Monkeyshrine Trans-Siberian Adventures Train Travel and Destination Specialists An introduction to our tours and destinations 2017
Contents INTRODUCTION TO OUR TOURS 2 - Contents and Contacts 3 - The Trains and Train Class 4 - photo Soviet Locomotive 5 - About Us and How to Book 6 - photo loco wheels 7 - Introduction to Our Tours and How to Book 8 - Destinations and Route Map 9 - Which Season to Travel and Travel Directions DESTINATIONS 10 - Introducing Irkutsk Lake Baikal 11 - photo off-roading, Russian style 12 - The Open Steppe of Mongolia and Gobi Desert 13 - photo Mongolian Nomads 14 - An extract from Everything Flows by Vasily Grossman 15 - Vladivostok 15 - Ulan Ude and Buryat Culture Registered Office China Commercial International Travel Service (Beijing Xindong Lu) Room 202, Building 2, 27 Bei San Li Community, East Courtyard, Chaoyang District, 100027, Beijing Tel: +86 139 1008 1882 www.monkeyshrine.com Members of the China National Tourism Administration Fully licensed bonded member Licence: B200112 Travel Agency Liability Insurance 16 - Krasnoyarsk and Tayshet BAM Line 17 - Ekaterinburg and Kazan 18 - Moscow and St Petersburg 19 - photo Ulan Ude Datsan 2 Traditional script in Dazhao Temple, Hohhot info fo@m onkeys hrin e.com www. w.mo nkey eysh shri ne.com
I enjoyed the trip very much, everybody should do that once in their life! The trains I took were very comfortable and clean! I was really impressed by that. Thanks again for your help organising the trip! Tihana Majcen, November 2010 The Trains There is not one specific Trans-Siberian Train and you will travel on a number of different trains on your trip, run by the national operator in the country you pass through, unless you travel on one of our private rail tours, which is a fully escorted luxury trip (read more on p 7). All international trains maintain high standards. Clean bedding is provided on all trains and there is nearly always a dining-car on board preparing local cuisine. Depending which tour you book and how often you stop along the way, each train segment will last one, two or three nights. Or up to six nights if you make the entire journey without stopping - something we do not recommend. It is a social journey and an ideal environment to meet fellow travellers as well as locals, who use the train for business, or to return home. Children especially enjoy running the corridors and meeting like minded energetic new friends! Train Class There are a number of classes on the train, most common is standard Second Class with four berth cabins and nine cabins in each carriage. There are communal toilets with wash-basin at both ends of each carriage. Second class tends to be very social with cabin doors left open during the day and people chatting in the corridors. There is limited availability of First Class carriages, where cabins have just two berths, ideal if you are travelling as a couple on a train journey of two or three nights. Some carriages have their own ensuite bathroom, and this is an option on our private rail tours. Mongolian railways insignia 3
Soviet era locomotive It really was the trip of a lifetime. This was the best thing we ve ever done. We were dubious about booking a package, but it didn t feel like one. Barclay Mullins, April 2008 4
About Us Specialising in railway and destination tours through Russia and Mongolia, we are happy to customise your Trans-Siberian adventure. Begin your trip in Beijing, Moscow or Vladivostok - travel the entire Trans-Siberian or Trans-Mongolian route, or depart from Beijing on a round-trip circuit through Mongolia and Siberia. Whatever your travel style, time frame or budget, we help to plan your next adventure. Operating since 1988, Monkeyshrine is the most experienced operator specialising solely in Trans-Siberian train trips and tours. We pioneered an online Trans-Siberian website for travellers in April 1997. Despite our prominence in the field, we still remain a small company with just a handful of loyal staff, all of whom have first hand experience of the Trans-Siberian train trips and local specialist knowledge. We have sales staff in Hong Kong and at various locations in cyber space, plus local partners across Russia as well as guides and agents in each city you may wish to stop. Apart from Trans-Siberian Railway tours we can also arrange Silk Road tours and destination tours in China, Mongolia and Russia. We have registered offices in Hong Kong and in Beijing. Monkeyshrine is the trading name of Moonsky Star Ltd., Hong Kong. In China we operate under licence of China Commercial International Travel Service - Beijing Xindong Lu Branch Office. How To Book Planning a Trans-Siberian tour isn t easy to organise: working out complex train schedules, deciding We also have a great range of Asia only trips including Silk Road tours, ideal if you ve previously how long to stay in each place, booking hotel visited Russia on one of our train journeys. accommodation and guides, then working out dates, discussing all this with friends, then