Booking Tours

Question: Does one need a visa to enterRussia? Do you assist foreign citizens getting visa?

Answer: Yes, you need to have visa to travel to Russia (except republics of the former USSR).You need to make sure that your passport does not expire in not less than 6 months after the end of your tour. We provide our tourists invitation to visit a tour in Russia. A scanned copy of the invitation will be sent to the  tourist. The invitation is necessary for getting visa.

Question: How does one book a tour?

Answer: In order to buy a tour you can call us +7(391) 2-45-46-46 or inquire to the office of the tourist agency "Sayan Ring", located on 41 Uritskogo str 660049, Krasnoyarsk, Russia. One can contact us either by e-mail info@sayanring.com or our representatives in other countries. When reserving a tour, 30 % payment upfront is required. The rest 70 % of the payment should be covered in not less than 45 days before the beginning of the tour. In case one makes the reservation in 45 days before the tour one needs to cover 100% of the tour price when making the final confirmation.

 Tour Pricing

Question: Are the air and train tickets included in the tour price?

Answer: No, the travel expenses are not included in the tour price, but we can help in buying air and train tickets. The average cost of the train Krasnoyarsk-Abakan:  economy class (6-berth) – from 35 euro/person, compartment (4 berth) – from 60 euro/person, 120 euro/person for twin use.

Question: Are there any discounts?

Answer: There is a discount for children under 12 - 30%. If you book the tour in advance you can use special offerings, terms of which are published on the web-site of the company.

Question: What other services does one need to pay for during the tour?

Answer: Principal services like food, accommodation, drinks, excursions, transportation on the route, work of guides and instructors, insurance are included in the package tour. Alkohol drinks are not included. The set of extra services may vary according to the program (souvenirs, some extra excursions, banya and fitosauna, folklore shows etc). Air and train tickets have to be paid extra.

Question: How do I pay for the package?

Answer: One can pay noncash via bank to our account. One should cover 100% payment before the beginning of the tour.

 General information

Question: Who usually takes "The Mysteries of  Sayan Ring" tour?

Answer: Tourists from various cities, such as Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Kazan, Samara, Nizhnevartovsk, Surgut, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg Chelyabinsk, Murmansk, Astrakhan, Nowgorod, Krasnoyarsk exc. took part in the tour. Tourists from various countries, such as Holland, Great Britain, Israel,  Japan, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, The USA, Japan, Switzerland, New Zealand, Dane, Turkey, Finland, Norway etc. took part in different tours of "Sayan Ring" agency.

Question: What time is best to take a tour round Siberia?

Answer: Each season has its advantages; therefore the choice depends only on what month seems to be the best in your opinion.

• It's very beautiful in May, as the greenery is still fresh, everything is in blossom, at the same time you can see snow high up in the mountains. It's warm during the day, but rather cool in the evening.
• In June everything is in blossom as well, and every week you can various colors of nature. Stable weather is characteristic of this period of time.
• July is the hottest month, but sometimes there might rain for a week. The weather is stable and it's warm in the day time and at night. At the end of the month the steppe starts getting dry.
• The first half of August is warm, but later it starts getting colder. Nights get colder. At the end of the month there is a change of colors in nature surroundings: leaves get red and yellow. At this time of the year there is a great many of mushrooms and berries.
• September is rich with a diversity of nature colors, red, yellow, and green colors prevail. Usually, the first half of the month is warm but nights are cold. During the second half of September it can be rainy, the temperature can drop to +5C.

Question: Is there a lot of ticks and mosquitoes, and what are the ways of protection from these insects?

Answer: In Tuva and Khakasia there are not many mosquitoes, but there can be a lot of mosquitoes because of continuous rains, which is a rare phenomenon for Tuva and Khakasia. In alpine region, where the center "Snow Leopard" is located, there are almost no midges and mosquitoes. There are ticks in Tuva, where the territory is treated by the pest control, and also in Khakasia (the taiga area), where we do not make stops. The area round "Snow Leopard" has no ticks due to the alpine location. Anyway each tourist is given the individual means of protection, also we recommend tourists to make sure their arms and legs are covered in twilight because mosquitoes are enlivened in the evening time.

Question: Can a person catch a disease being bitten by any insect?

Answer: Mosquitoes and flies are not dangerous, a certain type of ticks- encephalitis - can be dangerous, but we provide a tourist with the insurance.

Question: Is smoking allowed during taking a tour?

Answer: Yes, it is allowed but we ask tourists to refrain from smoking in the bus, during bus excursions and at public catering places not to cause discomfort to other tour participants.

Question: How big is the group of tours' participants?

Answer: Usually there are small groups with 12-15 participants; the maximum groups’ size is 22 people.

Question: Can children participate in the tour "The Mysteries of Sayan Ring"?

Answer: Children aged under 10 can't take part in this tour. For children under 12 there is a sale 30%.

