DISCOVERY OF SIBERIA
DISCOVERY OF SIBERIA
Type of tour: sightseeing
Duration: 11 days
Tour price:
Number of tourists in the group: 6 - 12 people
Single supplement:
The tour price includes: sightseeing and transportation services according to the tour program (including entrance tickets to museums), 2- or 3-bed accommodation in hotels and holiday resorts with en-suite facilities; meals according to the tour program; recreational fees (visits to nature reserves and national parks).
Additional costs: airfare and train tickets along the route.
A unique tour to see the most popular tourist areas of Siberia, their main attractions, natural and historical monuments in a short time.
Travelers will get acquainted with the culture and customs of the peoples who have long inhabited Siberia and with the modern Siberian capitals.
Tour program:
DAY 1 | Arrival and meeting atGorno-AltayskAirport (09:00–10:00, local time, UTC+4 from Moscow). Optional early pick-up (before 09:00) is available from the bus station and hotels in Gorno-Altaysk. Excursion to the symbolic monuments at the entrance to the Altai Republic, where guests will learn about Altai traditions and the cultural significance of the region for the Turkic world. Breakfast on the bank of the Katun River. Visit to a traditional Altai ail (nomadic dwelling). You will discover the customs and daily life of the Altai people and enjoy a performance of the famous Altai throat singing (kai). Leaving the more populated and developed part of Altai behind, we travel along the legendary Chuysky Trakt, moving towards more remote and untouched areas. Over the next two days, we will journey deep into Altai, almost reaching the Mongolian border. Along the way, you will witness a dramatic change of natural and climatic zones. As the Chuysky Trakt climbs higher into the mountains, we enter the Kurai and Chuya steppe regions - among the highest-altitude steppes in the world (up to 2,000 meters above sea level). The majestic panorama of the North Chuya Range, vast steppes, and semi-desert landscapes offers countless opportunities to admire and capture truly unique scenery. Accommodation in a hotel in Onguday village. |
DAY 2 | Breakfast. We will cross the Chike-Taman Pass and enjoy views of the beautiful Katun and Chuya rivers, including their confluence at the Chuya-Oozy Natural Park. Along the way, we will also see several rapids (Class III–V), popular among rafting sportsmens. We will visit the Geyser Lake and the “Mars” area -unique locations known for their otherworldly, almost cosmic landscapes. Dinner. |
DAY 3 | Breakfast. Upon arrival: transfer and hotel check-in. Sightseeing tour of the city center. Novosibirsk is a remarkable city that grew to a population of over one million in just over 60 years. A true urban kaleidoscope, where districts have their own distinct character. Historical and architectural eras were changed with incredible speed. Today, it is the third-largest city in Russia—modest on the outside and interesting within. Experience a new level of romance aboard a riverboat, accompanied by the enchanting sounds of a violin. Dinner. |
DAY 4 | Breakfast. Upon arrival: transfer and hotel accommodation. Visit to the Krasnoyarsk Regional Museum, widely regarded as one of the finest museums of history and ethnography in Siberia. Dinner featuring traditional Siberian cuisine. |
DAY 5 | Breakfast. Krasnoyarsk is one of the oldest and largest cities in Siberia, with a 400 years-history. Today, it stands as a major business, industrial, and cultural hub - the capital of Eastern Siberia. Beautiful Krasnoyarsk, a city rich in history and architectural landmarks, stretches along the banks of the great Siberian river, the Yenisei, surrounded by mountains and taiga forests. Excursion to the natural reserve, Krasnoyarsk Pillars. The tour includes a transfer to the reserve and a guided walk through the central rock formations. Overnight stay at a hotel located within the natural reserve, Krasnoyarsk Pillars. |
DAY 6 | Breakfast. Transfer to the railway station. Departure for Irkutsk. Today, we invite you to experience Siberia from the window of a train, that has its own unique charm. You will have the opportunity to truly appreciate the vastness and beauty of Siberian landscapes, as well as gain insight into the everyday life of its people. Dinner. Overnight on the train (4-berth compartment accommodation). |
