Tour Details
  • Starts in: Beijing / Ends in: Moscow
  • Departs: Sundays - year round
  • No local payment required
  • Breakfast:12, Lunch: 7, Dinner: 10
  • Hotel Rating: 3 star (+ Mongolian ger camp and homestay)
  • Tour Guide: Yes - for stopover arrangements
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Big Rail Tripper - 18 days

The big ticket, an epic journey from Beijing to Moscow, offering exciting stopovers at all of our en route destinations including Ulaan Baatar, Buddhist Ulan Ude, Irkutsk, breathtaking Lake Baikal and Yekaterinburg, in the shadow of the Ural Mountains,

Classic Adventure Itinerary
Day 1: Beijing
Welcome to Beijing! Arrival transfer from Beijing airport to hotel. Overnight - Beijing
Day 2: Walk the Great Wall
Stretching 6700 km from the Bohai Gulf in China’s east to Jiayuguan in the west, the Great Wall is a symbol of Chinese genius. Driving beyond Beijing to Badaling, enjoy a walk on a section of the Great Wall. Some parts of the walk are very steep, but the views are fantastic. Back in Bejing, enjoy a walk on Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world and where Chairman Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic in 1949. The square plays hosts to Chairman Mao’s great mausoleum and various stoic monuments. Staring out across the square, from above the Gate of Heavenly Peace is the famous technicolour portrait of Mao. It is through these gates that you’ll enter the Forbidden City and enjoy a guided tour. Built between 1406 and 1420, the Forbidden City served as the imperial palace for the Ming and Qing dynasties and it is said to contain an incredible 9999 rooms. Residence of the emperors and focal point of the empire, entry was forbidden to all, except those on imperial business until 1911, when the last emperor, Puyi was overthrown. Overnight - Beijing (B, L)
Big Rail Tripper - 18 days Go Guide : :Check out the go guide for details of the tour, info on visas, climate, money, what to bring and more!
A Mongolian bar, inside a traditional Ger tent
Day 3: Life onboard
Beijing - Ulaan Baatar. Early this morning, an included transfer to Beijing rail station for the train to Ulaan Baatar - capital of Mongolia. Overnight - train (B)
Day 4: Ulaan Baatar
Mid-afternoon arrival (subject to border formalities & inevitable delays) in Outer Mongolia. One of the most elevated countries in the world, Mongolia was also once one of the world’s most powerful. At it’s height in the 13th century, Genghis Khan had by the time of his death in 1227, unified the Mongol people, organised a nearly invincible army of fearless nomadic warriors, and set into motion the first stage in the conquest of an enormous territory that would be completed by his sons and grandsons. With extraordinary speed and devastating ruthlessness the Mongols created the world’s largest empire, stretching at it’s greatest extent from Korea to Hungary.

After decades of suppression under the Soviets, Mongolia is emerging as a cutting-edge destination. There’s something here to suit even the most blasé of travellers. Endless steppe, nomadic tribes people, stunning Terelj National Park, double-humped (Bactrian) camels that are a cinch to ride in comparison to their single-humped cousins and the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert.

On arrival in Ulaan Baatar, enjoy lunch and then transfer to nearby Terelj National Park, stopping en route to visit a nomadic family. Elevated Terelj is cool and the scenic alpine surrounds spectacular. The protected area is host to diverse flora and fauna, and is famous for it’s unique granite rock formations. Opportunities for outdoor pursuits abound. Spend two nights in a traditional Mongolian ger which is a sturdy wood and felt type tent. Ger means ‘home’ and it’s home on the steppe (level grassy unforested plains characteristic of Mongolia).

