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Real Russian New Year Winter Odyssey


This 19-day tour includes several days exploring the main attractions and festive markets of Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk, snowmobile rides and camping in the Siberian taiga, an exclusive performance of the Nutcracker and more.
Overview
Prepare for a winter tour like no other this festive period and uncover the true spirit of Russia with our ultimate 19-day winter odyssey. Embark on a spectacular experience starting from Russia’s enigmatic capital, Moscow, before continuing your festive journey into the snow-capped forests of Siberia and beyond. If you are looking for the ultimate festive family get-away this winter, then this Russian odyssey tour is the one for you. This 19-day tour includes several days exploring the main attractions and festive markets of Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk, snowmobile rides and camping in the Siberian taiga, an exclusive performance of the Nutcracker, and plenty of festive filled activities along the way.
Camping in winter taiga forest
Shushenskoye Ethnographic Museum Reserve
Sightseeing excursion in Abakan
Moscow Kremlin and Red Square
Nutcracker ballet performance at the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre
Festive events at the Museum of Living Antiquity
New Year Celebrations
Moscow Christmas market
Visit to the VDNKH park and Space Museum
Snowmobile rides and dog sledding in the Siberian taiga
Itinerary


Moscow
Russia’s official capital, Moscow, is the political and religious heart of the country. The city has the highest density of billionaires, is the world’s most populated inland city and boasts six out of Europe’s ten tallest buildings. It continues to be a major tourist destination in Europe growing year on year with famous attractions including Red Square, St Basil’s Cathedral, and the Kremlin.
Day 1
Arrival in Moscow
Welcome to Moscow! Your driver will meet you at the train station or airport and take you to your hotel where you will check in.
After checking into your hotel, you will reconvene with your driver and meet your guide for a scenic river tour on Radisson’s exclusive yacht, ‘Ice Breaker’, where you will travel along the Moskva River while enjoying an evening meal.
Arrival Transfer
River cruise
Moskva River Embankment
Scenic Surrounds
Day 2
Visit to Kolomenskoe
After breakfast you will meet your guide and driver for a unique tour to Kolomenskoe
Kolomenskoye is a former royal estate situated on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna in the southeast of Moscow city centre. The area is known for its idyllic scenery and overlooks the steep banks of the Moskva River.
While in Kolomenskoe you will get the chance to go on a traditional troika horse ride before heading back into the city for lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Park Zaryadie known for the exclusive “Flight over Moscow” attraction before embarking on a walking tour of the legendary Arbat Street.
After a busy day, you will stop for dinner at a local café or restaurant in the city and then head back to the hotel where you will spend the evening.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Moscow Kremlin
Red Square
Christmas market
Souvenir Shopping
Free Time
Day 3
Kremlin walking tour with Christmas market
Today you will explore the festive streets of Moscow including the world-renowned Moscow Kremlin.
After breakfast you will start your day with a walking tour of the Moscow Kremlin where you will see many of the famous sites including Red Square and the cathedrals followed by a visit to the Armoury.
After your Kremlin tour, you will stop for lunch at a local restaurant before having the rest of the afternoon to wander around the Christmas markets, buy souvenirs, and enjoy the festive feel of the city.
In the evening, you will have dinner at a local restaurant before heading back to your hotel where you will spend the evening.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Kolomenskoe Park Estate
Russian troika horse ride
Cultural Immersive Experience
Park Zaryadie
“Flight over Moscow” attraction
Arbat Street
Souvenir Shopping
Armoury Chamber
Day 4
Visit to the VDNKH and the Space museum
Today you will get to see the pride of Russia with a visit to the VDNKH park.
After breakfast you will meet your driver and guide who will take you to the exhibition centre where you will get to explore the national monuments and the famous Space centre dedicated to the achievements of the Russian space programme.
In the afternoon, you will stop for lunch at a local cafe before continuing your journey by car with a tour of Moscow followed by a visit to Novodevichiy Cathedral.
Today you will enjoy a special Christmas themed meal in a city restaurant before heading back to your hotel.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
VDNKh
Space museum
Scenic Surrounds
Novodevichy Convent
Religious Buildings & Monuments
City Tour by car
Day 5
Train to Yekaterinburg
You will spend the day on the train to Yekaterinburg.
After checking out of your hotel in Moscow, you will meet your driver for the transfer to Moscow train station where you will embark on Train no 70 to Yekaterinburg. You will spend the night on the train.
Breakfast
Free Time
Departure Transfer
Night on the Train
Travel to


Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg stands close to the divide between Russia and Kazakhstan and is known as the ‘window on Asia’ due to its close proximity to the border. The city is commonly referred to as Russia’s ‘third capital’ as it is ranked third for tourism, transport, and economic size. It holds crucial significance in Russian History as the final resting place of the Romanov dynasty.
Day 6
Free time in Yekaterinburg
You will arrive at Yekaterinburg train station late in the evening where you driver will meet you and take you to your hotel ready for check-in. You will have a little bit of free time in the evening to rest, relax and get your bearings.
New Destination by Train
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Day 7
Yekaterinburg city tour
Today you will experience an action-packed festive day in Yekaterinburg.
After breakfast you will check out of your hotel and kick off your time in the city with a tour of the city, followed by a unique excursion to the Museum of Jewellery and Stone Cutter Art where you will get the chance to see the exquisite emerald room.
Just before lunch, you will get to try your hand at a team building activity where you get to make your own ice sculpture, a craft that comes to Yekaterinburg each winter. Lunch will be spent in the panoramic restaurant Vertikal.
In the afternoon, you will head to the Chapaev banya for a masterclass on traditional banya steam followed by a visit to the Fir Tree souvenir shop where you can find the perfect souvenirs to take home from local chocolate cones, hats, mugs, and even other delicacies including wild boar meat.
You will enjoy dinner at the restaurant Barbaris in the Yeltsin center, before being taken to your next hotel where you will check-in and spend the evening.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
City Tour
Museum of Jewellery and Stone Cutter Art
Team building activity
Chapaev banya
Masterclass on traditional banya steam
Souvenir Shopping
Scenic Surrounds
Day 8
Snowmobile experience in Komatek and authentic Ural festive dinner
After breakfast you will meet your driver for a morning excursion to Holzan. Here, you will get to hear the stories about the birds unique to the region before enjoying a photo session with wild birds.
In the afternoon, you will head to Komatek where you will get the chance to take part in a wide range of winter activities including snow mobile rides, dogs sledding, winter fishing, a relax in a heated gazebo, and BBQ.
Lunch will be spent in a local tavern where you will enjoy an assortment of team building activities including pelmeni cooking and tasting Ural liqueurs. During the experience you will learn how Siberian and Ural pelmeni differ and even have the chance to win a prize to take home and show your friends!
In the evening, there will be a private concert of classic music from the Domestic in the House of Music chorus, followed by an authentic Ural dinner from a local chef at the Zveroboy restaurant who will tell you the history of the unique festive dishes. You will get to try many unusual and unique local products including moose, deer, carp, pine needles, sea-buckthorn, gooseberry and birch.
Following your evening meal, your driver will take you back to your hotel where you will spend the night.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Holzan Bird of Prey Nursery
Snow mobile rides
Dog sledding
Pelmeni cooking masterclass
Tasting of Ural liqueurs
Cultural Immersive Experience
Private concert of classic music
Day 9
Train to Novosibirsk
After breakfast you will check out of your hotel and meet your driver to begin the journey back to Yekaterinburg train station where you will catch the train to Novosibirsk, your next destination. You will spend the evening on the train.
Breakfast
Free Time
Departure Transfer
Night on the Train
Travel to


Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the largest city in Siberia with the flair and charm of a provincial town. It is an important commercial hub in the region, hosting one of the best and largest universities in Russia which has shaped the identity of the city. The city is home to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Novosibirsk State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet (NOVAT), considered one of the best musical and theatre groups in Russia.
Day 10
Free time in Novosibirsk
On arrival in Novosibirsk, you will meet your driver at the train station and be taken to your hotel where you will check-in.
You will have the rest of the day as free time to rest, relax, or explore the city for yourself.
Lunch
New Destination by Train
Arrival Transfer
Free Time
Day 11
Nutcracker ballet performance and New Year’s celebrations
Today you will explore the spectacular sights and sounds of Novosibirsk.
After breakfast your driver will take you outside the city for a festive snowmobile experience in the snow-capped Siberian taiga forest and across the River Ob. During your ride, you will stop at a nearby camp for photos, before enjoying a relaxing steam bath in a traditional wooden Russian banya.
After lunch you will return to your hotel to refresh before heading into the city to visit the Siberian Colosseum for an awe-inspiring Nutcracker ballet performance.
In the evening, you will have some free time to do some exploring of your own, and later in the evening you will be greeted with a fabulous New Year’s Eve banquet accompanied by dancing, feasting and fireworks until the early morning.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Snowmobile ride on the frozen Ob River
Traditional Russian wooden banya
Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre
Nutcracker performance
Siberian New Year Celebration
Day 12
Novosibirsk city tour
Today you will get plenty of time to relax after an action-packed night of festivities.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel before going out for a walk around the city’s most famous attractions accompanied by your guide. You will stop for photos outside the legendary NOVAT opera house and have the chance to do a spot of ice-skating and treat yourself to a warming mulled wine.
The rest of the day will be free for you to relax or explore the city as you see fit.
Breakfast & Lunch
Scenic Surrounds
Walking Tour
Souvenir Shopping
Free Time
Day 13
Visit to the Museum of Living Antiquity
After breakfast you will meet your guide and head to the Museum of Living Antiquity in nearby Alekseevskaya Sloboda. Here, you can take part in folk performances, festive games, cooking masterclasses and so much more. You will even get the chance to have a small lesson in Siberian food preparation accompanied by a glass of wine.
In the afternoon, you will be taken back to your hotel where you can enjoy plenty of free time to explore or relax.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Museum of Living Antiquity in Alekseevskaya Sloboda
Petruska theatre performance
folk performance near the New Year Tree
Masterclass
Free Time
Day 14
On the train to Abakan
After a very early breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and meet your driver for the transfer to the rail station for the train to Abakan.
You will spend all day on board the train. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your time passing through the beautiful landscapes of Russia.
Breakfast
Departure Transfer
Night on the Train
Prominent Landscape
Travel to


Abakan
Abakan is the capital city of the Republic of Khakassia, Russia, founded in the 17th century at the confluence of the Yenisei and Abakan Rivers. The city is home to several important landmarks including the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, “Good Angel of Peace” sculpture, the Park of Topiary Art, and the Khakas National History Museum. Abakan marks an important junction and terminal station on the Abakan-Tayshet Railway.
Day 15
Arrival in Abakan
After arriving in Abakan, you will meet your driver who will take you to your hotel for an early check-in where you will have some time to refresh and have some breakfast.
After breakfast, you will meet your driver and set off for the “Snow Leopard” campsite surrounded by the mountains of the Western Sayan, in the heart of the friendly Siberian Taiga.
After checking into your wooden cabin, you will have a free evening to settle in and do some exploring around the camp.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
New Destination by Train
Arrival Transfer
Sayan Mountains
Camping experience
Prominent Landscape
Travel to


Siberian Taiga
A large ecoregion situated in the heart of Siberia; the Siberian Taiga is a vast region stretching over 1,500,000 square miles. The East Siberian taiga has a subarctic climate with high continentality and is known for its extremely cold winters and often warm summers. In contrast, the West Siberian Taiga is made up of bog and wetlands. The Siberian Taiga is known for its characteristic deciduous, boreal forests of exquisite natural beauty and remains an area of mystery and fascination worldwide.
Day 16
Hike to the Bridge of Love
After breakfast, you will spend the day around the campsite before going on a 2 ½ hour hike to the well-known suspension bridge known as the ‘Bridge of Love’.
After your hike, you will return to the campsite and have the rest of the day to relax and immerse yourself in camp life or do some more exploring for yourself before dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Hiking experience
Bridge of Love
Camping experience
Prominent Landscape
Day 17
Visit to a nearby Khakassian village
Today you will leave the Snow Leopard campsite and continue your journey to Shushenskoye village
After breakfast, you will check out and meet your driver who will take you on the journey to Shushenskoye village. Along the way, you will stop at a nearby Khakassian village known for its mystical monument Khurtuyakh tas, said to bring the gift of fertility.
On continuing your journey, you will stop at the Shushenskoe Museum reserve where you will check into your guest house where you will spend the evening. You will have some free time in the evening to familiarise yourself with the camp.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Khakassian Village
Khurtuyakh tas monument
Khakassian culture
Shushenskoye Ethnographical Museum
Free Time
Scenic Surrounds
Travel to