applying for tricky visas. We do most of that for you! This brochure is a great place to start. Decide on which tour type; most popular are our POLNY Small group packages. Or our Private luxury tours. Travel light on our OSNOVA Basic no frills trips. If you want to expand or change To start off, you need to decide in which direction anything, we create your Semi independent tour. to travel, from Beijing to Moscow, or from Moscow to Beijing. There is also the option to travel to or from Vladivostok, or to fly into any city along the route. Next, choose a date of departure, then contact us and we ll do the rest. We ll email you a quote, explain how to apply for your visas and of course how to make payment. Then all that s left is to Then decide which destinations you would like pack, and we ll help you there too! We will provide to visit along the way - this brochure is a big help an indispensable Infopack, advising what to take, introducing our most popular places. where to find the best restaurants and lots of info@monkeyshrine.com www. w.monkeyshrine.com background info on the Trans-Siberian... 5
6 loco wheels info@monkeyshrine.com www.monkeyshrine.com
Our Tours POLNY - Fixed date, small group tours Combine the best stop-overs with local guides, well designed tours with special attention to detail, comfortable accommodation and hotels. Polny [полный] is a Russian word which means complete, full, total, entire, overall, absolute. Polny packages include all train tickets in second class with the option to upgrade to first class twoberth cabins on most journeys. Organised stop-over programs with English speaking guide services, 3* standard accommodation and all transfers. The most popular Polny tours cover 14 to 21 days and include tours on the Open Steppe of Mongolia, to the shore of Lake Baikal, staying in a traditional wooden home, and excursions through the heart of Siberia, taking in Krasnoyarsk and the Ural Mountains around Ekaterinburg, as well as in Beijing and Moscow. All our tours have an optional extension to St Petersburg. Learn more about these destinations throughout this brochure. OSNOVA - Basic trips, without the frills. Osnova [основа] is a Russian word meaning basis, base, framework, foundation. Osnova trips are perfect for those travelling on a limited budget or with time restrictions. We have a range of basic trips that include budget accommodation, arrival transfers and introductory tours. You will travel independently while minimising the logistical headaches, saving you time and providing more flexibility at the stop-overs. VELIKIY- Luxury private train cruise Departing on fixed-dates throughout the year, we offer a range of fully guided private train trips through Russia, Mongolia and the Silk road. Experience the classic Trans-Siberian from Vladivostok to Moscow, or the Trans-Mongolian route, taking in the annual Mongolian Naadam festival in July, or our very special Silk Route journeys. We even offer a special winter trip to the Arctic Circle. These private train tours are a fabulous way to combine the nostalgia and romanticism of travelling by train with the added comfort of a fully escorted and private cruise rail experience. Travelling in luxury cabins that offer various levels of class and comfort, you enjoy first class service and in-depth tour programmes bought to you by friendly and professional guides throughout your journey. See our separate brochure dedicated to our private train tours. CUSTOM - Bespoke tours and itineraries Do you have a specific plan? We can help build your personal itinerary. Our trips can be as flexible as the train schedules and we ll use our 28 years of experience to work out your perfect itinerary! For larger groups, we can book special private carriages of a much higher class than normal adding a sense of grandeur to your adventures. You always have the option to add on St Petersburg as well as tours in China to your Trans-Siberian journey. info@monkeyshrine. i e.co com www. w. monk nkey sh ri ne.com 7
U als Urals www.monkeyshrine.co com RUSSIA www.monkeyshrine.com B aikal MONGOLIA Gobi Routes and Tours Destinations www.monkeyshrine.com CHINA From Capital cities to deserts and lakes Apart from travelling more than 7,000 kms and crossing three countries a Trans-Siberian train journey is more than traversing from Asia to Europe. It is about stopping off along the way and exploring amazing geography, meeting unique cultures and speaking new languages. A land conquered by Genghis Khan, controlled by the Soviets and steeped in history, you can still find complete isolation. 8 info@monkeyshrine.com www.monkeyshrine.com
