“…Hi Becky, thought to give you feedback after what can only be described as a trip of a lifetime!!!!
Thank you to you and Select Tours for arranging everything. Our guides were fantastic, the accommodation was great and the experience unforgettable!!…”
CM and JM
South Africa

Itinerary

The sights of Mongolia

Day 1 (Sunday) Moscow

Arrive in Moscow, you will be met at the airport or rail station and transferred to your hotel to check-in for 2 nights.

Entrances: None
Meals: None
Overnight: Izmailovo Vega (or similar)

Day 2 (Monday) Moscow

10.00 hrs: After breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel reception to begin your exploration of Moscow by metro, this will include some of the most spectacular stations. Then you will arrive in the city centre to visit the iconic Red Square and the Kremlin. During the tour you will visit the territory of the Kremlin, one of the Cathedrals and the Armoury museum. The exhibits include ancient Russian regalia, Tsar’s ceremonial robes, vestments, gold and silverware by Russian, European and Eastern masters, arms and armouries, royal carriages and ceremonial harnesses.
Return to the hotel by metro with the guide at around 18.00 hrs, or continue exploring the city and return to the hotel independently.

Entrances:  Metro, Kremlin, 1 cathedral, armoury museum
Meals: Breakfast at hotel
Overnight: Izmailovo Vega (or similar)

Day 3 (Tuesday) Depart Moscow

Breakfast and check out by 12.00 hrs. Meet your guide in reception at 12.20 hrs to transfer to Yaroslavsky railway station to start your historic rail journey.
Your guide will settle you into your private compartment before you set off on your adventure!

13.50 hrs Departure Moscow on Train #70.

Entrances: None
Meals: Breakfast at hotel
Overnight: On train

Days 4 to 6 –  (Wed, Thu, Friday) On board

During this time onboard you will see the amazing sights of Russia racing by. The scenery will be different depending on when you choose to travel. The seasons will colour the countryside, towns and villages which make up this fascinating landscape. You will find plenty of inspiration for photo opportunities, making new friends with fellow travellers and exchanging stories are part of the experience. On the train, you can enjoy the local refreshments of the restaurant car and snacks which are available at all times. During the journey there are short stops made at local stations where you can (very!) quickly purchase food or souvenirs from the platform vendors before departing for the next highlight.

Entrances: None
Meals: None
Overnight: On train, 3 nights

Day 7 (Saturday) Irkutsk

06.22 hrs: Arrive in Irkutsk and meet your guide on the platform, who will go with you to a local restaurant for breakfast (included).  After breakfast, join your guide for a 2 hour city tour of Irkutsk, followed by a transfer to Listvyanka settlement, located by Lake Baikal, approx. 60 km south-east of Irkutsk. En route, you will stop in Taltsy village for lunch (included) and a visit to the open air Ethnographic museum. The open air Ethnographic Museum is a unique assemblage of the history and culture of the peoples of Eastern Siberia, located in a picturesque place on the banks of the Angara River.  Comprising more than 40 historical and architectural monuments and 8000 exhibits of great historical value. The Museum attracts visitors for its rich natural landscapes, and for the chance to get acquainted with the spiritual culture of the peoples of the Baikal region – Russian, Buryat and Evenki.

13:30 hrs Arrive at in Listvyanka and check in to your hotel for 1 night.  Remainder of the day at leisure for exploration.

Entrances: Ethnographic museum
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight: Mayak Hotel (or similar)

Day 8 (Sunday) Listvyanka

12.00 hrs: After breakfast and morning at leisure, check out and meet your guide in the hotel reception for your tour of Listvyanka. You will see the Observation Point, St Nikolas Church, and Chersky View Point. (No entrances).  Continue to Irkutsk, driver only. Journey time 1 hour. On arrival in Irkutsk at around 16.00 hrs, check in to your hotel for 1 night.

Entrances: None
Meals: Breakfast at the hotel
Overnight: Imperia Hotel (or similar)

Day 9 (Monday) Depart Irkutsk

07.20 hrs After collecting your boxed breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel reception for your transfer to the Railway Station.
Your guide will settle you into your private compartment before saying goodbye.

08.20 hrs Depart Irkutsk on Train #306  (no dining car) 

A full day on board to relax, reflect upon the sights already seen, catch up on travel diaries, sort through your images, review guidebooks and enjoy the new scenery that will pass before you. As before, meals on the train are not included, so you will probably have the chance to share some of the delicacies you found in Irkursk with your fellow passengers and enjoy the now familiar experience of life on board the Trans-Siberian express.

Entrances: None
Meals: Boxed breakfast from the hotel
Overnight: On train

Day 10 (Tuesday) Ulaanbaatar

06.50 hrs Arrive in Ulanbaatar and meet your guide at the station.

You will be taken for breakfast at a local restaurant/café (included) before starting your tour, including the Gandan Monastery with its huge gold-plated Buddha, a symbol of Mongolian national pride and cultural revival. You will see the monks chanting, spin prayer wheels and view the intricately embroidered “thanks”.

You will also visit the National History Museum, where you will see the artefacts from Mongolia and Central Asia from the Stone Age to the present, before transferring to Terelj National Park via the impressive Genghis Khan Statue en route.

Tonight, you will live and experience a nomadic lifestyle, when you spend a night in a traditional Ger (Yurt) camp, staying in a traditional Nomad’s hut style accommodation.
Dinner is included tonight.

Entrances: Gandan Monastery, National History Museum, Genghis Khan Monument
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Ger Camp (shared facilities)
Supplement to upgrade to Luxury Ger (private facilities) is €60 Euros per person per night.
In winter there are limited facilities at the Ger camps.

