Program of the tour along Trans Siberian Railway
Novosibirsk-Krasnoyarsk-Irkutsk-Ulan-Ude
(9 days, 8 nights, every season of the year, individually or in a group)

Day 1 - Novosibirsk

Arrival in Novosibirsk

Transfer train station to the accommodation place. Time for rest.

Short city tour. Novosibirsk is the geographical center of Russia (whether you go to the west or to the east till the Russian border, the distance is the same). An advantageous location on the crossroads of the major transport routes promoted a rapid growth of the city, sometimes being called the Siberian Chicago, because of its phenomenal growth rate. Among all the big cities Novosibirsk is the most fast-growing; it reached a million population mark in less than 70 years (Chicago - in 90 years, New York - in 250, Moscow - in more than 700 years!). Nowadays it's a third largest city of Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg) both by population and area, and is often called: The Uncrowned capital of Siberia!

12:00 - 17:00. Departure to the dacha & sauna with BBQ dinner

*Accommodation in hotel, dinner

Day 2 - Novosibirsk

10:00-14:00 Trip to Kolyvan village (that was once a rich big town before Novosibirsk was founded) through a pineforest.

Visit of the Nevsky monastery and eat the local food, prepared by monks-women. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in 1897 (one of the first stone-buildings of the city), but by 1937 was closed. In 1988 it was decided to give the Cathedral back to the Russian Orthodox church, and by 1992 it was fully reconstructed.
14:00 -20:00 Return to Novosibirsk and visit of the Zoo, the biggest and most beautiful behind the Urals in the picturesque forest park. Zoological Garden is situated in a beautiful forested park. The Novosibirsk Zoo keeps 4000 animals of 399 species. More than 120 species are entered into the Red Book. A zoological team participates in 32 international programs on preservation and reproduction of rare and endangered species. The Novosibirsk Zoo has contact with more than 100 Zoos in the world and is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is the only Zoo entered into the International Directors Union. Among all the world's Zoos, only the Novosibirsk Zoo possesses the unique argali and Putoransky ram.
End by 20.00 at the railway station.

 22.35 Train to Krasnoyarsk

Day 3 - Krasnoyarsk

11.22 Arrival in Krasnoyarsk. Transfer to the place of accommodation.

A short city tour around Krasnoyarsk with visiting of the most beautiful sights. On the route there is Mira Avenue, Drama Theatre, Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Then the group moves to the memorial to A.A. Dubensky where you can enjoy magnificent view, Troitskoe cemetery with the old church, memorial complex “Pobeda” and Karaulnaya Mountain where Paraskeva Pjatnitsy's chapel (1855) is located.

Lunch in the restaurant.

 The next point of the program is visit to the natural reserve “Stolby” (7 km by bus up to the point). Short stroll to the stolbist’s log and you are in the heart of the reserve. Tee in a wooden house, excursion around the central group of rocks (about 2-3 km). According to the results of the TV survey managed in 1980^th, the reserve was considered to be “the 8^th Wonders of the World”, more exciting than such natural and architectural masterpieces as Kizhi, Baikal Lake, “Golden Ring” and Suzdal’s palace. It was founded in 1925 and now it is the main sight of Krasnoyarsk – the great natural stone work. As it is said in the traveler-book of “Le Petit Fute”, “Phonteblo is like a kindergarten in comparison with Stolby”.

19.00 Return to the city.

*Accommodation in a hotel, lunch

Breakfast in hotel.

This day you have a golden opportunity not just to see the sights of Krasnoyarsk, but to plunge into real life of Russian Siberian family with its workaday routine and interesting holidays. You will learn their way of life and cultural peculiarities, taste national cuisine and just enjoy your being in Siberia. Dacha is an exclusively Russian concept. No European language has an equivalent for it. It’s impossible to call it a country house as it’s not a country house. It’s impossible to call it a summer cottage as it’s not a cottage. The only way is to use transcription and call it just “dacha”. Russian dacha is known for more than 300 years There are more than 12 communities with dachas near Krasnoyarsk. And they are the favorite places for citizens to move to in summer season.

A cozy house, banya (bathhouse), vegetable garden and marvelous flowers are the typical attributes of any dacha. Here you will meet a friendly host, listen to his stories about this lovely place, admire a great harvest, taste traditional dacha dishes – such as shashlik, potato, pickle and pancakes. Moreover, if you would like you won’t just taste Russian National cuisine, but also make pirozhki yourself.  If you want to take a steam bath with birch broom – you are welcome!!!

