Time in Melbourne 
Countries visited: Japan, Russia & Mongolia
Departing: Tokyo, Japan - 30 days
The original and classic Great Rail Journey. From the Pacific Coast to the nation’s capital you cross the world's biggest country and largest landmass aboard the world's longest railway, spanning 7 time zones & almost 10,000 kilometres, from the Far East to Europe. From Japan’s temples and the Great Buddha at Nara, across the Sea of Japan to the once top-secret port of Vladivostok. Through the spectacular scenery of eastern Siberia, to magnificent Lake Baikal and the historic Siberian town of Irkutsk. Crossing massive bridges over huge rivers, through forests and across plains, aboard the train you experience Russia as few travellers ever can.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive Tokyo An exhilarating city at the start of your adventure and this afternoon you will join your Tour Leader and fellow travellers to learn about the journey ahead of you and perhaps to sample your first foray into Japanese cuisine.
Day 2: Tokyo and depart to Takayama We take in a highlights tour of Tokyo, a modern city of awe inspiring skyscrapers, an impressive modern metro system and limitless technology. We also visit our first shrine before boarding our shinkansen which will whisk us to Nagoya and from there an express train through breathtaking mountain scenery to the tranquility of Takayama or ‘Little Kyoto’. After the hustle and bustle of Tokyo take the time to relax in this town of wooden houses and have the opportunity to stay in a traditional ryokan where samurai would have stayed. We wander the streets and the lattice bayed windows entice us in to sample some sake or view the wooden and Japanese handicrafts traditional of the region. You will perhaps catch a glimpse of one of the many colourful festival floats that are paraded through the streets in spring and autumn.
Days 3: Takayama to Kanazawa We visit the Hida Heritage Folk Village full of hand thatched farmhouses and take a step back in time before boarding our train to Kanazawa. In Kanazawa we visit Kenrokuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, once the outer garden of the city’s castle and marvel at the horticultural creativity which renders the garden beautiful in all seasons.
Days 4-5: Kyoto and day trip to Nara In the morning we travel to Kyoto - where one of Japan’s oldest capitals unlocks her treasures of the Golden Temple, the Geisha district of Gion and Kiyomizudera temple set on a hillside overlooking the city. The possibilities are endless and there is never enough time to explore everything. We also journey to Nara, the first permanent capital of Japan to Todaiji Temple, reputedly the largest wooden building in the world housing the Great Buddha. We have time to explore the surrounding deer filled park before returning to Kyoto.
Day 6: Kyoto and ferry to Vladivostok After a memorable journey through magnificent Japan we transfer to the terminal and board our ferry to Russia.
Day 7: Across the Sea of Japan We mingle amongst the guests on board this ferry to Russia, often businessmen travelling between the neighbouring countries and we start to adjust to the change in culture and language allowing time to contemplate what we have already seen and wonder what is still in store on this adventure.
Day 8: Arrive Vladivostok Once a top-secret naval base of the Soviet Union, Vladivostok was sealed off from the outside world. Now its doors are open for business and the city is booming as Russia's gateway to the Far East. For 100 years this has been the legendary eastern terminus of the Trans Siberian Railway, its historic railway station recently restored to its former grandeur.
Day 9: Vladivostok and depart to Ulan Ude Discover the city and port before climbing aboard the Trans Siberian Railway ready for an incredible journey.
Days 10-11: Trans Siberian Railway We settle into life on board, getting to know our travelling companions. Relax in the comfortable four-berth compartment that is home for the three days and nights it takes to cross eastern Siberia to the Buryat city of Ulan Ude.
Day 12: Arrive Ulan Ude Welcome to Buryatiya, centre of Russia’s Buddhist community. Reminiscent of old Siberia, Ulan Ude is located in the middle of the vast Siberian steppes, on the 5640th kilometer of the Trans-Siberian railway. It is a very unusual and charming city. The local open air ethnographic museum tells an interesting story about the life and traditions of the native Siberians (Buryat and Evenks) as well as the colonisers (Cossacks and Old-believers).
Day 13: On board the Trans Mongolian Railway Onwards we travel, enjoying the company of our fellow passengers and a picnic in our cabin. The train arrives at Naushki, the Russian border town where formalities are completed, and then continue across no-man's land to Sukhbaatar where Mongolian officials board the train before we journey on to Ulaanbaatar.
Days 14-17: Ulaanbaatar and Mongolian Steppe After breakfast we visit the Zaisan Memorial from which the entire city is visible. Also to the country’s largest remaining monastery, Gandan Hiid where you can mingle with Buddhist monks. In the afternoon we travel out across the grasslands through the countryside where we spend 2 nights in a traditional Mongolian nomad tent or ger set amongst spectacular rock formations and wild rolling hills in the breathtaking Terelj National Park. Among nomadic families and their grazing livestock we can explore nearby valleys or just relax and enjoy the area. We return to Ulaanbaatar and visit the National Museum before joining the train north to Siberia.
