Day 2 Through the Gobi desert. At noon you arrive at the Chinese-Mongolian border and change to your Private Train - the Tsar's Gold. Formalities are easily dispatched in your compartment. In Erlian you can explore the colourful border market. Afterwards, your Private Train takes you through the vast expanse of the Gobi desert, then through the great green steppes of Mongolia.
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Day 3 Ulaan Bataar. In the morning you arrive in the Mongolian capital Ulaan Bataar. Major luggage can be left on the train while you check into the centrally located moderate hotel and then enjoy a tour of the city. You will see the Choijin Lama temple; at night you will have the unique opportunity to watch traditional Mongolian music performances.
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Day 4 Gandan Monastery and the Mongolian Alps. After breakfast you will visit the Buddhist Gandan Monastery and undertake an excursion to a mountainous area with stunning rock formations, known as the Mongolian Alps (about 90 minutes east of Ulaan Bataar). Along the way, an open-air railroad museum puts the Mongolian railway into context.
A picnic lunch in a yurt is followed by a demonstration of Mongolian horsemanship and the traditional wrestling match. Try some lamb in milk, a culinary specialty of Mongolia. Or, for the brave of heart, there's always kumys (fermented mare's milk), the beer of the nomads.
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Day 5 Ulan Ude. Bid farewell to the Mongolian steppes as the train rolls on through the valley of Selenga, the largest river of Mongolia. In Ulan Ude your train joins the main route of the Trans Siberian Railroad. Here you can stroll through the city streets or join the guided tour of the city.
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Day 6 Lake Baikal. The entire day is dedicated to Lake Baikal. Before noon you will arrive at the old station of Port Baikal, located directly on the shore. During two long photo stops on the ancient tracks running parallel to the shore you will have the chance to capture the beauty of the lake on film and explore the wonderful scenery. Take a moment to have a dip in the lake or visit a picturesque Baikal village. You will also enjoy a short boat ride on the lake. If the night is warm, your dinner will be served as a picnic on the shores of the spectacular lake before re-boarding the train. Next stop: Irkutsk.
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Day 7 Irkutsk. In the morning you will check into a centrally located moderate hotel in Irkutsk. You can safely leave your bags on the train. A tour of the city includes the lively market hall, the drama theatre and a rather spectacular oddity, a newly erected statue of the Tsar. The afternoon features an excursion to an open-air museum displaying Siberian life in the old days. Spend the night at your centrally located hotel in Irkutsk.
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Day 8 Across Siberia. After breakfast the train takes you through the landscapes of Eastern Siberia with its mountains, crystal-clear rivers and verdant slopes. On board of the train you enjoy entertaining lectures about Siberia. A social get-together complete with caviar and vodka tasting makes you familiar with Russian hospitality.
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Day 9 Novosibirsk. At noon you pull into Novosibirsk, Siberia's biggest city, and are greeted in the traditional Russian way: with bread, salt and balalaika music. Your city tour includes a visit of the Trans Siberian monument and the mighty Ob River. After dinner, the train continues its ride westwards.
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Day 10 Ekaterinburg. In the afternoon the train stops in Ekaterinburg, the capital of the Ural Mountains and the border between Asia and Europe, where you enjoy a short tour of the city centre which was just restored in 2009. In the course of the city tour you will see the newly erected Cathedral-on-the-Blood, built in memorial of that tragic historical event. From now on your train is on European ground.
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Day 11 Kazan. After breakfast you arrive in Kazan, the old Tartar capital on the banks of the Volga. There is plenty of history here: on a guided tour of the Kremlin you will learn about the wild and often bloody relations of the Tartars, Cossacks, and Russians. Afterwards you can enjoy a boat ride and have lunch on the Volga. The evening offers you one last chance to be pampered in the onboard restaurant.
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Day 12 Moscow. Before noon you arrive in Moscow, Russia's capital and one of the world's richest and most dynamic cities. After the long rail journey, your first class hotel offers comfort and convenience. At noon, your first stop is the Kremlin with its glorious cathedrals. You can also check out the interiors of some of the buildings. After dinner you go on a magical evening trip through the city. This special tour includes a stop at Red Square as well as a subway ride with a visit of two beautiful old stations.
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Day 13 Tour of Moscow and return home. After a savoury breakfast at your hotel you go on a guided tour of Moscow to see the reconstructed Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Lomonossov University, the New Virgin Monastery, and Red Square with its colourful St. Basil's Cathedral, but also the notorious former KGB headquarters and the White House. Bid your fantastic journey farewell before your departure to the airport.
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