Shushenskoye Village
A popular village situated at the confluence of the Yenisei and Big Shush rivers, Shushenskoye is best known as the site of Vladimir Lenin’s exile between 1897 and 1900. In 1970 a museum dedicated to Lenin’s time in Shushenskoye was opened and remains a popular destination for tourists along with its beautiful nature reserves. It has since become the site of the Music and Crafts of Siberia festival which takes place every July.
Day 18
Exploring the Shushenskoye Ethnographic Museum Reserve
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast followed by an enlightening day exploring the Shushenskoye Ethnographic Museum Reserve, a real Siberian village of 19-20th centuries.
The history of the museum is inextricably linked with the name of Vladimir Lenin, who lived in exile in Shushenskoye between 1897-1900. There are numerous monuments covering 7 hectare including farmhouses, a commercial shop, jail, tavern, and about 200 wooden buildings. This is popular with tourists to the area that are attracted to ancient Siberian traditions, which are fully preserved in this place.
After your excursion, you will stop for lunch before embarking on the journey to Abakan, capital of Khakassian Republic. On arrival, you will have time for some sightseeing in Abakan including a visit to the Local Lore Museum.
You will have some free time in the evening where you will check into your hotel and enjoy an evening farewell meal with your guide in the restaurant.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Shushenskoye Ethnographical Museum
Cultural Immersive Experience
National Museum of Khakassia
City Tour
Free Time
Breakfast
Free Time
Departure Transfer
Where you can stay
A hotel can be the make or break of any experience, and we understand that choosing the right hotel is important to our travellers. Check out our range of hotels ahead of time, and learn more about our standard 3-star options and the luxury 5-star upgrades that are available in the destinations you will be visiting.
Please note that the selection of hotels included here are examples of where you may stay on your tour, we will pick the best option for you based on your travel requirements.
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Dates & Rates
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*This tour’s total cost is an estimate, based on travel costs prior to tickets being released. The price is subject to fluctation of up to 10%.† Based on 2 people sharing a twin room.
More information
What’s included
Accommodation as part of the tour
Activities as part of the tour
All tours are COVID-19 secure and offer flexible booking options. Visit our Covid-19 information page to find out more
English speaking guide (other options available)
Entrance fees to museums (as part of the tour)
Food and drink (as mentioned in the tour itinerary)
Masterclasses
New Year’s Eve banquet
Russian Tourist Visa Invitation
Transport (as specified in the tour itinerary)
What’s not included
Food and drinks (unless specified)
International flights / transport
Optional excursions and activities
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
There are no special notes for this tour
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.
Moscow, St Petersburg & the Golden Ring
The ultimate guidebook to the Golden Ring that no tourist can go without! Lonely Planet’s Moscow, St Petersburg and the Golden Ring is packed full of almost everything you need when travelling to these three spectacular regions including the best places to eat, what you need to see while you are there, cultural highlights and more. In addition to its noteworthy insider tips about key attractions such as the Moscow Kremlin, the Peterhof and the many monasteries and cathedrals of the Golden Ring cities, this guide includes regional maps that are invaluable to even the most seasoned traveller.
Moscow: A Traveller’s Reader
A masterful anthology documenting Moscow’s turbulent growth through the lives of its people from the bloody reprisals of Peter the Great to the literary greats of the 19th century. The city spent much of its early life in turmoil from being the subject to much greater empires including the Tatars, to being burnt down numerous times, yet rising from the ashes twice as magnificent each time. Kelly’s compelling narrative covers all of Moscow’s major milestones over 700 years in engaging detail. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of Russia.
Extras & Upgrades
Extras
Sorry, we currently do not have any extras readily available for this tour. However, if you are interested in customising your travel experience, please contact our Sales team at travel@realrussia.co.uk for assistance.
Upgrades
Sorry, we currently do not have any upgrades readily available for this tour. However, if you are interested in customising your travel experience, please contact our Sales team at travel@realrussia.co.uk for assistance.
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