Day 1 -  Welcome to Vladivostok

Arrive in Vladivostok in the morning. The afternoon offers a guided bus tour of the city, including the Submarine Museum, with fantastic views over Vladivostok from Eagle's Nest Hill.

Overnight: Versailles Best Eastern (or similar). Meals included: Lunch (L) and dinner (D).

Day 2 - Vladivostok and start of your Trans-Siberian adventure

In the morning, there’s a visit to the Oceanarium, where you’ll learn all about the Pacific’s amazingly varied sea life. There’s a boat excursion around Russia’s largest Pacific port before boarding your group’s private train carriage for the start of your Trans-Siberian adventure. Overnight on board (breakfast (B), lunch (L) and dinner (D)).

Day 3 - Khabarovsk, on the Amur River

Today, we arrive in Khabarovsk. A guided bus tour of the city takes in the Regional Museum and the bluff overlooking the Amur River with its sweeping, sandy beaches. Overnight: Parus Best Eastern (or similar) (BLD).

Days 4 and day 5 - Across Siberia

Your journey continues west, crossing the Amur River over one of Russia’s longest bridges. Along the way, you’ll pass the town of Svobodny (once home to a Gulag prison camp) and the junction with the Baikal-Amur Mainline and the Trans-Manchurian Railroad in Chita. 2 overnights on board (2x BLD).

Day 6 - Ulan-Ude

Arriving in Ulan-Ude in the morning, there’s an informative city tour followed by a visit to a Buddhist temple close to Ulan-Ude. In the evening, continue on towards Irkutsk. Overnight on board (BLD).

Day 7 - Lake Baikal

Arriving in Irkutsk in the morning, you’ll be driven to Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater reservoir and a truly awesome natural phenomenon. There’s a short boat excursion out onto the lake, and you can go for a swim and visit the picturesque village of Listvyanka. If the weather allows, dinner takes the form of a Baikal-style picnic on the lakeshore amid incredible natural surroundings. Overnight: Hotel Mayak (or similar) (BLD).

Day 8 - Irkutsk

In the morning, we visit an open-air museum of life and work in historical Siberia. Then, it’s time to head off to Irkutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia in tsarist times. Your city tour takes in the Okhlopkov Drama Theatre, the new memorial to Tsar Alexander III and the photogenic market hall. In the evening, it’s time to board your train for Novosibirsk. Overnight on board (BLD).

Day 9 - Across Siberia

In the late afternoon, your train pulls into Novosibirsk, Siberia’s largest city. There’s time to enjoy a fascinating tour of this most Soviet of cities, including views of the mighty Ob River. Overnight: Azimut Hotel (or similar) (BLD).

Day 10 - Novosibirsk

Today’s brief city tour includes the market and opera house. Then, in the afternoon, it’s time to get back on the train to continue your journey. Overnight on board (BLD).

Day 11 - Yekaterinburg

Your train stops in the afternoon in Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Ural Federal District, where Tsar Nicholas II and his family were murdered in 1918. Yekaterinburg stands on the border between Europe and Asia, and you’ll visit the obelisk that marks the boundary. Back on board, enjoy amazing views of the Urals as you head deeper into Europe. Overnight on board (BLD).

Day 12 - Kazan

After breakfast, our train reaches Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, on the banks of the mighty Volga. Your city tour includes Tatar mosques and Russia’s most famous Orthodox cathedral. There’s also a tour of Kazan’s Kremlin, where you’ll learn all about the turbulent history of the Tatars, Cossacks and Russians. We round off our day with lunch in a city restaurant. Overnight on board (BLD).

Day 13 - Welcome to Moscow

In the late morning, we reach Russia’s capital, Moscow, a thriving, prosperous city, where you’ll check into your hotel. Around noon, we visit the Kremlin grounds and their magnificent cathedral, with the opportunity to see inside some of the amazing buildings that make up the Kremlin complex. After dinner, it’s time to discover Moscow’s magic during a one-hour City of Lights tour, which includes a stop at Red Square and a ride on the underground to view two of Moscow’s most beautiful metro stations. Overnight: InterContinental Tverskaya (or similar) (BLD).

Day 14 - Tour of Moscow and flight home

After a hearty breakfast at your hotel, your tour of the city takes in such amazing sights as the reconstructed Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Lomonosov University, the Novodevichy Convent, Red Square with its colorful St Basil’s Cathedral, the former KGB headquarters and the White House. This marks the end of an unforgettable journey. We’ll take you to the airport and see you safely on your way back home. (B).