When to Travel Our trips run year round with seasonal options Think of Siberia and you think of snow. Because of this it is perhaps the most authentic time to travel, with fewer tourists, a winter wonderland snowscape, some great activities such as cycling on frozen Lake Baikal - albeit in cold temperatures! A winter trip isn t for everyone and summer is the most popular time to travel, when the region is basked in warm sun, fresh air and enjoyable countryside pursuits, such as horse riding on the Mongolian Steppe, hiking around Lake Baikal and rafting in the Ural Mountains. In Spring, the countryside and people are waking up from a long winter and you can positively feel eyes opening, all living things smile, trees and flowers stretch in the warmth as days become longer. In the fall of Autumn, the colours of the whole region, especially Siberia, are magnificent and the light is superb, although it can already be cold at night. Not all of the tours run year round, for example the Gobi Desert is in hibernation from October to May. Winter tours such as dog sledging in Ekaterinburg operate after the first snows, usually around mid November until early March. Horse riding in Mongolia, while available all the year, may not be possible in the harsh winter when the animals need to conserve their energy. Travel Direction -Start in Beijing or Moscow -Mongolia and Siberia Circuit -Start in Vladivostok Destinations Beijing - Gobi - Mongolian Steppe - Ulaanbaatar Vladivostok - Ulan-Ude - Irkutsk - Lake Baikal Tayshet - BAM - Krasnoyarsk - Ekaterinburg Kazan - Moscow - Golden Ring - St Petersburg info fo@m onke ys hr ine. e.co com ww w. monk eysh shri rine ne.c.com 9
Irkutsk and Lake Baikal Listvyanka Listvyanka is on the shore of Lake Baikal and is the nearest access point to Lake Baikal from Irkutsk. The village is built in the traditional wooden style with a range of accommodations, from a delightful homestay with a Siberian family, to less intrusive chalet hotel on the shore of Lake Baikal with individual wooden rooms. There is a good museum, plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants - making it a good place to stop for a short time to learn about the history of Lake Baikal. There are also tourist based activities available, such as hiking, trips along the Circum Baikal Railway line, or dog sledging in winter. Bolshoe Goloustnoe Bolshoe Goloustnoe is a very small traditional village which has little tourism development and maintains a local feel, helped by the greater distance from Irkutsk. A lovely area to experience the quiet, daily routine of a typical and traditional Siberian family. You will stay in wooden lodges in a Siberian family home and eat meals with the family, with much of the produce coming from the garden. Wonderful hiking opportunities along the shore of this undeveloped part of Lake Baikal. Irkutsk A cross between Western Russia and Siberia, Burytia and Mongolia, the city is growing but it is the older part of the centre where you will explore, with it s lovely Siberian wooden architecture and amazing history of fires and rebuilding. Irkutsk is an important staging post along the Trans-Siberian Railway and many of the buildings are testament to the importance the railway played in developing this city. Olkhon Island Olkhon Island is 300 km from Irkutsk and home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the region. It is unique as it has three different climate zones of steppe, forest and desert and you can experience all of this and gain a closer insight into the Buryat religion wish is still worshipped avidly on the island. Accommodation is in simple wooden homestays in the main village with daily excursions to visit the different geographical areas. We want to especially recommend our home stay in Listvyanka. Soft beds, warm showers and Olga made us the most delicious food. Karien Vandermerwe, Dec 2013 10 info @m on keys hr ine. co m www. w.mo monk eysh shri rine.com
off-roading, Russian style, at Lake Baikal info@monkeyshrine.com www.monkeyshrine.com 11
Mongolia Terelj National Park Perhaps the most well known, largely to it s proximity to the capital, this park is still a top attraction of Mongolia, where the Tol river valley intersects the open steppe with a backdrop of the cliffs of the Terelj area. A host of comfortable ger lodges and excellent hikes, natural scenery and an opportunity to experience the genuine nomadic lifestyle without travelling far from Ulaanbaatar, ideal for one or two night stops. The Gobi Desert To avoid backing tracking in Mongolia, we arrange trips in the Gobi Desert starting from Sainshand, which is a small town with a railway station just inside the Mongolian border. You are on the edge of the Gobi desert with rocky outcrops, sand dunes, desolate views and local nomadic families herding camels. There are some important Buddhist temples close to Sainshand which are being redeveloped after years of neglect. Open Steppe at Gun-Galuut The ger camp in the Gun-Galuut area on the open steppe is about 120km east of Ulaanbaatar. On the way we visit the impressive Genghis Khan monument. The location of the camp is ideal for excursions and activities: kayaking on the Tuul River, hiking, or visiting a local nomadic family. Horse riding can be arranged with the local herdsman, while the camp has many sporting facilities for rent (mountain bikes, tennis) and has a volleyball and