Climb aboard the Tsar’s Golden Train for a timeless Trans-Siberian journey. This legendary rail passage has been enchanting travelers since 1891 when Tsar Alexander III sketched his plans to link Russia to the Far East. Travel through Russia’s fairytale forests, the unspoiled wilds of Siberia, the stunning Gobi Desert and the ancient relics of Imperial China on this epic voyage. The train will stop at various cities, towns and villages allowing guests to take in each region’s unique scenery, culture and traditions. Explore Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Siberia, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, Ulan Ude, Ulan Bator The Gobi desert and Beijing accompanied by expert guides on a fusion of private and shared tours. Experience a plethora of historical sites and cultural activities. Take scenic boat cruises on Volga and Lake Baikal and captivating city tours. Enjoy picnics, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Mongolian horseback riding show, gastronomic delights, traditional village visits, onboard entertainment, daily lectures about culture, countries and people.

This exclusive train is private and only approved passengers can board. Three varieties of accommodation are available aboard the Tsar's Golden Train Bolshoi Class, with modern en-suites, Nostalgic Comfort Class, patterned after the first-class cabins of Communist Party leaders in the 1950s and Standard Plus Class with shared facilities. The train features the highest standards of comfort, combining the elegance of fine old-world rail travel with modern amenities and superb cuisine. Expert staff and onboard doctor ensure your safety and well being. This epic tour is enhanced by elegant hotel stays in both Moscow and Beijing.

One of the last great travel adventures in our world, this trip of a lifetime allows you to experience Russia, Mongolia and China in the safest, most comfortable and fascinating manner possible. Lean back to enjoy the dramatic changes of scenery and savor Northern Europe and Asia’s most superb and splendid landscapes!
A Grand Tour of Moscow to Lake Baikal and on to Beijing via Mongolia, this adventure is a unique experience no traveler could ever forget.

Departure dates: 17 May- 28 May 2010, 14 Jun-25 Jun 2010 (Guaranteed English speaking guide), 12 Jul-23 Jul 2010 (Guaranteed English and French speaking guide), 09 Aug-20 Aug 2010 (Guaranteed Spanish speaking guide), 06 Sep-17 Sep 2010 (French speaking guide). More departures from Beijing to Moscow.

Day 1
Moscow
Enjoy an airport transfer with private vehicle and driver. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). The Russian capital will present itself in wonderful illumination on the "Moscow by Night" city lights tour. Afterwards you can stroll across the famous Red Square with your tour guides and experience Stalin’s “palaces for the people”: Moscow’s Metro stations in all their splendour and beauty. The Holiday Inn Sokolniki (4*) is situated just a short drive from the Moscow City center and the Red Square. The hotel gives the Russian capital a new dimension with world class service and intriguing cuisine. All 523 guest rooms are spacious and are outfitted with modern amenities, and the five restaurants and bars cater to a variety of needs and tastes. This hotel is a great choice for both business and leisure travelers as it is close to the business quarter and famous Moscow attractions, which are easily accessible by car or metro. The focal point of Moscow is Red Square, on one side of which is the Kremlin surrounded by a thick red fortress wall containing 20 towers altogether. There a several gorgeous buildings in the square including the Uspensky Cathedral which contains three of the oldest Russian icons, and where the tsars were crowned, the 14th-century Grand Kremlin Palace, the golden-domed Belfry of Ivan the Great, and St Basil’s Cathedral famous for its brightly colored domes. The Blagoveshchensky (Annunciation) Cathedral was built for Ivan III and is extravagantly decorated, from its copper domes to its agate- and jasper-tiled floors. Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral has recently been reconstructed and rededicated. Lenin’s Mausoleum is still open to the public on certain days. Outside Red Square, Tverskaya Street is one of the main shopping streets. Arbat Street is the main thoroughfare of a traditionally bohemian quarter. Today it is a pedestrian zone with crafts and artists’ stalls and street performers. The area known as Kitai-Gorod lies east of the Kremlin, and is notable for its 16th- and 17th-century churches, especially the five-domed Cathedral of the Sign, with its amazing acoustic properties. The world-famous Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater at Teatralnaya Square dates from 1824. Novodevichy Convent near Sportivnaya metro station houses a museum of rare and ancient Russian art, and is one of the finest examples of 16th- and 17th-century architecture in the city. One of the most popular new, but macabre attractions is the KGB Museum housed in the sinister Lubyanka building.