DAY 7 | Morning arrival in Irkutsk. Breakfast. Panoramic city tour by vehicle. Historic Russian Orthodox churches and a Polish Catholic cathedral, ancient wooden houses partially sunk into the ground, and elegant stone mansions once owned by wealthy Siberian merchants - all of these elements bring to life the history of Siberia and the Russian state. Today, Irkutsk celebrates over 365 years of history. Thanks to its well-preserved historical center and its role as the “Eastern Capital of Siberia,” the city is rightly considered one of the most beautiful and fascinating in the country. Transfer to Olkhon Island, to the village of Khuzhir (270 km). Then we visit the “Golden Horde” ethnographic complex. The tour “Visiting a Buryat Family” in a traditional yurt introduces you to the customs, cuisine, and folklore of Buryatia. You will learn the secrets of making authentic buuz and take part in the traditional circle dance “yokhor”. Dinner featuring national cuisine. Ferry crossing to Olkhon Island - your first meeting with Lake Baikal! Arrival in Khuzhir village. Accommodation at a tourist base / lodge. |
DAY 8 | Breakfast. Departure for an excursion to Cape Khoboy. This striking column-shaped rock formation, which gives the cape its name, is surrounded by local legends. The cape is located near the widest point of Lake Baikal (79.5 km), where you can fully appreciate the immense scale of the lake—often referred to by locals as the “sea.” Along the way, you will discover the diverse landscapes and natural landmarks of the island: the scenic steppes of northern Olkhon, the “Three Brothers” rock formation, and the famous stilted trees of the Peschanoye area. A picnic lunch will be served during a scenic stop. Transfer to the Uzury Valley, where a high-speed boat will be waiting. You will cross Lake Baikal to its eastern shore, arriving in the Republic of Buryatia. Transfer to the Goryachinsk resort. Hotel accommodation. Relax in the resort’s thermal pool. Just 15 minutes in the mineral-rich waters can help stimulate metabolism, boost the immune system, improve digestion- and simply offer the pleasure of swimming outdoors. Dinner. |
DAY 9 | Breakfast. Transfer to the capital of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude (173 km). En route, stops will be made along the shores of Lake Baikal, including the lighthouse in Turka village and the Turtle Rock - according to legend, a guardian of Lake Baikal. Visit to the Ethnographic Museum. Hotel check-in. City sightseeing tour of the main attractions: the famous monument to Vladimir Lenin (known as the “Lenin Head”), the Opera and Ballet Theatre, the pedestrian Lenin Street, and the Odigitrievsky Cathedral. You will experience the unique Eastern charm and distinctive spirit of this remarkable city. Dinner. |
DAY 10 | Breakfast. Excursion to the Ivolginsky Datsan-the center of Buddhism in Russia. “At the foot of the Khamar-Daban Range, across vast степи, in a მშვიდ tranquil valley, lies the spiritual capital of the Traditional Buddhist Sangha of Russia-Ivolginsky Datsan. On sunny days, the gilded temples shine brightly, welcoming pilgrims and visitors from afar. Time itself seems to slow down here, while the air is filled with the rich, aromatic scent of blooming степные травы.” The datsan is a large monastic complex, with temple interiors adorned with authentic works of art. It is also home to the residence of the Pandito Khambo Lama, the head of Russian Buddhists, as well as a Buddhist University where novice monks are trained, and the residences of lamas. The complex is protected by the state as a cultural and architectural heritage site. Excursion “Visiting the Semeyskie (Old Believers)”. The Semeyskie are a unique and ancient branch of the Russian people-descendants of pre-Petrine Russia who were resettled in Siberia in the second half of the 17th century. To this day, their descendants in Buryatia have preserved a rich and distinctive cultural heritage. UNESCO has recognized the spiritual culture of the Semeyskie of the Tarbagatay District as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” Visit to a traditional Old Believers’ homestead, acquaintance with rituals, customs, and their unique polyphonic singing traditions. Dinner featuring traditional Old Russian cuisine. Return to Ulan-Ude. |
DAY 11 | Final Day of the tour. Check-out from the hotel by 12:00. Independent transfer to the airport or railway station. (Taxi fare starts from approximately 700 RUB per car). |