basketball court. It is a very relaxing time and your guide will introduce Mongolian culture and you will experience the way of life of local Nomadic families. Traditional Mongolian and Western meals are served in the restaurant and modern shower facilities add to the comfort of the nomadic living. Karakorum Jeep Trek Karakorum is around 370km south-west of Ulaanbaatar and was Ghenghis Khan s dream as the capital of his empire. But the city was never completed in his lifetime and was abandoned and helped to crumble by Manchurian invaders. There is now little left of its former glory, except the beautiful landscape, the lovely journey to reach Karakorum and Erdene Zhu monastery, built from the sacked city. Hustai National Park Hustai national park lies in the foothills of the Khenti mountain range south west of Ulaanbaatar. The park has never been permanently settled or used for agriculture. It is an important breeding centre for the Takhi horse re-introduction programme with the aim of establishing a viable, self sustaining population of Takhi, perhaps the last truly wild horse. It s brilliant. Rode on the plains today and it was awesome! We are so glad to be returning home this way, it really has made a difference to the end of our Chinese 2 years Hillary Stockwell, August 2010 Our guide Khirlie was wonderful. The Gobi part of the trip was one of our favourites, and the experience was wonderful Matt Caldwell, August 2010 12 info@m onke keys hrin ine. e.co com www. w.mo nkeysh shri rine ne.c om
Mongolian nomads info@monkeyshrine.com www.monkeyshrine.com 13
An extract from 'Everything Flows' by Vasily Grossman The Khabarovsk express was due to arrive in Moscow by 9 a.m. A young man in pyjamas scratched his shaggy head and looked out of the window into the half-light of the autumn morning. He yawned, turned to the people standing in the corridor with their soap boxes and towels and said, 'Well, citizens, who's last in line?' Last in the queue, he was told, was a plump woman who had gone away for a moment. She was behind a man with a twisted tube of toothpaste and a piece of soap plastered with bits of newspaper. He himself would be behind this woman. 'Why's there only one washroom open?' said the young man. 'We'll soon be arriving in the capital - and the conductor's only concern is the circulation of goods; they're just thinking about their private deals and the packages they've been asked to deliver. What do they care about their duties to the passengers?' A few minutes later, a stout woman in a dressing gown appeared, and the young man said to her, 'Citizen, I'm next after you. But I've had enough of hanging about in the corridor - I'm going to go and sit down.' Back in his compartment the young man opened an orange suitcase and began to admire his belongings. One of his three fellow travellers was snoring; the back of his head was broad and bulbous. A second - pink-complexioned, young-looking, but bald - was going through the papers in his briefcase. The third, a thin old man, was sitting and looking out Addressing the pink-faced man, the young man book? I need to pack it now.' What he really wanted was for his travelling companion to admire his suitcase. In it were some viscose shirts, A Brief Philosophical Dictionary, a pair of swimming trunks and sunglasses with white frames. In one corner, covered by some local newspaper or other, lay some grey village-baked shortbreads. The pink-faced man answered, 'Here you are - Eugenie Grandet. I realised I'd read it last year, when I was on holiday.' 'It's a powerful piece of writing, there's no denying it,' said the young man. And he packed the book away in his suitcase... First published in the journal Oktyabr in Moscow in 1989 14 info@monkeys hrine. e.com www. w.monkeyshrinen.com
Ulan-Ude For the culturally minded, Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia, is an excellent city where you can experience a cross-over of religions and cultures - and a huge statue of Lenin! As the capital of Russia s Buryatia republic, Ulan- Ude is a unique mix of the Buryat and Russian peoples and their culture, of Orthodox and Buddhist religions and Soviet industrial planning giving way to an uncertain new world. What Ulan-Ude lacks in picture postcard sights it more than makes up for in its cultural diversity and is a pleasant and easy going city to enjoy a few days sightseeing. For many the highlight of a stopover in Ulan-Ude is the Ivolginsk Datsan, the centre of Buddhism in Russia. Situated on a wide plain outside Ulan-Ude with a backdrop of mountains, this monastery symbolizes the reemergence of Buddhism since the fall of the Soviet Union. You can also explore the Buryat Shamanist religion, which is an important religion in this area and all across Lake Baikal to Olkhon Island. There is more religion to see with a trip to the Old Believer s village, who practice a pure form of Russian Orthodoxy, traditional families who refused to accept reforms to the Church. From the world s largest Lenin head to the centre