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‘Highlights of Southern Russia’ Tour from Sochi to Krasnodar
Overview
A melting pot of cultures and traditions (and home of the 2014 Winter Olympics!), Southern Russia has plenty to offer tourists who are looking for something different to the typical Moscow and St Petersburg experience. If you want to explore the area around Sochi and get to grips with local life in Southern Russia, then this is the best tour for you. This 9-day tour includes a Cossack culture tour in Ataman, a trip into the Caucasus Mountains, wine tasting and folk-dance performances, as well as a chance to explore the cities of Novorossiysk, Sochi and Krasnodar.
Breadmaking Masterclass in Shapsugskaya Village
City tour of Sochi, Novorossiysk, Krasnodar and Gelendzhik
Cross the world-famous skybridge
Enjoy a Traditional Tea House Experience in Dagomys
Enjoy spectacular views of the Caucasus Mountains
Visit Olympic Park in Sochi
Visiting the Ataman Ethnographic Cossack Village
Visiting a Russian champagne house in Abrau Durso
Itinerary
Sochi
The largest resort city in Russia, Sochi, is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea. Over the past few years, the city has become a major tourist destination known for its sports with Rosa Khutor Ski Resort close by. It has been a host city for the Winter Olympic Games, Formula 1 Russian Grand prix, and most notably, the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament.
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Prominent Landscape
Scenic Surrounds
Day 2
City Tour of Sochi
After breakfast, your Southern Russia tour will begin with a full city tour of Sochi where you will get to visit the embankment, Riviera park, Navaginskaya shopping street, Lenin`s mosaic, Stalin`s Dacha and more.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Riviera park
Navaginskaya shopping street
Lenin Mosaic
Stalin’s Dacha
Sochi Olympic Park
Fisht Olympic Stadium
Free Time
Travel to
Roza Khutor
Roza Khutor is a popular ski resort situated in Krasnodar Krai at the Aibga Ridge of the Western Caucasus. The resort was constructed between 2003 and 2011 and is best known for hosting the alpine skiing events for the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi. It has since grown in popularity for its Winter sports including skiing and snowboarding.
Day 3
Exploring the Caucasus Mountains
After breakfast, your driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the Caucasus Mountains where you will take the Rosa Khutor cableway to the summit. You will enjoy lunch at the summit followed by a trip to the skybridge, the second longest suspension bridge in the world.
Breakfast & Lunch
Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort
Caucasus Mountains
Prominent Landscape
Skybridge
Scenic Surrounds
Souvenir Shopping
Free Time
Travel to
Dagomys
Dagnomys is a micro district of Sochi and a popular resort and vacation spot for tourists. Dagomys was originally owned by Emperor Nicholas II of Russia’s family and developed to include a nearby settlement now known as the modern Dagomys. It was developed into a resort around the time of the Russian Revolution when Nicholas II commissioned a botanical garden on the site.
Day 4
Enjoy a Traditional Tea House Experience in Dagomys
Today you will check out of your hotel in Sochi and head towards Gelendzhik. Along the way you will make a stop at the tea houses in Dagomys where you will get the chance to take part in a unique tea tasting experience accompanied by a traditional folk performance.
Breakfast & Lunch
Gelendzhik resort town
Prominent Landscape
Dagomys resort
Tea tasting experience
Traditional folk performance
Scenic Surrounds
Free Time
Travel to
Abrau Durso
Abrau Durso is a rural location situated near to Lake Abrau in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The settlement was founded in 1870 as a royal winery to the Tsar’s household and was home to several French winemakers before their return to France during the Russian Revolution. The Russian apprentices of these winemakers remained in the region and during the Soviet era Abrau Durso became known for its sparkling wine ‘Sovetskoye Shampanskoye’ (Soviet Champagne).
Day 5
Walking along Lake Abrau
Today you will enjoy a culture-packed day visiting several locations around Gelendzhik. After breakfast, you will begin your Gelendzhik city tour which will include a visit to the dolmens near the city before continuing onto Abrau-Durso.
Сontinue to Novorossiysk
Your driver will pick you up in Abrau and continue to drive to Novorossiysk. On arrival, you will enjoy a full city tour visiting the embankment, Malaya Zemlya war memorial and Mikhail Kutuzov War ship-museum. After you tour of the city, you will be taken to your hotel where you can check-in and get ready for dinner.
Breakfast & Lunch
Gelendzhik Dolmens
Prominent Landscape
Abrau-Durso Russian winery
Lake Abrau
Scenic Surrounds
Malaya Zemlya
Mikhail Kutuzov War ship-museum
Travel to
Ataman
Situated in Krasnodar Krai near Sochi, the Ataman Village is a reconstructed ethnographic museum based on a traditional Cossack village from the past. The village includes a blacksmith, fisherman, barber, and saddlemaker housed in authentic Cossack-style huts surrounded by fortified wooden palisade walls.