Day 11 (Wednesday) Ger camp / Ulaanbaatar

09.00 hrs:  This morning, experience the way typical locals live – the nomadic style. You will have the opportunity to explore Turtle Rock, and to visit a nomadic family to learn their amazing life style for lunch before transfer back to Ulaanbaatar.

This afternoon visit Bogd Khan’s Winter Palace, which used to be a winter residence of the last Bogd Khan of Mongolia, Javzandamba. The palace was built between 1893 and 1903, and is well known for its Gate of Peace, Temple and personal library of Bogd Khaan. The museum exhibits sculptures by Mongolia’s first Bogd Khan Zanabazar. The museum has 21 valuable sculptures of Taras.  You will also see Zaisan Hill Memorial and Sukhbaatar Square, named after Damdin Sukhbaatar, the ‘hero of the revolution’ who declared Mongolia’s final independence from the Chinese.

Tour ends at around 18:00 hours. Check in at your hotel.

Entrances: Bogd Khan’s Winter Palace
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Hotel Bayangol (or similar)

Day 12 (Thursday) Depart Ulaanbaatar

06.00 hrs:  Collect a packed breakfast and check out, ready for your transfer to the railway station where your guide will settle you into your private compartment before saying goodbye.

07.30 hrs Depart Ulaanbaatar on Train #24  

The remainder of the day is yours to relax on board and to check your Beijing guide book before the next and final exciting leg of your journey across the world’s greatest continent. The whole journey you have travelled 7,600 kilometres through three distinctly different cultures, five time zones and 80 degrees of longitude.

Entrances: None
Meals: Boxed breakfast from the hotel
Overnight: On train

Day 13 (Friday)

14:35 hrs:  Arrive in Beijing where you will be met by your guide and driver to enjoy a tour of the Forbidden city, before arriving at your hotel at around 18.00 hrs to check in for 1 night. There will not be time to stop for lunch today, so please do eat before you arrive in Beijing, or pack some snacks!   Beijing has long been the political, cultural and economic centre of China and its turbulent history is reflected in its ancient palaces, grand monuments, landscaped parks, narrow backstreets and wide boulevards.   Today Beijing is a massive and busy city of skyscrapers and feverish construction. However, it is still possible to see parts of the city that have changed little for millennia.

The rest of the evening is yours to explore at your leisure.

Entrances: Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
Meals: None
Overnight: Qianmen Jianguo Hotel (or similar)

Day 14 (Saturday)

Breakfast at the hotel and check out by 12.00 hrs today.
A transfer is provided today to the airport or station for your onward journey.

Entrances: None
Meals: Breakfast at the hotel

Trans-Mongolian – Tour Dates 2020 (14 Days)
Tours start on any Sunday* in 2020

• January 5, 19
• February 2, 9, 16, 23
• March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• April 5, 12, 19, 26
• May 3, 17, 24, 31
• June 7, 14, 21, 28
• July 5, 12, 19, 26
• August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• September 6, 13, 20, 27
• October 4, 11, 18, 25
• November 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• December 6, 13, 20, 27

Subject to availability
Excludes dates over May public holidays in Russia, Naadam Festival in Mongolia (11-15 July) and Chinese New Year (25 Jan-08 Feb)

Trans-Mongolian – Price in EUR 2020
(tour code EBMB)

• EUR 3,865 per person. Based on two persons sharing twin hotel room and 1st class 2 berth rail compartment (see notes).
• EUR 395 single supplement (hotels only – does not apply to train) minimum 2 persons

Trans-Mongolian – Eastbound Tour Price Includes:

• Hotel and rail accommodation (13 nights)
• Private Arrival and departure transfers (vehicle and driver)
• Private Guided tours as per itinerary
• Entrances as per itinerary
• Private English-speaking guide for excursions
• Meals as per itinerary (no meals on the train)
• 1st class train tickets Moscow– Irkutsk–Ulaanbaatar-Beijing (private 2-berth compartment) – see notes
• Visa supports for duration of tour

Not Included in Price:

• Flights
• Any meals, beverages, sightseeing entrance fees not specified in the inclusions
• Photo and video charges at museums and places of interest
• Extra personal costs incurred on the train or at hotels
• Extended visa support
• Visas
• Visa registration fees (payable locally)

Notes

Tour operates with minimum two persons.
The tour itinerary may change.
If trains are delayed, the itinerary may be changed to accommodate the late arrival.
If there are no 1st class carriages, we use 4 berth 2nd class carriages for private use for 2 persons
There are no showers on the trains, only basic facilities.
All train and other times are local time and subject to reconfirmation.
Itinerary subject to confirmation locally and may be subject to change
You may purchase meals and drinks on the train and in the hotels.
Food is also available on the platforms of the stops you make en route.
No dining car on trains between Irkutsk and Ulaanbaatar
Trains subject to availability.
Accommodation may be substituted with similar grade hotels.
Singles – sorry, we do not operate a shared room scheme for single travellers.
The tour is unescorted on the train. Guides will meet you at each stop and will take you back to your train for onward journey.
Visa support – is supplied for duration of tour only. If you require an extended Russian visa support we can supply this from €25 per person (certain nationalities incur a higher extended visa support letter fee) – check with us for details.
Visa Support is granted to eligible foreign nationals only.
Russian, Mongolian and Chinese Tourist Visas – allow plenty of time to apply for all your visas in advance of travel.
Visa Service – if you are residing in the UK, please ask about our low cost visa service.
If you would like to extend your tour, pre or post, please ask for details.