THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY

19 days at GBP2,929 including flights

Tripcode: ARS

Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Moscow.
Day 2: Explore Moscow by metro including Red Square, St Basil's and the Kremlin (including entry to the Armoury); boat cruise on the Moskva River.
Day 3: Visit Lenin's Mausoleum and Tretyakov Art Gallery; free afternoon; board evening train to Irkutsk.
Day 4 - 6: On board train.
Day 7: Arrive Irkutsk in Siberia, once known as the 'Paris of the East'; to homestay near the shores of magnificent Lake Baikal.
Day 8: Boat transfer along the coast; walk through Siberian taiga and along the shore; afternoon free, overnight in traditional Siberian accommodation.
Day 9: Boat trip with picnic; option of a Russian banya (sauna) in the evening.
Day 10: Return to Irkutsk; city tour; board train for Mongolia.
Day 11: All day and night on train.
Day 12: Arrive Ulaan Baatar; transfer to Ger Camp; overnight in traditional nomad dwelling.
Day 13: Day free for walking, swimming or visiting nomads (all optional).
Day 14: Return to Ulaan Baatar; city tour; afternoon free, optional evening throat-singing concert.
Day 15: Board train to Beijing.
Day 16: Arrive Beijing.
Day 17 - 18: Two full days of sightseeing in and around China's capital, including the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall.
Day 19: Fly to London.