of Russian Buddhism Vladivostok Vladivostok, like a lot of places across Russia, was a closed city during the Soviet era even Russians needed permission to visit friends and relatives who lived there. It opened up to tourists in 1992 and since then there has been a slow but steady increase in numbers, particularly from Japan and increasingly from the Chinese who are attracted by the chance, as they put it, to see a little bit of what Europe looks like, as well as to chance their luck in the many casinos (a banned activity in China). An interesting route into Russia, particularly for those of you who have been living in Japan or Korea, is to take the Eastern Dream ferry across the Sea of Japan. This ferry makes a circuit from Sakaiminato in Japan to Donghae in South Korea, arriving in Vladivostok once a week. From there start your Trans- Siberian trip and the longest single train ride on the planet! info fo@m @mon onke keys yshr hrin ine.co com ww w. monk eysh shri ne.c om 15
Krasnoyarsk Krasnoyarsk is the midway point of the Trans-Siberian Railway, 4,065kms from Moscow and 5,195 from Vladivostok. Krasnoyarsk is perfect to break the train journey, to explore the city and breathtaking local scenery. As the third largest city in Siberia there is a wide variety of excellent restaurants, shopping, museums and sights of interest. Tours and services are offered throughout the year, of course summer is the most popular time, but there are some interesting winter trips available as well - for the brave. The city lies on the large Yenisei river, boat tours are available in summer, as well as excursions to the impressive Stolby National Reserve near Krasnoyarsk for hiking or overnight dacha trips. Krasnoyarsk is also the jumping off point for the Tuva and Altai Republic, at least three hours train journey to the south of Krasnoyarsk. We offer specialized trips to Tuva and Altai to explore Shamanism and ancient civilizations as well as active hiking and rafting trips. Tayshet and Severobaikalsk Tayshet is a little known stop part way between Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk on the main Trans-Siberian line and really in the heart of Siberia. It is also the railway junction for trains heading south to Tuva and more importantly across the North of Lake Baikal and the less famous Baikal Amur Mainline (BAM). This line only fully opened in 1991 and it provides for some off the beaten path treasures. Tayshet itself is a small Soviet era town where you can find a very traditional welcome and unpopulated Taiga forest on the doorstep. You can experience lovely food, family life, traditional sauna and some interesting excursions and hikes to even smaller Siberian villages, even a real Soviet Village with a great wooden Stalinist community centre. A real step back in time. And that is true also for Severobaikalsk, which is on the BAM line and at the very northern tip of Lake Baikal. Visit this city for a step back in time. The city was built in 1974 and hasn t changed much since! Close by there are some amazing hikes along the Great Baikal Trail overlooking Lake Baikal and to deserted beaches. Pleasantly, the water is much warmer here than further south making a dip in Lake Baikal much easier. 16 info fo@mon onke keys yshr hrin ine e. co m www. w.mo nkey eysh shri rine.com
Ekaterinburg and Ural Mountains On the eastern side of the Ural Mountains, Ekaterinburg has a rich heritage. The Ural Mountains are the natural dividing line between Europe and Asia, where you can visit the border Obelisk to place a foot in each Continent. Ekaterinburg was a city closed to foreigners, only opening its doors in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This secrecy was mainly due to the presence of much of the USSR s defence industry. You can book a variety of activities in Ekaterinburg and the surrounding Ural Mountains. There is plenty of history from both Czars and Soviet time to keep you occupied and if you are more active Kazan Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan and one of Russia s largest cities. It is a major industrial, commercial and cultural centre, and remains the most important centre of Tatar culture where you can really feel the Russian and Asian cultures overlap. The city is inhabited by Uzbeks, Tajiks and Kyrgyz, giving the city a Central Asian flavour. In 2013 the XXVII Summer Universiade was held in the city and Kazan has benefited with a totally renovated train station and a sprucing up of the central districts, the old centre is relatively small and likely where you will stay, making it a pleasant city to explore on foot, but beware it can be a little steep in places - it does make for a fabulous view from the top though. there are some great hiking trips in the summer and dog-sledging, icefishing and more to keep you here for a few days during the winter. Ekaterinburg s main claim to fame is the intrigue surrounding the murder of the Romanov family, an event which changed the course of Russian history, as the fall of the