“S Priezdom” Welcome to Moscow. Our driver will be there to meet you from whichever flight, train or boat you arrive. You’ll then be transferred to the Panorama 3★ Hotel. (We can obtain rates for superior hotels ask a member of the reservations team for details.) Your complimentary InfoPack is full of ideas for getting the most out of your free time.

After breakfast one of our local experts will meet you at your hotel in the lobby for a three hour walking and familiarisation tour, to introduce the city (and its public transport system) and to get your sightseeing off to a flying start. The rest of the day’s your own.

A morning free to pack in any last minute sightseeing. Afternoon transfer to Kazansky Station where you will board the Ekaterinburg bound train.

Your first full day on board The Trans-Sib…travelling through the Ural Mountains. There will be plenty of time to meet fellow travellers and hang out in the dining car which serves a variety of meals and snacks reasonably priced. Evening arrive in Ekaterinburg where our driver will meet you at the end of the platform, and will be holding a meeting-board with your name on. Transfer to the Chekhov 3★ Hotel, which is centrally located.

After breakfast there’s a walking tour around the well-known and less obvious attractions of Ekaterinburg, with a local expert guide. You’ll visit the historical centre of the city, including the scene of the assassination of the Romanov Royal Family, on which a Cathedral now stands to mark the event. You’ll also see something of Ekaterinburg’s involvement in Russia’s military history. The last half-hour will be spent at The Museum of Gems. The tour ends in the downtown area (we make sure you know the way back!), where you are poised for multiple lunch choices and a free afternoon to explore independently.

Please make a choice of one of the day trip options, it’s all included in the trip price.

• (A) Romanov Graves & Europe Asia border
• (B) Siberian countryside and historic village
• (C) Hiking in the Urals
• (D) Walk in the Urals Forest

Check out of your room around midnight. Private car to the station, where you will board the Ulaanbaatar bound train.

The dining car is the heart of social life on the train. It functions as bar, lounge, and take-out snack store, as well as a café serving reasonably-priced meals. It is a great place to meet fellow travellers and locals alike, sharing your experiences of your journey so far with a few drinks, which no doubt will include some Vodka – and maybe smoked salmon and caviar too!

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar. Transfer from the station to a hotel with a chance to shower and have breakfast. This morning you will depart for your city tour, this includes visiting the Gandan Buddhist Lamasery (monastery) and several temples located there. Then depart Ulaanbaatar for the 70km journey to Elstei Ger Lodge. (Alternative Ger Camps available , some with en-suite facilities and Queen size beds – talk to us about upgrade costs).  With a scheduled stop at the enormous monument to Genghis Khan along the way. It may not be quite traditional in style (since it’s made of stainless steel) but it’s an astounding edifice and a testament to Genghis’s place in Mongolian culture. Taking the elevator to top of this 10 metre high monument you visit the exhibition hall from where you will have an excellent panoramic view over the complex area and the scenery beyond.  On arrival to Elstei you will be served lunch, and then time to enjoy your surroundings. ​

​With no specific activities planned you can choose to chill out, read, go walking on the Steppe, or (for a small payment made directly to them locally) you can go horse riding with local nomad horsemen. (May-Sept). Elstei staff will also offer Mongolian archery, ankle bone games, and the opportunity to visit a nomad family nearby. A relaxed evening in the bar after supper where you can chat with the local guides and other travellers. It’s also worth watching the sunset, as it’s not called the land of the endless skies for nothing.

Around 10am you make the return trip to Ulaanbaatar, named the coldest capital in the world during the winter months. Check into the Bayangol 3★ Hotel. This is a great centrally located property and facilities include 5 restaurants fitness centre, sauna and a minimarket. The balance of today is free to explore more of the city. You can choose to return to the Gandan Monastery (which you’ll have already visited when you were in the capital last time), or visit the Choijin Lama museum . It`s easy to pick up some snack food for the train in one of the many supermarkets.
In the evening a wide range of restaurants are available to suit any pocket or maybe go to see a Folklore concert?

Early morning transfer to the station where you will board the Beijing bound train.

Don’t oversleep today as it’s possibly some of the most spectacular scenery of the entire route, as you leave the desert scenery behind and pass by mountains and rice paddy fields. Arriving into Beijing Central Station at the end of your Trans-Siberian journey.