Day 2
Moscow
Tour the Kremlin, the city´s former military fortification, a palace, an armoury, the sovereign treasury (Diamond Funds not included in price) and the workplace of the Russian President on a private Guided tour. Among the sights included in the tour are the Mausoleum of Lenin, the clock at the Savior (Spasskaya) Tower – showing the most correct Moscow time, the beautiful Cathedral of the Intercession (the Church of St Basil the Blessed), Kazansky Cathedral and many other outstanding pieces of Russian architecture. (Entrance to Kremlin Walls and Cathedrals included in tour price). Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy a train station transfer with private vehicle/driver and guide. Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary.

Day 3
Kazan
Upon a morning arrival into Kazan, ancient capital of the Tartars, you will get the opportunity to visit the city’s Kremlin, full of artefacts evidencing the troubled past relations between Tartars, Cossacks and Russians. A boat trip will make you familiar with Europe's greatest river, the Volga, and reveal the most beautiful urban panoramas. Your special train resumes its journey in the evening. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. Kazan is the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, and one of Russia's largest cities. It is a major industrial, commercial and cultural center, and remains the most important center of Tatar culture. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in central European Russia. The city has a beautiful citadel, which was declared the World Heritage Site in 2000. Major monuments in the kremlin are the 5-domed 6-columned Annunciation Cathedral and the mysterious leaning Soyembika Tower, named after the last queen of Kazan and regarded as the city's most conspicuous landmark.

Day 4
Yekaterinburg
In the afternoon halt in Yekaterinburg, capital of the Ural region. The town was founded by Peter the Great in 1723 and is also related to the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas the II, because he himself as well as most of his relatives were murdered here. In the course of a city tour you visit the newly erected Cathedral-on-the-blood, built in memorial of that tragic historical event. Back on the train you can enjoy your view on the fascinating landscape and in the course of a caviar and vodka tasting you get acquainted with the traditions of Russian hospitality – you will be surprised by the witty Russian toasts! Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All means are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. Yekaterinburg, is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District. Its population of 1,293,537, makes it Russia's fifth largest city. Between 1924 and 1991, the city was known as Sverdlovsk, after the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov.

Day 5
Novosibirsk
You reach Novosibirsk, heart of Siberia, where you will be welcomed in the traditional Russian manner with bread and salt. Your city tour includes a visit to the lively market and the mighty Ob River. After dinner, the train continues its ride to the East. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. Novosibirsk is Russia's third-largest city, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast. It is also the largest city in Siberia. Sights include Lenin's square with statute of Lenin left from Soviet times standing right in front of the Opera and Ballet House which is beautiful at night. It is also the largest opera house in Russia. The Chapel of St. Nicholas, originally built in 1915 to commemorate 300 years of Romanov rule, destroyed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1993 canbe visiited as well. In winter residents build an ice town on the Ob River, and in summer residents go to the beach. Near the city center on Krasny Prospekt,you can also see some excellent work in the Novosibirsk Art Museum and Local Studies Museum. You could also consider the Novosibirsk Regional Puppet Theater (over 70 years old in an interesting historic building), or the Novosibirsk Circus.

Day 6
Siberia
Spend the day on board the "Tsar’s Gold", by now your second home, proceed onward over the Yenisei River through Siberia. The on-board restaurant cooks once again demonstrate their skills with the speciality meal "Tsar’s Feast". Along the way you will see the typical Siberian villages with their wooden houses, birch forests and – hopefully – lots of sunlight on impressive mountain landscapes. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. Siberia is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving as the massive central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, having served in the same capacity previously for the USSR from its beginning, and the Russian Empire beginning in the 16th century. Geographically, it includes a large part of the Eurasian Steppe and extends eastward from the Ural Mountains to the watershed between Pacific and Arctic drainage basins, and southward from the Arctic Ocean to the hills of north-central Kazakhstan and the national borders of both Mongolia and China. It makes up about 77% of Russia's territory (13.1 million square kilometres), but only 26% of Russia's population (43.3 million people).

