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Siberia and Mongolia tour.
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Day 1. Arrive Ulan Ude*
This day is the arrival day. Depending on what transport we use to go here, you come early morning or afternoon. Our van transfers you to the centrally located Hotel Geser.
* Ulan Ude was founded in the 17th century as a Cossack garrison on the Selenga River and it prospered as a trading post along the tea route between China and Irkutsk. The indigenous people of the region, the Buryats, put up the stiffest resistance to attempts throughout history to infiltrate their culture. Today, the unique cultural identity, language and religions of the Buryats make visiting Ulan Ude a rich experience.
Dinner and presentation on the Baikal region (Buryatia, Irkutsk, Baikal Lake) over dinner.
Day 2. Touring Buryatia
The next two days will be full of the best of Buryatia.
Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we visit the open-air Ethnographic Museum of Transbaikalian people located on the outskirts of Ulan Ude. At the museum we will examine a portrayal of early indigenous Russian life. One of the most unique aspects of the museum is the melange of architectural styles represented one can clearly see the synthesis of Tibetan and Chinese styles which have been combined to effect a uniquely Buryat style.
We'll also visit the Buddhist monastery, a colorful, functioning Buddhist monastery with nearly 30 lamas in residence, and the oficial center for Russian Buddhists.
This day we have lunch in a small cosy restaurant served traditional Russian cusine - the Russian Samovar.
Our last visit of the day is to Tarbagatay, an authentic village of Old Believers, a religious sect who fled to Siberia from the persecution of Russia's17th century czars. We'll have a chance to learn about their lifestyle while having dinner with a local family and listening to a concert of local folk songs.
Choir of Old Believers in Tarbagatai
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Day 3. Ulan Ude - Sludyanka - Old Railway
Breakfast at the hotel. We depart early this morning for Sludyanka on the shore of Lake Baikal, the starting point of the CircumBaikal old railway* (the original line of the Trans-Siberian used before the present day Trans-Siberian route tracks were completed).
Around 1:00pm, we begin our tour along the old railway with lunch en route.
* Considered to be one of the most complicated rail systems in the world, however short, the route travels a length of 86 km and through 39 tunnels. Traveling at a speed of 30 km/hour along the shore of Lake Baikal provides breathtaking views and spectacular photo opportunities.
We'll make a stop for lunch at one of the old rail stations en route.
This night we spend at the Old Railway Guesthouse which is situated right on the shore of Lake Baikal.
Great opportunity to taste Russian banya before dinner.
One of tunnels on Old Railroad
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Day 4. Listvyanka Village - Irkutsk
After breakfast at the Guesthouse we start our first Baikal voyage across the Angara outlet to the famous village of Listvyanka.
We spend the morning in Listvyanka Village - a small, charming lakeside spot a tranquil setting where life remains much the same as in centuries past. We tour the Limnological Museum of Lake Baikal and you will get lots of interesting information of it.
We then set out for Irkutsk *. En route we visit the Museum of Wooden Architecture, a unique ensemble of native settlements including period examples of old Siberian villages, Buryat settlements and nomadic camps.
Following lunch at the Russian Zaimka in the forest, we spend the afternoon exploring a few wonderful museums in Irkutsk, the Paris of Siberia.
* Irkutsk is Siberia's most colorful city- for centuries at the crossroads of the great trade in tea, silk, furs and other goods between Russia and China. The architectural style is a rich mixture of
neoclassicism with the wooden, original houses typical of Old Siberia.
A city of well-to-do merchants and aristocrats, Irkutsk was recognized as the center of resistance to Bolshevism. Several hundred strong, a resistance group plotted to kill the czar. When the attempt failed, the Decembrists, as they became known stripped of their wealth Q were banished to Siberia. Many of them settled in Irkutsk following their stint of forced labor. The restored house of Prince Sergei Trubetskoy is today the House Museum of the Decembrists, which reveals the newcomers' struggle to start over.
We have a concert of Russian classical music and Russian romances at the Decembrists museum concert hall and have a tour of the icebreaker The Angara - she was one of the two ferries, which moved passengers and railway cars across the Lake at the beginning of last century.
Acommodation is in the hotel Intourist.