*Please note: Due to extreme weather, clients undertaking a classic adventure during the winter will be accommodated in permanent accommodation and not Mongolian gers. Overnight - ger camp* (L, D)
A young Mongolian boy and his horse
Day 5: Terelj NP
An enjoyable day to get in touch with nature hike, horse ride (at additional cost), climb some rocks, the choice is yours here in the Mongolian wilderness. Overnight - ger camp* (B, L, D)
Day 6: Ulaan Baatar - Ulan Ude
Terelj NP - Ulaan Baatar - Ulan Ude. Leaving Terelj NP, a transfer back to the capital - Ulaan Baatar via a food store in anticipation of the onward afternoon departure to Ulan Ude in Russia. During the journey, the train will cross the border into Russia, bringing with it inevitable customs and immigration formalities and delays. Overnight - train (B)
The shores of Lake Baikal in Sibera - the deepest lake in the world
Days 7 - 8: Ulan Ude
Early morning arrival to Ulan Ude and transfer to homestay for breakfast. Later, enjoy a city tour. Thanks to it’s proximity to Mongolia and China, the indigenous people of the region, the Buryats, clung on to their Tibetan-Buddhist faith through the Communist era. Visit Ivolginsky Datsan - a Buddhist temple. On day 8, visit to the Ethnographic Museum and free time, then dinner before late evening transfer to rail station for the overnight train to Irkutsk. Overnight - homestay (1) train (1) (B:2, D:2)
Day 9: Irkutsk & Lake Baikal
Ulan Ude - Irkutsk - Lake Baikal. Arrive Irkutsk this morning and transfer on to Listvyanka village. Offering striking views of the lake, Listvyanka is our base. Enjoy lunch, a guided walk and visit to the Lake musem. This evening experience a Siberian banya (sauna). Overnight - homestay (L, D)
Traditional wooden Siberian houses
Days 10 - 11: Optional activities
Irkutsk & Lake Baikal. Two days at leisure. Why not choose one of the optional activities available? . *Please note: Lunch is provided on day 8 on all optional activities apart from 'Lake Baikal at Leisure'. Overnight - homestay (B:2, L:2, D:2)
Days 12 - 13: Irkutsk - Yekaterinburg
Irkutsk - Yekaterinburg. On day 12, late afternoon transfer to the rail station for the onward journey to Yekaterinburg, across tracts of Siberia and the Ural Mountains. Relax and settle back into life onboard the train. Overnight - train (B:1)
Days 14 - 15: Yekaterinburg
On the afternoon of day 14 the train pulls in to Yekaterinburg. Transfer to accommodation. On day 15 enjoy breakfast and then a city tour which takes in the new monastery that marks the site of the Romanov family’s execution in 1918 and Ganina Yama - a beautiful monastic complex built on the site where their bodies were discarded and later found. The tour also takes you to the Europe/Asia border where you can stand with a foot in each continent! Overnight - homestay (B:2, D:2)
A man standing outside Ganina Yama - a monastic complex in Yekaterinburg
Day 16: Optional activity
Today you can choose on of the optional activities. Overnight - homestay (L, D)
Day 17: Train to Moscow
Yekaterinburg - Moscow. Early morning transfer to the rail station for the onward journey to Moscow. Overnight - train (B)
Day 18: Moscow
This morning the train reaches Moscow.

See the 'Costsaver' tab above, for the content of our Costsaver journey

NOTE: Mongolian ger stay applicable to classic adventures only.

Train Schedules - Schedules dictate a morning arrival in Moscow on day 10. We strongly urge you to stay at least one night in Moscow to avoid the risk of missing your onward international flight. Trans-Siberian Railways do change their schedules from time to time, which could alter the itinerary. Please check with us at time of booking.

Homestays - Our homestays vary, you may be staying with a local family, couple or single person. In some cases the home owner may actually move out so that you have the house to yourself. The local homes we use are generally very simple and basic with shared bathroom facilities. Please note that if you are travelling in a larger group it may be necessary for you to stay in separate houses because most homes are small and only have room for one or two guests.

Choose your Adventure
Make the most of your time in Yekaterinburg and Irkutsk by choosing one of our optional activities that most appeals to you. Please specify your preference at time of booking.

Please note that optional activities are only available on Classic Adventures not Costsaver.