Day 7
Irkutzk
Today the train reaches Irkutsk, capital of Eastern Siberia. During a city tour you will see the new statue of Alexander III, the former Tran Siberian Obelisk and lots of picturesque Siberian houses. After lunch, you will have an excursion to the open air museum "Life and Work in the Time of the Tsars", which presents the region’s history in a clear and vivid manner. A taiga dinner in a Siberian forest restaurant is the excursion’s romantic finale. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). Spend the night at an Irkutsk hotel, best available standards. Irkutsk is one of the largest cities in Siberia and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, situated 5,185 kilometers by rail from Moscow. In the early nineteenth century, many Russian artists, officers and nobles were sent into exile to Siberia for their part in the Decembrist revolt against Tsar Nicholas I. Irkutsk became the major center of intellectual and social life for these exiles, and much of the city's cultural heritage comes from them; also, many of their wooden houses, adorned with ornate, hand-carved decorations, survive today in stark contrast with the standard Soviet apartment buildings that surround them.

Day 8
Lake Baikal
Today you will visit a Siberian village by vehicle, (shared)directly located at Lake Baikal, the largest reservoir of freshwater in the world. A boat takes you across the deep waters to Port Baikal, where your special train awaits you. The Tsar’s Gold rolls on tracks closed to public transport otherwise, taking you directly along the shore of Lake Baikal for several hours. At a particularly beautiful location your train makes a long stop to give you a good opportunity to enjoy the majestic peace of this unique natural wonder. Dinner is served in typical local style as a picnic on the shores of the lake (weather permitting). Enjoy a picnic lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. Lake Baikal is in Southern Siberia in Russia, located between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, near the city of Irkutsk. It is also known as the "Blue Eye of Siberia". It contains more water than all the North American Great Lakes combined. At 1,637 meters (5,371 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world, and the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume. Like Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed in an ancient rift valley and therefore is long and crescent-shaped with a surface area (31,494 km²), less than that of Lake Superior or Lake Victoria. Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. At more than 25 million years old, it is the oldest lake in the world. A Russian mini-submarine attempting to set a record for the deepest freshwater dive on July 29, 2008 was originally reported as being successful, but a correction later emerged that reported the MIR I failed to do so, reaching a depth of only 1,580 meters.

Day 9
Ulan Ude
This day will take you along a different part of the shore of the mystical Lake Baikal, and then onwards through the wild and lonely mountain steppes of Eastern Siberia. On the way to the Mongolian border the train will stop in Ulan Ude, where you attend the city tour. The perfect finish of this day will be tonight’s convivial dinner. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Tsar’s Gold will travel onward to the Mongolian border with your special train. The formalities while crossing the Mongolian border are handled in the comfort of your compartment. Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. Ulan-Ude is the capital city of the Buryat Republic, Russia, is located about 100 km south-east of Lake Baikal on the Uda River at its confluence with the Selenga. According to the 2002 Census, 359,391 residents lived in Ulan-Ude, and it is the third largest city in eastern Siberia.

Day 10
Ulaan Bataar
In the morning you arrive in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. You can leave your large luggage in the security of the train. In the course of a city tour you will see the impressive Buddhist Gandan Monastery, the open air railway museum and the Lama Museum. Beer gardens are very popular in Mongolia – in the evening, your tour guides can show you the best one in the city. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). You will spend the night in a good, centrally located medium-class hotel in Ulan Bator. The Ulaanbaatar Hotel is favorably located in the heart of Ulaanbaatar. Perfect for sightseers as, in close proximity to the hotel, there is Sukhbaatar Square with Goverment buildings, National University of Mongolia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ulaan Bataar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia. The city is an independent municipality not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is just over 1 million. Located in the north central part of the country, the city lies at an elevation of about 1,310 metres (4,300 ft) in a valley on the Tuul River. It is the cultural, industrial, and financial heart of the country. It is also the center of Mongolia's road network, and connected by rail to the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Chinese railroad network. The city was founded in 1639 as an initially nomadic Buddhist monastic centre. Since 1778 it has been located in the Tuul river valley. In the 20th century, Ulaanbaatar grew into a major manufacturing centre.

