Gems of Russia. Moscow & St Petersburg

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1 Gems of Russia Moscow & St Petersburg With a rich and tumultuous history, the land of the Tsars is a fascinating place to explore. Our tour includes a visit to Russia s two great cities and are perfect from where to explore the country s rich and diverse cultural and historical heritage. Moscow is now the epicentre of the new Russia - wander through legendary Red Square & iconic St Basil's Cathedral, head underground to a Soviet-era bunker and take a ride on the Moscow Metro St Petersburg is a beautiful and thriving city. Admire the impressive art collection at the famous Hermitage Museum, stroll along Nevksy Prospekt and discover beautiful churches and cathedrals in St Petersburg. Itinerary Day 1 3 July - Arrival Moscow Arrive into Moscow the capital of Russia and proceed to your hotel in the city and check-in first. We will provide complimentary airport transfers at these times: Flights arriving at approx 1400 hours Flights arriving at approx 1700 hours For any other timing, an additional cost of apprx Rs 2500 per person for a private transfer will be applicable (minimum 2 people) Freshen up and enjoy rest of the afternoon at leisure.

2 Early this evening enjoy a delicious Indian dinner at a restaurant. Tonight, you will have the opportunity to see one of the oldest circuses in Russia! Overnight in Moscow at Hotel Mercure Arbat or similar. Day 2 4 July - Moscow Sightseeing tour First thing this morning we will make our way to the legendary Red Square. As the historical, political and social heart of Moscow, this famous square is home to some of the city s most recognisable landmarks. Within the Red Square we will find the iconic domes of St Basil s Cathedral, the imposing red brick walls of the Kremlin and the glitzy Neo-Russian facade of the GUM shopping mall. Your tour includes a guided inside the grounds tour of the Kremlin. Highlights include the Assumption Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell Tower and monumental Tsar Bell. Also in Red Square, housed within a red and black marble building, is Lenin's Mausoleum. If open, we can enter the mausoleum free of charge and pay our respects to the grandfather of Communism whose embalmed body has lain in state here since his death. Lunch will be on your own. The afternoon is at leisure for you to explore Moscow on your own or do some local shopping at Izmailovski flea market Tonight, enjoy a delicious local dinner at a restaurant. Overnight in Moscow. Day 3 5 July - Moscow Metro tour After breakfast, we depart for the Soviet Union Tour via the Russian Metro. Famous for being the most beautiful metro system in the world, each metro station has a story to tell. An entirely different design for each station, the Russian metro is a sight for sore eyes with the statues and chandeliers that line the ceilings! On the way, you will stop at a few metro stations to learn about the history of each station and appreciate the marble floors, mosaic, and stain glass work that makes these metro stations so tasteful and elegant. While some stations look like palaces, others look like picture galleries. We will then spend some time on Arbat Street, a pedestrian street about one kilometre long in the historical centre of Moscow. The Arbat has existed since at least the 15th century, which makes it one of the oldest surviving streets of the Russian capital. Originally the street formed part of an important trade-route and was home to a large number of craftsmen. Because of the many historic buildings, and due to the numerous artists who have lived and worked in the street, the Arbat has also become an important tourist attraction. At the All Russia Exhibition Centre, you will get to see the fabulous architecture of the Stalin era, learn about the history of some of Russia s most famous leaders, and learn about the victims of the Red Terror. Lastly, we do a 1 hour river cruise so you can enjoy the sights of this city from your boat. Overnight in Moscow. Day 4 6 July - Moscow to St Petersburg; Afternoon Peterhof tour This morning, we leave for St Petersburg by the Sapsan train arriving by lunch time. (Approx timings Dep 0930 Arr 1320)