Question: How long do we travel by bus each day in the tour "The Mysteries of Sayan Ring"?

Answer: Each day we cover the distance of approximately 400-450 km. Every 1,5-2 hours we make stops, that's why the journey does not seem very tiresome. There are days included into the program when tourists stay at holiday centers and do not travel by bus.

Question: Can one recharge camera batteries during the journey?

Answer: Yes, of course. You can do it at any place we stop during the journey "The Mysteries of Sayan Ring" in tourist centers and hotels.

Question: What souvenirs can I buy in Siberia?

Answer: In Krasnoyarsk you can buy the paintings of local artists, souvenirs made of stones, bones, ceramics, things of birch bark made by local craftsmen, also you can buy semi precious stones and antiques. Besides that, you can take Siberian vodka, herbal and berry liqueurs, jewelry, handicraft (embroidery, hats and headscarves). In Shushenskoye village there is a wonderful store in a local museum of XIX-XX centuries, where you can purchase postcards, books, things made of ceramics, wood, and glass beads, kitchenware made by regional craftsmen and children as well. As you continue the journey you will be able to buy real cedar nuts, cedar oil, herbs. In Tuva there is a wide choice of souvenirs, presented at the numerous stores in Kyzyl - items made of 'soapstone' aghalmatolit, Tuvan chess, national dresses, gowns, hats, souvenirs made of wood, metal, amulets, also CD's and tapes with the performers of guttural singing. In the tourist center "Snow Leopard" you can gather herbs yourself (cowberry tree, wild rose, feverfew, coltsfoot), widely used in everyday life of local inhabitants, also you can gather different berries (cowberry, huckleberry, honeysuckle, great bilberry), mushrooms (boletus, orange-cap boletus, brown mushroom, variety of edible mushroom, saffron milk-cap, chanterelle), and of course, cedar cones, Siberians' favorite delicacies. Khakassiya is rich with ceramic and wooden items, embroidery, various amulets, national instruments, you can buy there CD's and tapes of national folk singers.

Question: Can one pay for the services during the journey with a credit card? If yes, than which ones?

Answer: Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Union can be used in many big stores in Krasnoyarsk. It won't be a problem to find a ATM working 24 hours a day, so you can draw some money from your credit card at any time. As for the other places of the route you can pay cash for the services.

Question: Where can I exchange the currency?

Answer: Our advice concerning currency will not surprise you. We strongly recommend you not to exchange the currency in the street, but do it in a bank or hotel, where the exchange rate almost does not differ from the rate in the city banks. It is better to exchange your currency on the very first day in Krasnoyarsk, as the next place you can do it will be only in Kyzyl, the capital of Tyva.

 Clothing

Question: What is necessary to take when going on a tour "The Mysteries of Sayan Ring"?

Answer: The clothing should be comfortable, first of all. If you take a tour in a period from May to September, please take what you usually put on for hiking and holidays. In case of chilly weather, especially in the evenings, make sure you take a warm sweater, socks, and wind resistant jacket.

You should take:

• footwear - 2 pairs: a pair of sport shoes, and a pair of water resistant shoes.
• A light colored shirt with long sleeves and light pants (trousers), which can protect your legs from thorny grass in the steppes of Tuva.
• Sunglasses, and sun cream (the sun activity is high in Tuva and Khakasia).
• Swimsuit (you may need it in 'banya', Russian sauna).
• A hat or a baseball hat to avoid sunstroke.
• A knitted jacket and warm sweater.
• Light wind resistant jacket, in August – warm jacket.
• Shorts, T-shirts, easy clothing and footwear.
• Shower slipper

Take also the tour contract, medicine  (ticks) insurance, private medicines if you have chronicle diseases.

Question: What footwear should I take?

Answer: During the tour you will need first of all comfortable shoes for hiking and easy summer shoes. Shower slipper can be useful.

Question: What is the weather like in Krasnoyarsk, Tuva and Khakasiya?

Answer: There is no great difference in temperatures between May and June, the weather is warm, the average temperature is +20+22 C. In June - July the temperature in Krasnoyarsk, Tuva and Khakasia reaches +25+30C. The weather is mostly dry, with occasional rains. It is warm at the end of August and the beginning of September +15+20 C, sometimes it rains. During the first half of September the temperature can drop to +10 +12C, by the end of the month it drops to +5C.

Service

Question: What kind of transport does your company provide your tourists with?

Answer: Comfortable buses and minivans (for small groups) with air conditioner service in all the programs of the company. In every bus there is a bar, fridge, audio and video system. During the tour there are several stops, rest, walks and picnics. Every tourist can seat near the window and enjoy the picturesque view. It is forbidden to smoke in buses, stops in some places, preserves. Driving during the night is also forbidden because of the seasonal pasture.

Question: How high is the quality of the service provided?

