big russian eclipse - 11 days

Day 1 (Wednesday)
Welcome to Russia and the start of your holiday and eclipse experience! Meet and Greet arrival transfer from St Petersburg Pulkovo airport. Transfer to hotel for check-in and registration. Tonight, at approximately 8pm, our welcome meeting will take place where your trip leader will run through the itinerary for the days ahead and recommend some local bars and restaurants. Overnight – St Petersburg

Day 2 (Thursday) : St Petersburg – Breakfast
This morning a city coach tour gives us an overview of this marvellous city. Afterwards we have a guided tour of the Hermitage – housing one of Europe’s largest art collections with some 2.8 million pieces by some of the Old Masters and, of course, the famed Faberge Eggs. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy and explore St Petersburg. The majority of the city sights are situated on and around Nevsky Prospekt (the city’s main thoroughfare). Stretching from (near) the Winter Palace Embankment to Alexander Nevsky Monastery and with a multitude of bars, restaurants, coffee houses and clubs along the way St Petersburg is a walker’s paradise. Overnight – St Petersburg

Day 3 (Friday) : St Petersburg – breakfast
Free day. Visit the impressive Church on Spilled Blood, wander through the markets for bargains and Babushkas or opt for a chance to begin your astronomical adventures early with an optional tour of the Pulkovo Observatory (bookable locally).

Pulkovo Observatory

This World Heritage site was founded in 1839 and at the time had some of the most advanced and precise instruments in the world, including the worlds largest telescope. Coming close to destruction in World War II the buildings and many of the instruments have been saved and lovingly restored since..

Day 4 (Saturday) : St Petersburg – breakfast
Free day. If you purchase the pukka pass, day 4 will include additional guided sightseeing inclusive of transport. The timetable of events will incorporate a visit to Peter and Paul Fortress on the Petrogradskaya Side, St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Summer Gardens at Peterhof or Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo and lunch. The founding of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1703, on the orders of Peter the Great, is considered to mark the founding of St Petersburg. It has a gruesome history. Hundreds of forced labourers died while building the fortress and its bastions were used to hold political prisoners. A magnificent cathedral here houses the remains of the Romanov dynasty. Peterhof on the Gulf of Finland is Russia’s ‘Versailles’ and popular in summer. The lavish gold fountains - the centre piece of which is the ‘Grand Cascade’ are amazing. Tonight, we travel to Moscow. Overnight – train

Day 5 (Sunday) : Moscow – breakfast
After a chance to freshen up this afternoon we head to legendary Red Square for a guided walk of the Kitay-Gorod and Lubyanka area. Adjacent to the square is the golden domed Kremlin, seat of Russia’s governmental might, where we enjoy a guided tour. In Red Square, feast your eyes on the intensely coloured onion domed St Basil’s Cathedral, the subject of countless postcards. Along one side runs the elegant façade of the illustrious GUM department store, once the only choice for shopping in the Communist era. Also on Red Square is Lenin’s Mausoleum. If open, we can see and pay our respects to the father of Communism for free! Rest of the day free. Overnight – Moscow

Day 6 (Monday) : Moscow – breakfast
Free day. Explore the underground system, Gorky and sculpture parks or perhaps select our revolution evolution bolt-on. Overnight - Moscow

Day 7 (Tuesday) : Moscow – breakfast
Free day. Pulsating neons and billboard hoardings are proof Moscow has embraced capitalism. However, its plentiful museums, Stalinist-era Metro, stately buildings and traditions ensure Moscow holds onto its rich heritage. Overnight – Moscow

Recommended eclipse accompaniment

Bolt-on Star city - Join us on an optional adventure to the Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre. Experience the low-down on the Russian space program that has trained every Russian cosmonaut since Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space – the perfect compliment to understanding space, time and Friday’s Eclipse.

Day 8 (Wednesday) : Moscow - breakfast
Free morning. A last chance to explore the former capital of communism and its palatial metro (underground) system. Around lunchtime we head to Moscow airport for our afternoon flight to Novosibirsk. Departing at 14.30 we cross some of Russia’s several time zones and arrive in the Siberian capital at 21.20. Transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight – Novosibirsk

Day 9 (Thursday) : Novosibirsk – breakfast
This morning, with our guide, we explore Russia’s third largest city, built as a transport hub for the great Trans-Siberian rail system. Established in 1893, Novosibirsk has grown into the Siberian provincial capital and a centre for culture and academia and still remains Russia most important rail transport hub. This afternoon we will take a tour of the observatory or the scientific technopark.
Lunch and overnight – Novosibirsk

Day 10 (Friday) : Novosibirsk – breakfast
In preparation for today’s main event we this morning will be spent with an astronomer/ expert in  the field who will brief us (aprox 1.5 hours) on the forthcoming solar eclipse – a remarkable astronomical event.

With the briefing complete departure to the observation sight will commence. The event itself will take place mid-late afternoon (16.40-18.20) after which we return to Novosibirsk. Lunch box, dinner and overnight Novosibirsk

Day 11 (Saturday) : Novosibirsk – breakfast
With new friends and experiences our trip reaches its conclusion. Departure transfers to the airport or train station included. To experience more of Siberia and travel on the Trans-Siberian railway why not choose the Lake Baikal bolt-on.