Dinner and the evening are free for independent exploration of hundreds of Irkutsk small bars and restaurants, night clubs and even bowling.
Day 5. Irkutsk - Ust Barguzin
Following breakfast, we take the hydrofoil to the other side of the lake. We spend the bulk of the day on the beautiful Lake Baikal. We will be able to see numerous sties of interest like the Shaman rock and the Peschannaya bay, the Olkhon island and the Small sea.
We'll enjoy a snack lunch on board, and late this afternoon we arrive in the developing town of Ust Barguzin on the eastern coast of Lake Baikal.
We are met by the Zabaikalsky National park's van and transfered to out homestays.
Dinner and overnight with host families. You have a great chance to spend a night in a real russian family, to chat with them and look at their lifestyle.
Day 6.Ust Barguzin - Chivirkuy Bay
After breakfast in the homes we set out by boat for a day of sailing in Chivirkuy Bay. Our scenic journey today takes us north to the Chivirkuy bay - one of the most picturesque places in the region. After a 50km of bumpy road we board our boat for a nice bay cruise. We'll stop in several enchanting coves while cruising Chirvirkuy Bay and have lunch along the way at one of the islands - traditionally cooked fish on stakes.
Enjoy an afternoon along the shores of the lake discovering the flora and fauna unique only to Baikal. We overnight at the best hotel in this region - Krokhalinka barge hotel. Perfect white sand. Good fishing. Great opportunities for kayaking and taking pictures.
After dinner - our special late dinner on the beach - fire, some vodka and lots of stories and songs by our guide Alexander - a Zabaikalsky National park ranger.
Day 7.Chivirkuy bay - Ust Barguzin - Ulan Ude
This morning after breakfast at the hotel we start our drive to Ulan Ude. We will stop en route for snack and say Goodbye to the Lake. By late afternoon we're back in Ulan-Ude.
Again Hotel Geser. The remainder of the day is yours to rest and relax.
Day 8.Ulan Ude - Buryat village - Mongolian border
Breakfast at the hotel. Today we visit fascinating cultural sights in this most interesting corner of Russia. We depart the hotel for a Buryat village Kharlun, where we visit a local school and a small museum and have lunch with locals. Then we spend the day raveling toward the Russian/Mongolian border where late this afternoon we will board the overnight train to UlaanBaatar.
By afternoon we pass through the town of Kyakhta, the main city on the
Russian-Mongolian border which was a main city on the ancient Tea Route between China and Russia.
We will then drive to Naushki to board the overnight train bound for Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Day 9.Arrive UlaanBaatar
This morning we arrive in Mongolia's capital, UlaanBaatar *. We transfer to our hotel for breakfast and a shower, after which we embark on a city tour.
* UlaanBaatar is the political, industrial and cultural heart of the country. Located on a high plateau, surrounded by towering mountains and bathed in brilliant sunshine much of the year, it is home to the countryUs most extensive cultural, historical and archeological collections. The pine-covered mountains, wide boulevards, squares, parks and 'ger' (yurt) communities which surround the central monastery and cover the slopes north of the city combine to give the city a spacious, rustic charm.
- Steeped in the rich history of Ghenghis Khan, who united the nomadic tribes of the Siberian steppes in 1206, Mongolia integrates an age-old way of life with new, modern ways of thinking. While the nomadic way of life used to be followed by nearly 90 percent of the population, now forty percent of all Mongolians live in Ulaan Baatar, the nation's capital.
We visit the Gandantegchinlen (Gandan) Monastery. Built in 1840, it is one of Mongolia's oldest and most impressive sights. During the communist purges of the late 1930's, this monastery survived only because the communists decided to keep it as a showcase to impress foreigners. Today, there are four temples to visit, with renovation and expansion proceeding. There are approximately 150 monks in residence.
Enjoy a free evening to explore UlaanBaatar independently.
Day 10.UlaanBaatar - Takhi horses National park - Kara Korum
Breakfast at hotel. Today we travel overland to Kara Korum, stopping en route at the Takhi horses National park. Here we will encounter Przewalski horses at wild. The Przewalski horse is the last remaining species of truly wild horse in the world. They were eintroduced into the wild in 1994 by the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of Przewalski's Horse in the Netherlands, which flew 16 horses to Mongolia, their historic homeland, 25 years after they had become extinct in the wild.
