Russia Golden Ring & Lake Baikal 16 Day Tour

* Travel by train from St. Petersburg to Moscow for safety and comfort
* Enjoy varieties of meals: traditional Russian cuisine & Chinese Cuisine (8 dishes & 1 soup)
* Visit Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace) with 2.8 million masterpieces on display
* Amber Hall in Katherine Palace decorated with amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirror
* Cruising along river Neva with beautiful scenery
* Petershof Palace, also known as Russian Versailles. It was established by Peter the Great to protect the capital from the attack by the Swedish
* Gala dinner with Russian Folk Dance at Nicholas Palace
* Red Square & Kremlin: “Red” in Russian means beautiful. The Kremlin–currently is the official residence of the President of Russia, both are UNESCO Heritage Sites
* St. Basil’s Cathedral: Russian Orthodox Church with colorful onion shaped domes, a unique architecture in Russia
* Metro station—an elegant architectural station with marble and bronze statues, stained-glass window and beautiful mosaics.
* Moscow River Dinner Cruise: enjoy dinner with spectacular scenery
* Special meal arrangement at luxury Tvrandot Restaurant, the décor is Baroque style with hand-painted furniture, gilded light fixtures and frescoed cupola ceiling.
*Segiyev Posad (Soviet name: Zagorsk)–UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. A religious city with Orthodox monastery that functioned as military feature in the past
*Vladimir & Suzdal: both towns were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites because they preserve several finest monuments of white-stone medieval architecture
* Travel from Lake Baikal to Olkhon Island by ferry. On the island: travel by SUV, Cable Car and train
* Provide one bottle of mineral water per person per day on the coach
* Provide headset service for 15 and more guests per group for better sightseeing experience
* Accommodations are based on TripAdvisor 4 star or up reviews

★ Entrance Fee & Transportation Included

Today, we will take overnight flight to St. Petersburg, arrive the next day.

Upon arrival, transfer to hotel.

Dinner / Russian Vodka room restaurant
Hotel: Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Ligovsky or similar

After breakfast, transfer to city tour will follow: visit★ St. Isaac’s Cathedral, ★ Peter & Paul Fortress, Statue of Peter the Great, Alexander 3^rd Monument. Palace square ★ Church on the Spilled Blood. Continue to ★ Hermitage Museum (Winter Palace) with 2.8 million items on display, including masterpieces by Leonardo, Rembrandt, Picasso etc. Tonight enjoy a Gala Dinner, then to world famous ★Folklore show.

Meal: Breakfast / American Breakfast at hotel       Lunch / Russian Cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Gala dinner with traditional folklore show
Hotel: Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Ligovsky or similar

After breakfast, transfer to ★ Petershof Palace, also known as Russian Versailles. It was established by Peter the Great to protect the capital from the attack by the Swedish. The Palace consists of 20 palaces, 7 Imperial garden, and 64 fountains. Continue to ★Catherine Palace, constructed as a summer palace with distinctively decorated rooms and lavish exterior. The most famous room is Amber Hall, decorated with amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors. Tonight, a special arrangement of ★ Cruise excursion to enjoy beautiful scenery along the river Neva.

Meal: Breakfast / American Breakfast at hotel             Lunch / Russian Cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Russian meal with Gypsy music
Hotel: Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Ligovsky or similar

After breakfast, we will travel by express train to Moscow. Upon arrival, city tour will follow: To ★Kremlin, Tsar’s Bell Tower. Afternoon, to Red Square, ★St. Basil’s Cathedral, Kremlin Tower, Lenin’s Tomb, and Russia’s largest department store GUM. Tonight, ★enjoy dinner with spectacular view while you cruising on Moscow River.

Meal: Breakfast Box           Lunch / Local Cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Moscow River Cruise, 3 courses
Hotel: Moscow Marriott Hotel Novy Arbat or similar

This morning, city tour will follow: To Kremlin grounds tour including Church of Deposition of the Robe, Belfry of Ivan the Great , Patrick’s Palace , Arbat street, a busy street full of restaurants, shops and street performances. Then to ★Metro station—an elegant architectural station with marble and bronze statues, stained-glass window and beautiful mosaics.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel               Lunch / Western Cuisine at Turandot Restaurant
Dinner / Central Asian meal at Uzbekistan Restaurant
Hotel: Moscow Marriott Hotel Novy Arbat or similar

After breakfast, we will start excursion to The Golden Ring. Our first stop is Bogolybovo, visit the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, Holy Bogolyubsky Convent (Palace of Alexander Bogolyubsky), and Nativity Cathedral. And then we are off to Suzdal, an ancient town with numerous monasteries and churches, entrance the ★Spaso-Evfimiyev Monastery Museum Complex, visit ★Open Air Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant’s life, ★Suzdal Kremlin, ★The Convent of the intercession (Pokrovsky Monastery), and Prepodobenskyaya Bell Tower.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel                       Lunch / Local Cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Local Cuisine, 3 courses
Hotel: Pushkarskaya Sloboda Hotel or similar

Today’s morning ★Horse ride in the carriages and ★Matroshka painting class. Then transfer to Vladimir; we will visit ★ St. Demetrius Cathedral, the exterior walls are covered with elaborate carvings. Then to Golden Gate, Assumption Cathedral, Vodonapornaya Bashnya Museum.