Day 18: Aboard the Trans Mongolian Railway Continuing towards Russia, leaving Mongolia at Sukhe Bator and travelling beyond the Russian border town and then west along the southern shore of the world's deepest freshwater lake — Baikal.
Days 19-21: Irkutsk and Lake Baikal (Siberia) Almost in the centre of Asia, Irkutsk — 18th century churches, bright painted shutters and log houses decorated with wooden lacework. Modern administrative blocks and soaring bridges reach out across the Angara River in this beautiful town known as the "Paris of Siberia". On our walking tour you will discover the city’s wonderful historic sights. We also enjoy two nights at Lake Baikal and stay in the village of Listvyanka with its traditional houses and beautiful wooden church and nearby Limnological Museum. To gain an insight into the traditional lives of Siberian people we also visit the Museum of Wooden Architecture. We return to Irkutsk and board the train for an evening departure to Kazan.
Days 22-23: Aboard the Trans Siberian Railway We join the Trans Siberian Railway and travel via Novosibirsk, Omsk and Ekaterinburg booming over the steel bridges spanning Siberia's nerve system of 5,000 rivers. Through the Ural Mountains and onto Kazan.
Day 24: Afternoon arrival into Kazan Welcome to Kazan! The Capital of the Tatarstan Republic and the Muslim capital of Russia.
Day 25: Kazan Spend the day exploring the fascinating city of Kazan and its UNESCO World Heritage Listed Kremlin, before we hop back on the train bound for Moscow.
Days 26-27: Moscow We arrive into the capital at daybreak. Moscow will amaze you, its palaces and public buildings restored to their former glory. The echoing vastness of Red Square, the splendid twirled cupolas of St. Basil's across the cobblestones, and the Kremlin itself — that fabled palace-fort of gilded domes where we marvel at the exquisite collection of royal treasures in the stunning Armoury Chamber. We ride the palatial underground rail system, adorned with chandeliers, mosaics and baroque bas-relief and perhaps a river cruise or a magical evening at one of Moscow's great theatres or State Circus.
Day 28: Moscow to St. Petersburg Today we farewell Moscow and travel to the former capital of Imperial Russia. Home of the Tsars and one of the most beautiful cities in the world — St. Petersburg.
Day 29: St. Petersburg It is the city on the water, the "Venice of the North", standing resplendent on the delta of the Neva River. St Isaac's Cathedral, richly filled palaces and museums, wide boulevards and canals. The gilded halls of the Hermitage Museum hung with the works of Da Vinci, Rembrandt and many other great masters, and beyond the city lie the incomparable summer palaces of the tsars at Petrodvorets. Yet for all this, St. Petersburg remains one of Europe's best kept secrets.
Day 30: Depart St. Petersburg The last day has arrived too soon. The adventure is complete, the legendary rail journey that started many days ago has taken you across Asia, through lands and cultures literally worlds apart.
ESSENTIALS
Group Size
15 maximum, plus Tour Leader.
Accommodation
Hotels - 12 nights (twin share)
Mongolian Ger - 2 night (shared)
Siberian Guesthouse - 2 nights (twin share)
Trains - 10 nights (4 berth)
Ferry - 2 nights (shared)
Ryokan - 1 night (traditional Japanese Inn dating from the Edo period (1603-1868))
Meals
28 in total. Breakfasts (19), lunches (4), dinners (6)
Travel by
Train: Comfortable 4 berth sleepers
There are 6 rail sectors on this journey
- Vladivostok to Ulan Ude (3 nights)
- Ulan Ude to Ulaanbaatar (1 night)
- Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk (2 nights)
- Irkutsk to Kazan (3 nights)
- Kazan to Moscow (1 nights)
- Moscow to St. Petersburg (day train)
Other: For ‘Scheduled Sightseeing’ we generally use a small minibus, and for ‘City Exploring’ we use local taxis, public transport, underground metro and go on foot.
2 Berth Rail (Optional)
Available for a supplementary price only when two people book and travel together. Available on all rail sectors between Vladivostok and Moscow.
Sightseeing
Scheduled Sightseeing is part of the itinerary and includes all transport, entrance fees and English speaking local guide. This journey enjoys a greater number of included sights than others.
Tokyo: City tour
Takayama: Hida Folk Village
Kanazawa: Kenrokuen Garden
Nara: Todaiji
Kyoto: Kinkakuji, Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizudera, walk of Gion
Vladivostok: City tour and museums
Ulan Ude: City Tour including Ivolginsk Datsun
Ulaanbaatar: Zaisan Memorial, National History Museum, Gandan Hiid Monastery, Terelj National Park
Irkutsk (Siberia): Walking tour of city, Museum of Wooden Architecture, Limnological Museum, Lake Baikal
St.Petersburg: City tour, Palace Square, Hermitage Museum
Moscow: City tour, St.Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Kremlin, Armoury Chamber
City Exploring is further sightseeing outside the itinerary guideline but with the Group Leader
Visas
Required for Japan (depends on nationality), Mongolia & Russia. Sundowners Overland will provide all required invitation letters and full visa support including detailed visa guidelines.
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