Answer: The ambassador of New Zealand in Russia, who took one of our tours, said, "In this tour one is provide with the service which makes a person feel comfortable and at the same time in private with nature. Here you don't need French wines, luxury will destroy the glamour of nature and the immersion in the culture of nationalities of Russia, Tuva and Khakasia". We are trying to pay attention to any request of our guest, among which requests concerning the diet needs of our guests.

Question: How qualified are your tourist guides who accompany us in tours round Russia?

Answer: We have highly qualified guides working in our company, due to this fact the tours of the company "Sayan Ring" have become so interesting and fascinating. They say, without a guide any journey, even a short one is nothing more than going some distance, but with a guide it is already traveling.

Question: What kind of food do you offer?

Answer: In any tour you will be offered two or three meals a day, be it a hotel, a nomad's tent, even on picnics you will be served hot meals or box lunch. Mineral water, local drinks, coffee, tea, and juice are included in tours' pricing. The national Russian, Tuvinian, and Khakasian cuisine will be an integral part of the program. We also consider the tourists' preferences, those who follow special diets or are vegetarians. The alcohol drinks for an extra fee.

 Question: What kind of accommodation do you offer?

Answer: The most comfortable places of accommodation are chosen for the tourist. In Tuva and Khakassia special yurt-complexes are built.

 Accommodation along the tour:

 Krasnoyarsk 

Riviera hotel **

Perfect location and choice of rooms with different price categories are undoubted advantages, along with clean, homely and comfortable. Modern and cozy "Riviera" Hotel offers a twin standard rooms (with the possibility of settling one person). The hotel has a convenient and secure parking. On the ground floor there are two spacious saunas with a swimming pool where you can spend time with your family or just relax. "Riviera" Hotel offers reasonable prices, decent apartment and a high level of service. It’s situated on the right bank of the Yenisei River near the exit of October Bridge (30 min to the city center, 80 min to the airport, 30 min to the railway station). Additional services: free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, guarded parking. No breakfasts included in the price (provided by Sayan Ring company). In every room 2 beds, spacious wardrobe for clothes, desktop, luggage rack, TV, phone, bath, sneakers, personal hygiene, bottled water, hairdryer

On your request accommodation at any other Krasnoyarsk hotel (as well as in the city center)

Tuva

Yurt-complex “Biy-Khem”

Yurt-complex is a yurt camp near Kyzyl specially designed for tourists’ accommodation. These are yurts with low door facing the East. They are furnished for 1 or 2 people. There are beds, a cupboard, bedside tables in yurts. At the door you can find a washstand. Toilet and shower stall are in a special big yurt. Also canteen and bar are situated in a separate yurt. Excursions, horse riding, Biy-Khem river rafting, national cuisine cooking and other entertainment services are available for additional fee.  

 Khakassia

“Zharki” hotel complex

“Zharki” complex consists of three buildings  with varying comfort level. Fitness workshops, horse-riding tour, spa-programs are organized here. A lot of entertaining facilities are available here: ping pong, hydro-massage, dance-floor, billiards and many more.

“Zharki” complex is situated in 24 km from Sayanogorsk.

"Gladenkaya" Sport hotel

The complex is made in the style of a wooden chalet. It has 4 floors built in the shape of a shamrock. Choosing this hotel you get an opportunity to enjoy comfortable rest. The hotel is situated 25 km far from Sayanogorsk, 100 km from Abakan.

The hotel has a swimming pool, a sauna, a restaurant, children playgrounds and other facilities. You can spend the whole day skiing on one of the best slopes of Russia and then have a nice dinner. The guests are offered a conference hall for 70 people, a parking place, a sauna, massage cabinets, children club, internet access, horse riding, a skating rink and many other facilities.

 “Snow leopard” camp

Camp is situated in taiga forest in highland district of Khakassia. Accomodation in econom houses (with bed, wardrobe and table). Closet facilities are beyond a house.

Houses of higher class are equipped with furniture, fire-place and WC within house (can be booked for extra charge).

In the main house there is a hall services of  cafe, karaoke, bar are provided.

On the territory there are parking place and a sports ground. Excursion programs and spa-therapy are organized.

 “Kyug” yurt complex

The yurt complex "Kyug" is situated near Kuznetsky Alatau on the bank of the river Askiz, on the territory of an ethnographic nature reserve "Kazanovka". Abakan city is situated 140 km far from the complex. It consists of 15 wooden yurts, a canteen, a souvenir shop and a health centre with banya. There are also shower cabins and bio toilets on the territory of the complex. Russian traditional cuisine includes local cuisine dishes. It is possible to organize seminars, trainings and corporative holidays in the complex. Extra service includes: excursions to the nature reserve, the ritual of shamans' kamlanie, national khakasian bands' performances, khakasian national cuisine, banya, horse riding etc.