Day 6
Visiting the Ataman Ethnographic Cossack Village
After breakfast, your driver will meet you at your hotel and take you to Ataman where you will visit the Ataman Ethnographic Cossack Village. Learn more about the history and culture of the Cossack people through preserved artefacts and architecture.
Breakfast & Lunch
Ataman Ethnographic Cossack Village
Cossack culture
Cultural Immersive Experience
Scenic Surrounds
Wine tasting experience
Food & Drink Experience
Travel to
Krasnodar
A large city situated on the Kuban River in Southern Russia, Krasnodar, originated in 1793 as a fortress built by the Cossacks, and became a well-known trading centre. The city has since been developed into a major economic hub and was named the best city for business in Russia by Forbes in 2012. The 19th century historic centre is popular with tourists along with the Kovalenko Krasnodar Regional Art Museum and the Kuban Cossack Choir.
Day 7
Breadmaking Masterclass in Shapsugskaya Village
After having breakfast at your hotel in Krasnodar you will meet your driver and head for Shapsugskaya Village where you will visit a local family before taking a thrill-seeking Russian jeep “Uazik” ride to dolmen.
Breakfast & Lunch
Shapsugskaya Village
Prominent Landscape
Russian jeep “UAZ” ride
Dolmen In Shapsug Forest
Cultural Immersive Experience
Masterclass
Food & Drink Experience
Cossack folk group performance
Day 8
City Tour of Krasnodar
The final day of your Southern Russia experience! After breakfast you will enjoy a full city tour of Krasnodar where you will get to visit scenic parks, monuments and museums.
Breakfast & Lunch
City Tour
Expert Guide
Museums
Prominent Landscape
Scenic Surrounds
Free Time
Souvenir Shopping
Breakfast
Free Time
Departure Transfer
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More information
What’s included
Accommodation as part of the tour- Airport / Railway Station Transfers
- All tours are COVID-19 secure and offer flexible booking options. Visit our Covid-19 information page to find out more
- English, German or French speaking guide
- Entrance fees to museums, attractions and parks
- Food and drink (as mentioned in the tour itinerary)
- Russian Tourist Visa Invitation
- Transport (as specified in the tour itinerary)
What’s not included
International train / plane tickets- Meals, unless specified in the itinerary
- Personal costs (souvenirs, additional snacks etc)
- Tips for drivers/guides/in restaurants
- Travel / medical insurance
- Visa processing
Travel Tips
All travellers are asked to check the vaccination requirements before travel. Visit our Vaccines and Health page to find out more- Any dietary or allergy requirements will need to be disclosed before the start of the tour
- Carrying a water bottle with you is recommended
- Medication should always be taken with you and kept on your person
- Please ensure that you keep any personal documents and valuables on your person at all times
- WIFI will be available at most of the hotels, although mobile coverage may vary in rural areas
- Your local guides will recommend stops where you can go souvenir shopping during your tour
Special notes
Prices for 1-4 pax are based on a combined guide-driver, 5+ pax will have a dedicated driver and specialist guide separately.
Suggested reading
Enrich your travel experience with our list of top recommended books from specialist travel guides to compelling novels. Whether you are looking for something to pass the time on the train, or want to get to grips with the local history, reading is essential to turning your trip into a fully-fledged experience.
Russia: Lonely Planet
The ultimate guidebook to Russia that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Russia is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to this vast country from how to get around, the best places to eat in its most popular cities, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights, currency and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips about key attractions such as the Moscow Kremlin, Lake Baikal and the Romanov sites, this guide includes detailed maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
My Olympic Sochi: Travel Guide
A unique and indispensable guide to Sochi, one of the Russia’s most up and coming cities. This travel guide contains no less than 100 places you should visit while in Sochi, as well as the author’s most rated destinations, best restaurants (as rated by the locals), and the best places to stay when visiting the city. This guide includes everything you would expect from a general guidebook, along with less expected details about the local flora and fauna, the city in myth, the local culture around sanatoriums and spas, and how the city fits into wider Russian history, including the lives of the famous Decembrists who died here. This all-encompassing guide is perfect for those wanting to understand Sochi beyond that of a normal guidebook.
The Cossacks: Their History and Country
Known for their ferocity in battle, the Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic-speaking people who became known as members of democratic, self-governing, semi-military communities, predominantly located in the lower Dnieper area around Ukraine and Russia. These influential people were known to have a lasting effect on the cultural and historical development of these great nations, becoming a special military class, similar to the knights of medieval Europe and the samurai of Japan. Cresson documents the history of these legendary warriors and how they would come to establish their own unique cultural identity.
Visa Information