We continue on to Kara Korum arriving in time for dinner. We overnight in a 'ger' (yurt) camp -- the traditional nomadic dwelling. The original design was constructed to ensure an easily collapsible and transportable structure to correspond with the nomadic peopleUs need to follow their herds seeking new pastures. The walls of the yurt are typically made from birch willows formed into a lattice framework and held together by leather strips. Sections of the lattice are put together in a large circle to form walls. Door sections are separate units, and the ceiling is formed from an umbrella-like framework also of slender poles. In the center of the ceiling is a hole, approximately one yard in
diameter, which allows smoke to escape and fresh air and light to enter. The outside surface of the yurt is usually covered in felt, tied in place by ropes made of hair and wool. One layer is usually sufficient in the summer season, while two or three layers may be needed in winter. 'Gers' include wooden-framed beds and dressers, and a wood-burning stove. Bathing/toilet facilities are located in a separate building.
Day 11.Kara Korum - Orkhon Waterfall
Following breakfast at our camp, we will visit the ruins of Kara Korum, the 13th century center of the ancient Golden Horde created by Genghis Khan - an empire that eventually stretched across two continents. We explore what little remains of the original capital, which was destroyed in wars after Kublai Khan moved the capital to Beijing. The remaining turtle rock, built of stone and weighing several tons, was erected in the 13th century to protect Kara Korum, considered at the time to be the most important city in the world.
Nearby the ruins, there is a remarkably intact structure which was built with the stones of the ruined capital. Erdene Zhu Monastery was the first Buddhist center in Mongolia, and was built in 1586. The monastery complex is quite vast, stretching nearly a quarter mile in each direction, and is surrounded by a brick wall with 108 stupas. The number 108 corresponds to the 108 worry beads that the monks carry. At its zenith there were 1000 monks in residence. Today the 30 monks currently in residence is evidence of the changing political climate of the country and the revival of the Buddhist religion.
This afternoon we visit the Orkhon Waterfall and overnight in our 'ger' camp.
Day 12.Karakorum - South Gobi Desert
Following breakfast, we depart by jeep for the South Gobi. This will be the longest day of our itinerary as we travel overland past tiny monasteries and nomadic shepherds to the legendary Gobi Desert.
We overnight not far from Bayanzag, a site where the remains of numerous dinosaurs have been found. Bayanzag is better known as the Flaming Cliffs, where, in 1922, Dr. Roy Chapman Andrews iscovered the first nest of dinosaur eggs the world had ever seen. Still a site of significant paleontological discoveries, the Gobi is a kaleidoscope of wild nature. Many of the skeletons unearthed here are now on display in UlaanBaatar's museums. The landscape has an eerie, yet beautiful quality -classic desert terrain of rock, sand, sun and emptiness. Dinner in the ger camp.
Day 13.South Gobi Desert - Yol Valley
Following breakfast at our camp we depart by bus or jeep for the Yol Valley. The legendary Gobi Desert -stretching for 3,000 miles along the border of Mongolia and China, holds many thrilling surprises. The site of an ancient inland sea, the Gobi is a treasure chest of fossilized dinosaur bones and eggs. Nestled between the beautiful peaks of the Gurvansaikhan Mountains (three beauties) towering 10,000 feet above the surrounding steppe, the Yol Am Canyon (Eagle's Valley) shelters glaciers which remain frozen even on the summer's hottest days. The Gobi is the fantastic natural habitat of Argali sheep, snow leopards, wild Bactrian camels and eagles among others.
Visit to a herdsmen family in the afternoon.
Day 14.South Gobi Desert - UlaanBaatar
We drive to Dalandzadgad and catch our flight to UlaanBaatar. After lunch, we spend our final afternoon exploring independently. Farewell dinner in the Ger restaurant.
Day 15.Depart UlaanBaatar
10 - 15 passengers = $1990 per person, twin share
6 - 9 passengers= $2295 per person, twin share
Partial single supplement $395 (single rooms are available in
Ulan Ude, Irkutsk, Ulaanbaatar (city only).
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