onboard, visit the Trans-Siberian Museum at Novosibirsk train station. Continue to the city center for a tour including the Trans-Siberian Monument and the Ob River. Return to the train to continue eastward. Enjoy a vodka tasting before dinner, followed by an overnight stay onboard.

Yekaterinburg & Ural Mountains
Explore Yekaterinburg, the gateway between Europe and Asia. Visit the Bloody Cathedral, built at the site of Tsar Nicholas II’s execution, and the Europe-Asia border marker. Continue your journey through the Ural Mountains, crossing from Asia into Europe. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Kazan Cultural Gems
Arrive in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, where East meets West. Tour the UNESCO-listed Kazan Kremlin, including Kul Sharif Mosque, Annunciation Cathedral, and Suyumbike Tower. Explore the Mercani Mosque and stroll along Bauman Street.

In the evening, enjoy a farewell “Tsar’s Table” dinner onboard the train.

Moscow Kremlin & Red Square
After breakfast, arrive in Moscow and disembark from the train. Explore the Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the heart of Russian politics, visiting Sobornaya Square and its cathedrals: the Cathedral of the Archangels, Cathedral of the Assumption, and Cathedral of the Annunciation. Continue to Red Square to see Lenin’s Mausoleum and St. Basil’s Cathedral, then enjoy a Moscow Metro tour. Conclude the day with dinner accompanied by balalaika music before transferring to the hotel.

Moscow Panoramic & Departure
Enjoy a panoramic tour of Moscow, passing Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Vorobyovy Hills, Arbat Street, Zaryadye Park, and Bolshoi Square.

Afterwards, transfer to the airport for departure.