16.00 Coming back to the city. Free time for walking around and visiting of souvenir shops.

*Accommodation in hotel, breakfast, lunch

Breakfast in hotel.

The group moves to the Quay - a favourite place of appointments, walking and relaxing of Krasnoyarsk people. Further tourists are going on a rocket-ship along Yenisey to the city of Divnogorsk, have lunch and enjoy the majestic river, on the banks of which ancient Siberian villages and unique natural monuments are located. According to the legends of primordial inhabitants of the Yenisey region, the main river of Siberia – Yenisey - is a reflection of the Milky Way to the ground. Being one of the longest rivers not only in Russia but in the world (4092 km. length), it is longer than a distance from London to Moscow.

Tour boat-trip ends in Divnogorsk where you’ll enjoy one more excursion. The tourist-bus goes along the forest road to the Krasnoyarsk Hydro Power station (outside sightseeing), the second one in Russia. Then visit to the village Ovsianka settled in 1671. Here you’ll find the library and the church of St.Inokenty Irkutsky built by the famous Siberian writer – V.P. Astafiev. Visiting of the observation point called “Tsar Ryba” and you return to the city.

Lunch in the restaurant.

15.00 Coming back to Krasnoyarsk

If you would like you can visit any of numerous museums in the Krasnoyarsk.

*The Krasnojarsk Regional Museum – the pearl of Siberia, considered to be one of the best museums of history and ethnography in Russia. You will see the richest collection of Siberian minerals. Here  you’ll find unique samples of minerals which are met only in Siberia.  You can buy some of them as a souvenir and take a piece of Siberia with you!

* The Surikov's house-museum (Usadba) - a wooden house of the beginning of the century, keeping all the features of that period (furniture, design, utensils, service buildings). At the end of 19^th century a young boy Vasia Surikov left this house to win world-wide glory of one of the most prolific painter of that period.

* The steamship "St. Nikolay" is situated not far from the river station of Krasnoyarsk. This legendary steamship was made in 1887 in Tymen town according to the order of the Siberian manufacturer and ship-owner A. Sibiryakov for working on Yenisei and Angara rivers. It had the reputation of the fastest steamship on Yenisei river. In 1970 the steamship was fully restored. Nowadays it is an interesting museum on water. There is an exposition dedicated to Vladimir Lenin's exile in Siberia, "Commander Rezanov" and "The last tsar of Russia" exhibitions

 23.46 Departure to Irkutsk by train

18.25 Meeting and assistance upon arrival at Irkutsk railway station. Transfer to the hotel. Check in. Lunch. After lunch sightseeing tour of Irkutsk including visits to historical center, Znamenskij Orthodox Cathedral, noted for its original iconostasis, graves of the Decembrists revolutionaries, richly carved old-style wooden houses, and other atmospheric sights of Irkutsk. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today after breakfast we check out from the hotel and depart by coach to Listvyanka settlement, located 62 km away from Irkutsk in the mouth of the Angara river (the lake's only outlet).

We travel with one stop en route at holy Buryat “obo” where the shamanist believers used to worship their deities to do some symbolic offerings to the spirits, tie ribbons on the bushes while making wishes to follow the tradition.

Then and before picnic enjoy guided tour of “Taltsy” Open-Air Museum of Wooden Architecture which great display of original Russian, Buryat and Evenk wooden houses complete with items and exhibits unfolds in a truly exciting story about the past and history of Siberia.

Picnic on the shore of lake Baikal with freshly smoked omul fish. Then transfer to the boat station to board the chartered boat for 1- hour cruise on lake Baikal.  After the boat ride return back to Irkutsk for departure by evening train to Ulan-Ude.(train # 362, departure to Ulan-Ude at 21.50, local time)

Arrival by morning train in Ulan Ude (06.10 a.m, local time) – the capital city of Buryat Republic. Transfer to the hotel. Check in. Breakfast. Have some time at leisure before we shall proceed by coach for half-day tour to visit Ivolginsky Datsan (Buddhist Temple) located in a picturesque and peaceful place named Ivolga, 23 kilometres from Ulan-Ude. Tour of the Lamaistic Temple here given by huvarak (monk student).

After touring the Datsan we will have lunch at the Ger-cafe «Bataray Urge» and visit the most remarkable city’s sights including the Churh of Odigitria and a walking excursion through the old central part with richly carved wooden house that once belonged to rich merchants.

Then we return back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast

Free time

Further program to Vladivostok (Russia), Ulan-Batar (Mongolia) or Beijing (China).

 The more detailed program and price you can get here:

info@sayanring.com (Olga Fedoseeva), ICQ 633060400, skype olgafedoseev