Day 11
Ulaan Bataar - Gobi desert
Today you attend a tour to Mongolian Switzerland, a must for everyone who loves nature. After breakfast, a bus trip reveals the beautiful countryside, where your lunch venue will be situated within the typical tent settlements of nomadic herdsmen, among herds of horses and shaggy yaks (wild Tibetan cattle). A Mongolian horseback riding show will be performed. Enjoy a picnic lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). The Trans-Siberian railway is one of world’s safest modes of travel. It is safe, clean and maintained to the highest standards. There are 3 compartments categories, and a shower on board. In category I and II cars, you can raise the lower bunk beds; there is more storage space for luggage in a metal compartment underneath. You can put your valuables in here and sleep well knowing they are safe. In many of the cars you can widen the lower beds by a few centimetres. Your car conductor will be happy to assist you. All compartments have a dial for announcements on the on-board intercom. You can walk through the entire train. The view from the very last car is especially interesting. Even the luggage compartment is available for viewing. The train has a maximum length of 21 cars, a restaurant and a luggage car. All meals are included in the journey, as well as special activites and features as specified in the tour itinerary. The Gobi, "gravel-covered plain" is the largest desert region in Asia. It covers parts of northern and northwestern China, and of southern Mongolia. The desert basins of the Gobi are bounded by the Altai Mountains and the grasslands and steppes of Mongolia on the north, by the Tibetan Plateau to the southwest, and by the North China Plain to the southeast. The Gobi is made up of several distinct ecological and geographic regions based on variations in climate and topography. This desert is the fifth largest in the world. The Gobi is most notable in history as part of the great Mongol Empire, and as the location of several important cities along the Silk Road.The Gobi is a rain shadow desert formed by the Himalaya range blocking rain-carrying clouds from reaching the Gobi.

Day 12
Gobi desert
In the early morning your train halts in the middle of the Gobi Desert, some time ago one of the favourite settlements of dinosaurs. Towards noontime, you reach the Chinese border, where your Chinese special train is ready for departure. Due to unequal track gauge, the Russian special train cannot be used any more from here on. The Chinese train, reaching Beijing approximately 16 hours later, has no nostalgic coaches, but is furnished in a modern and practical manner. Accomodation in compartments with either two or four beds. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). "Tsar’s Gold" will travel onward to the Chinese border with your special train. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Tsar's Gold Train (4*).

Day 13
Beijing
Enjoy the outskirts of Beijing, observing the impressive scenes of Chinese rural life from your compartment window. Enjoy a transfer to/from train station with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Discover the wonders of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Temple of heaven with deluxe lunch on a half day private guided tour. Tiananmen Square was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and was the front door of the Forbidden City. The present square stretches over a vast 440,000 square meters and features Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People and Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings across 74 hectares, surrounded by a six meter deep moat and ten meter wall, and is divided into two parts. The Outer Court was where the Emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Fourteen emperors of the Ming dynasty and ten Emperors of the Qing dynasty reigned here until 1924. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). The Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing is a modern oasis, right in the heart of Beijing's bustling cultural, commercial, business and entertainment center. With its superb location, spacious facilities and personalized service, the Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing is the ideal choice for both business and leisure guests. All guestrooms feature Western décor, earth tone colors, dark wood-edge finishes, and are furnished with lounge chairs in sandstone colors, wooden desks, TV cabinets, and climate-controlled air-conditioning. The fitness center features panoramic views of the city and has a sauna, steam room, and massage facilities. Beijing is China's foremost city and capital for twenty four successive emperors. Some of the major sights include: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall and Summer Palace. The complete range of chinese cuisine can be found in the capital, and evening entertainment is superb.

Day 14
Beijing
Enjoy a full day private guided tour with lunch at the Great Wall at MuTianYu located 45 miles northeast of Beijing. This section winds along lofty, cragged mountains for 1.4 miles. Construction was started in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 577) and was restored in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Built mainly from granite with 8m walls and 5m wide at the top, it is notable for its 22 watchtowers. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Park Plaza (Wangfujing).

Day 15
Beijing
Take a private airport transfer by private car with an English-speaking guide. Depart from Beijing International airport - end of itinerary.