Meal: Continental Breakfast at hotel                       Lunch / Local Family Lunch
Dinner / Local Cuisine, 3 courses with folk show
Hotel: Russian Village Hotel or similar

In the morning transfer to Kostroma with the tour of Ipatievsky monastery & trinity cathedral, sights, Trading arcades, Arcades & market, Susanin’s monument, Fire tower, The Resurrection Church on the Debra. Gaupvakhta, ★St Ipathy monastery, ★Museum of Wooden Arch. In the afternoon transfer to Yaroslavl.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel                       Lunch / Local cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Local cuisine 3 courses
Hotel: Park Inn by Radisson Yaroslavl or similar

Yaroslavl city tour starts with the ★church of Ilija, ★Cathedral Of Assumption, Yaroslavl Embankment, Strelka, Architectural Historical & Art Museum, Spassky Monastery, then have free time for photo. After lunch, transfer to Rostov, tour of Rostove Kremlin, Starocherkasskiy Voyskovoy Sobor Voskreseniya Khristova, Ascension Metropolitan Chambers Church. Then free time for picture. Transfer to Pereslavsl- Zalesski with photo stop on Red Square with the view of Plescheev lake and visit ★Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius, a pilgrimage for Russian Orthodox with impressive collections of ancient Russian paintings, handcrafts and precious metals, Return to Moscow, and take a night flight to Siberia’s 2nd largest city Irkustk.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel                       Lunch / Local cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner/ Local cuisine, 3 courses
Hotel: Moscow Marriott Hotel Novy Arbat or similar

Irkutsk is located in Eastern Siberia, one of the largest cities in Siberia, about 66km from Lake Baikal. Arrive Irkutsk in the morning, then transfer to Listvyanka, we will visit ★Baikal Ecological Museum and take ★cable car to observation platform, where you marvel amazing scenery of Mt. Chersky and Lake Baikal. Later, return to Irkutsk.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel   Lunch / Local cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Local cuisine 3 courses
Hotel: Courtyard Irkutsk City Center or similar

Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in the world, containing 22-23% of the world’s fresh surface water. It is also world’s deepest and oldest lake. After breakfast, transfer to train station, we will take ★Old Railroad Train to Lake Baikal (only Thursday and Sunday). This train will make 5-6 stops, you can get off the train and see the lake. Our final stop is at Port Baikai, then depart for Irkutsk.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel   Lunch / Lunch Box on the train
Dinner / Local cuisine 3 courses
Hotel: Courtyard Irkutsk City Center or similar

After breakfast, depart for Olkhon Island-the largest island on Lake Baikal. En-route, we will participate  Shaman ceremony, an ancient purification ritual. Continue to Ust-Orda Village, visit local museum and learn about the history of Buryat ethnic groups. After lunch, take ★ferry to Oklhon Island, upon arrival, travel by ★SUV to Burkhan Cape and to Baikal’s most famous landmark, the Shamanka, or Shaman’s Rock. Natives believe that Burkhan lives in this rock.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel                      Lunch / Local Cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Local cuisine 3 courses
Hotel: Baikal View Hotel(Local Best) or similar

In the early morning, you can enjoy the magnificent sunrise of Lake Baikal. After breakfast, to Khoboy Cape, located in the northern part of the island. En-route to Harantsi, Three Brothers etc. Late afternoon, return to hotel.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel                       Lunch / Local Cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Local cuisine 3 courses
Hotel: Baikal View Hotel or similar

After breakfast, transfer to ★ferry station and depart for Irkutsk. This city is located at the intersection of the Angara River & Irkut River, upon arrival, city tour will follow: The Savior Church, located near the state government. The church is famous for its unique exterior design, the facades are decorated with rich ornament. Walking through this city, you will fund different style of their architecture from Russian classical, Russian Orthodox to Gothic style.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel                       Lunch / Local cuisine, 3 courses
Dinner / Local cuisine 3 courses
Hotel: Courtyard Irkutsk City Center or similar

This morning, transfer to airport for homebound flight to US and ends this unforgettable journey.

Meal: American Breakfast at hotel