Tsar led to the beginning of the Communist era in 1918. An interesting tour to the Monastery of the Romanov s is a popular option. The city is a very cultural place with numerous theatres, concert halls and museums and through the season you can be kept occupied by day and evening. The area is rich in minerals too and there are some interesting museums showcasing the jewellery and minerals mined. During winter, the Ural Mountains is an excellent playground for traditional Husky dog sledging, or to wrap up warm and spend an afternoon fishing over a hole in the ice. It is also a main area for mountain and cross-country skiing. Kazan s Kremlin is unique in that it houses the large Kul Sharif Mosque inside the walls alongside the 59 metre and leaning Syuyumbike tower as well as the usual Cathedrals and government buildings. The entire complex is a UNESCO world heritage site. The train station is also beautifully restored. Kazan has a large student population and the university was the alma mater of both Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Ulyanov (better know as Lenin), who both studied law. Or to be more correct, Lenin studied until he was expelled for his political activities and Count Tolstoy was a complete waster. The guides in Beijing, Ekaterinburg, Kazan and Moscow were all top notch; Steve Newcomer, June 2013 info@monkeyshrine.com www.monkeyshrine.com 17
18 Moscow Moscow is world class in terms of attractions for visiting tourists, but unfortunately a world leader in hotel prices. We recommend to spend at least 3 days in Moscow and we have some good value hotel accommodation options. A good enough as any reason to visit Moscow is to step foot on Red Square, the heart of the city with the iconic domes of the magnificent St. Basil s Cathedral at it s helm. On the centre of the square lies Lenin, and the State Historical Museum is the place to catch up on the long and turbulent history of Russia. Pass through the imposing Kremlin walls of the Alexandrovsky gardens and explore the Kremlin s numerous historic churches. The Kremlin Armoury is filled with the crown jewels of the various Tsars and a dazzling collection to witness. Moscow is smothered with churches and monasteries, the most impressive of which are the huge newly rebuilt Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the popular Novodevichy monastery and the quieter Donskoy and Andronikov monasteries. Moscow may be a bustling metropolis, but it also one of the greenest cities in Europe with some great parks to enjoy. In the south of the city you can enjoy the medieval architecture of the well cared for Kolomenskoye Museum Estate or the crumbling charm of Catherine the Great s Tsaritsino. Stretching along the Moscow river Gorky Park and the Neskucnhy Sad was always the people s park and is especially loved by families. If your feet can take it the latter is also a good jumping point for a climb up the Sparrow Hills to enjoy the view of Moscow. The guided tour provided in Moscow was first class, our guide was fantastic, superb English, really knowledgeable and kept things really interesting. Hannah Rosborough, April 2011 St Petersburg St. Petersburg has a rich architectural style with buildings and monuments of great historical interest, such as the Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Isaac Cathedral and Menshikov Palace. Museums covering every imaginable field - art, literature, ethnographies, military history and music. With all this, 4 days in St. Petersburg is just about enough - you can spend a day at least wandering the halls of the Hermitage Gallery in St Petersburg. The Hermitage is one of the world largest art museums. It has a collection of 3,000,000 objects exhibited in four adjoining buildings - one of them is the Winter Palace, the official residence of the former Czar of Russia. There are also some magnificent estates on the outskirts of the city, including Peterhof Palace and gardens, which can be reached by river, the summer palace of Pushkin and St Catherine s Palace. On shorter visits the grand Nevsky Prospect is the basis of all sights and will also offer something new to explore along each block. The most popular time to visit is during the White Nights Festival, which is a special period of long summer days between mid-may and late July. The midnight sun never quite sets on this northern city making it a magical time to visit and with plenty of cultural and music festivals available, you will need the extra hours of daylight to fit in all the sightseeing! St Petersburg can be added on after (or before) any of our standard tours which include Moscow. From St Petersburg there are easy connections into Europe, especially Tallinn and Helsinki, or the ferry across to Scandinavia. info fo@m onkeys hr ine. com www.monkeyshrine.com
Ivolginski Datsan, Ulan-Ude info@monkeyshrine.com www.monkeyshrine.com 19
Monkeyshrine Trans-Siberian Tours www.monkeyshrine.com info@monkeyshrine.com Skype: monkeyshrine Hong Kong: +852 2723 1376 Beijing: +86 139 1008 1882