3 Post lunch, Explore UNESCO-listed Peterhof, magnificent and incredible Grand Fontaine Complex, which has been conceived by Russian Tsar Peter the Great as "Russian Versailles". As you travel, see astonishing gardens and fabulous fountains that inspired so many of masterpieces. Start your private excursion from the Special Storeroom, amazing historical and architectural monument of centuries. Admire the personal things of Russian Tsars, which have been kept by Peterhof's caretakers for a long time. You can see the personal jacket of Peter the Great and imagine how tall he was, see about 800 exponents of precious materials - gold, silver and gems, and admire fabulous royal jewellery, created by Faberge jewellery factory and presented to the Royal Yard. Next, visit the astonishing Grand Fountain Complex. At the centre stands Rastrelli's spectacular statue of Samson wrestling the jaws of a lion. Hundreds of fountains, ornamental patterns of parterres, golden statues are real masterpieces that impress everybody who comes there. Have a rest under the ancient trees, feel unforgettable smell of roses and admire amazing gardening art of the best Russian gardeners. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant. Overnight in St Petersburg at Hotel Crowne Plaza Ligovskiy or similar. Day 5 7 July - St Petersburg sightseeing Morning - During the comprehensive tour you will see all the main highlights of St Petersburg: Winter Palace, Nevsky Prospect, Kazan Cathedral, Stroganov Palace, Admiralty, Palace Square, Peter and Paul Fortress, Naval Museum, St. Petersburg University, Menshikov Palace, Academy of Fine Arts, Senate Square, monument to Peter the Great (the Bronze Horseman), Isaac's Square, Mariinsky Palace, monument to Nicolas II, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Palace Embankment, Marsovo Fields, Summer Gardens, Alexandrinsky Theatre, Rastrelly Square, Smolny Cathedral, Anichkov Palace, monument to Catherine the Great, Square of Arts, State Russian Museum, Koniushennaya Square as well as the numerous canals and rivers, beautiful bridges crossing them. Your guide will tell you the story of the city, the events that have left their scars, together with anecdotes about its strange, friendly and colourful inhabitants, and answer any questions you may have about this most fascinating of cities. Thereafter enjoy a visit to the Saviour-on-Blood Church. You will also have time to spend at Nevsky Prospect, the most famous street in Russia. It was planned by Peter the Great as beginning of the road to Novgorod and Moscow. It is an extravagant looking street with department stores and shopping centres. After lunch you will be taken on a guided excursion to the largest museums of Russia and one of the richest museums of the world the Hermitage museum. Founded by Catherine the Great, the Museum occupies 5 buildings and has among the other a famous collection of Western European Art that includes paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Rubens, Van Dyke and French Impressionists. Overnight in St Petersburg Day 6 8 July - St. Petersburg: Excursion to Pushkin After breakfast depart for an excursion to Pushkin to visit Catherine s Palace with the famous Amber Room. Catherine s Palace was founded in 1718 as a summer residence of Russian empresses. It was reconstructed several times in the XVIII XIX centuries and now we can see interiors in baroque, classical and rococo styles. Delight in magical St Petersburg on a sightseeing cruise along the Neva River. You will pass the Peter and Paul Fortress; glide beneath some of the city s beautiful bridges; and pass elegant landmarks such as the Summer Garden and Mariinsky Theatre as you learn their history. Our final stop of the day is a visit to the Vodka Museum. Here you will enjoy a tour explaining the history of vodka in Russia, followed by a tasting session in the museum bar!

4 Overnight in St Petersburg Day 7 9 July - Departure from St Petersburg This morning, after breakfast, the transfer to the airport will be arranged for you. We will provide complimentary airport transfers at these times: Flights departing at approx 0600 hours Flights departing at approx 1700 hours For any other timing, an additional cost of apprx Rs 2500 per person for a private transfer will be applicable (minimum 2 people) *** Return home with wonderful memories of your holiday *** Price per person on a twin-sharing basis: INR 1,18,900 Single supplement: INR 45,800 Price Includes: Accommodation as per the itinerary in 4 star hotels for 6 nights Daily Breakfast Daily Dinner (meals will be a mix of local and Indian. Vegetarian meals will be provided) Airport transfers in Moscow and St Petersburg (as per the timings specified) Train ticket for high-speed train Sapsan from Moscow to St Petersburg (2nd class) Station transfers Transportation services in an air-conditioned vehicle as per itinerary with qualified English speaking guide. Tours & Entrance fees as per the itinerary Service of an Odyssey Tour Escort from Moscow to St Petersburg Price excludes Air ticket to Moscow and from St Petersburg Airport Taxes Meals and Sightseeing not mentioned in the itinerary Porterage Gratuities Visa for Russia Overseas Medical Insurance policy Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, telephone expenses, room service, alcoholic beverages, etc. Any other services not specified in the itinerary Notes: Standard check in at hotels is at 14h00 onwards. Where necessary we will request an early check-in however, this is not guaranteed. The same applies to check out, which is at 12h00. Rates subject to change without prior notice due to circumstances beyond our control e.g. fuel increases, rate of exchange fluctuations. Please note that your passport should be valid for more than 6 months beyond the date of travel and that you must have at least 2 blank pages on your passport. Please contact us if you would like to book pre-tour accommodation in Moscow or post tour accommodation in St Petersburg. ROE calculated at 1 USD = Rs 68. Any fluctuations at the time of payment will alter the cost Price based on a minimum of 14 people travelling together

5 Map of Russia Terms & Conditions BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS 1. A deposit of Rs 10,000 per person will be payable by 31 st March If paying by cheque, please make the cheque payable to Odyssey Tours & Travels. 2. At the time of making the booking, please send a copy of the first page of your passport 3. Balance payment is to be made by 3 rd May All rates are subject to a revision if there is a fluctuation in the currency rates. CANCELLATION & REFUNDS 1. Should you be forced to amend / cancel the booking you must fill and sign the amendment / cancellation advice, which will entail cancelling your particular reservation, thereby the cancellation charges will apply. Should you wish to cancel any part of a confirmed booking / reservation all such cancellations must be advised in writing. Given below is the cancellation policy. 2. Payment of the booking deposit constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions. 3. Cancellation of a reservation due to any visa being rejected will amount to cancellation charges being levied as per the scale mentioned below and Odyssey Tours & Travels will not be responsible for any visa rejection by the respective consulates. 4. Cancellation of any reservations are subject to the following conditions: a. Cancellations effected more than 45 days prior will attract a service fee of Rs 5000 pp. b. Cancellation from 45 to 34 days prior to arrival is charged 35% for all booked rooms/nights. c. Cancellation from 34 to 21 days prior to arrival is charged 65% for all booked rooms/nights. d. Cancellation from 21 days prior to arrival is charged 100% for all booked rooms/nights. e. No refund will be due after commencement of travel 5. Refunds due can take up to 5 weeks to process.