Naadam Trans-Mongolian East-West: Beijing - Ulan Bator - Baikal - Yekaterinburg - Moscow (TS-19)

Our Trans-Mongolian tour not only includes fantastic city visits, but it also coincides with the famous Naadam Festival in Mongolia. Naadam is the highlight of the Mongolian festival calendar, dating back several centuries, and taking place each mid July. The festival tests nomad’s abilities in strength, marksmanship and skillful horsemanship, with much importance placed on the horse races. It is a great opportunity to combine our Trans-Mongolian tour with visiting the Naadam Festival.


Day 1. Beijing
Arrival in Beijing. Our driver and guide will meet you in the arrival sector. We will visit an old part of Beijing – hutong
Day 2. Beijing
Guided tour of Tiananmen square, Forbidden City, Imperial Palace and Summer Palace.
Day 3. Beijing
Guided tour of the Great Wall of China
Day 4. Beijing
Transfer to the railway station and board K23 train to Mongolia.
Day 5. Ulan Bator - Hui Doloon Hudag - Ulan Bator
Our guide will meet you at the accommodation. Transfer to Hui Doloon Hudag. In the morning we will visit Hui Doloon Hudag for horse racing and enjoy the local atmosphere. Transfer to Ulan-Bator.
Day 6. Terelj - Ulan Bator
Attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival. We will visit the Central Stadium for Sports and Cultural Performances, where we will have a unique chance to witness wrestling and archery contest. Enjoy Naadam performance in the evening and Gala dinner
Day 7. Ulan Bator - Terelj - Ulan Bator
Our guide will meet you at the railway station. Transfer to Terelj National Park. We will explore Turtle Rock and after lunch at the camp we will enjoy hiking to Aryabal monastery. Transfer to Ulan Bator. We leave Mongolia and start our trip to Russia by comfortable train.
Day 8. Onboard
Onboard the train to Russia.
Day 9. Irkutsk - Listvyanka
Our guide will meet you with a sign board upon your arrival in Irkutsk. Transfer to Listvyanka village. Enjoy free time in the village.
Day 10. Listvyanka
Enjoy your free time in Listvyanka village. We suggest spending some time at the lake, visiting the St. Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church and the Baikal Lake Museum
Day 11. Listvyanka - Irkutsk
Visit the open air Wooden Architecture Museum in Taltsy. Transfer to Irkutsk. City tour. Transfer to the railway station in the evening. Board a train to Yekaterinburg.
Day 12. Onboard
Onboard the train to Yekaterinburg.
Day 13. Yekaterinburg
Our driver will meet you at the carriage. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 14. Yekaterinburg
We will visit the majestic Memorial Cathedral on the Blood. Then continue to “Ganina Pit” the unique orthodox monastery built on the place of the initial burial place of imperial remains. We will also visit the Europe - Asia border monument.
Day 15. Yekaterinburg
Transfer to the railway station. Board overnight train to Moscow.
Day 16. Moscow
Transfer to the hotel upon arrivat. Walking city centre tour including visit to the Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's Tomb.
Day 17. Moscow
You will discover the interior of the Kremlin - the former residence of the Tsars. We will also visit the Armoury followed by a guided tour of Moscow Underground.
Day 18. Moscow
Our driver will meet you with at the hotel lobby. Transfer to the airport.
Click here to view detailed day-by-day itinerary of this tour

Quick Facts
  • Season: Summer
  • Days: 19
  • Group Size: 2-12
  • Tour Grade:   Gentle

Day 1 - Sunday - Beijing
Arrival in Beijing. Our driver will meet you in the arrival sector. Transfer to the hotel. We will start with a tour around an old hutong neighbourhood by Shichahai Lake. Hutongs are a window into the Chinese past, but due to rapid development of the Chinese capital they are hard to find. We take a rickshaw around the narrow alleys and on to the famous Shichahai Lake and the Drum Tower in the centre of old Beijing. (D)
Day 2 - Monday - Beijing
Today, you will see many of Beijing’s key tourist sights. We start with a guided tour of Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world, covering 440 thousand square metres. Then it is on to the famous Imperial palace and the Forbidden City, listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. We end at the Summer Palace, 15 kilometres (9.4 miles), from central Beijing. (B, L, D)
Day 3 - Tuesday - Beijing
China’s iconic Great Wall is best viewed at Badaling, the most preserved section. The Wall is a symbol of Chinese civilisation and one of the wonders of the world included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. For a slice of modern Chinese life, we will travel on to the Olympic Green – Olympic park constructed in Beijing for 2008 summer Olympics which hosts Beijing National Stadium, Aquatics Centre and the Green Hockey Field. (B, L, D)
Day 4 - Wednesday - Beijing
Transfer to the railway station. Our driver will meet you with a signboard at the hotel lobby. An exciting day of rail travel awaits. Travelling by ‘train K3’ is probably the most popular way of getting from China into Mongolia and you will find many foreigners on the train. There are first class (2 berth compartment) and second class (4 berth compartment with two lower and two upper berths) carriages on this train. Hot boiled water, thermos kettles and a dining car with reasonable prices, are all available. (B)
Day 5 - Thursday - Ulan Bator – Terelj
Our guide will meet you at the railway station. Transfer to Terelj National Park. We will drive to the Chinggis Khaan monument on the banks of the Tuul River, 33 miles east of Ulan Bator. It is a 40-metre tall statue of Chinggis Khan on horseback, erected in 2008 and the biggest equestrian statue in the world. The monument complex also features a visitor centre and an archaeological museum. Next, it’s on to the Terelj National Park, one of the most magical destinations on earth. It was the homeland of the tough horsemen who, for over 500 years from the 13th century, occupied lands far and wide. We will explore Turtle Rock, hike to the Aryabal monastery and will visit a real Nomad family before overnighting in a traditional Mongolian ger. (L, D)
Day 6 - Friday - Terelj - Ulan Bator
Our driver will meet you at your accommodation. Transfer to Ulan Bator. The city is situated on the bank of the river Tuur, surrounded by sacred mountains. We will visit the Gandan Hiid Monastery, the country’s largest remaining monastery, Sukhebaatar square and the Museum of Natural History, where you will see real dinosaur remains as well as other archeological findings found in the Gobi desert. Also, a stop at the National Museum of Mongolian History - one of the leading museums in Mongolia. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Saturday - Ulan Bator
A real travel highlight for anyone, today you will attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival. Get your camera ready as nomads prove their strength, stamina, accurate marksmanship and skillful horsemanship. We will visit the Central Stadium for Sports and Cultural Performances next, where we will watch a wrestling and archery contest, in the evening there will be a gala dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Sunday - Ulan Bator - Hui Doloon Hudag - Ulan Bator
Today involves more Naadam Festival fun, including an Archery Tournament, wrestling, shooting etc. Transfer to the Hui Doloon Hudag for horse racing – enjoy the atmosphere and take plenty of photographs. Later, we will transfer to Ulan-Bator and then, from the hotel, transfer to the railway station. We leave Mongolia and start our trip to Russia by comfortable train. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Monday - Irkutsk - Listvyanka
Our guide will meet you with a signboard upon your arrival in Irkutsk. Transfer to Listvyanka village (approx. 70 km). Listvyanka village is all about spending time at the lake, visiting the St. Nicolas Russian Orthodox Church and the Baikal Lake Museum where you will learn about Siberian traditions.
Day 11 - Wednesday - Listvyanka
Enjoy your free time in Listvyanka village, learn about the flora and fauna of the deepest freshwater lake in the world. (B)
Day 12 - Thursday - Listvyanka - Irkutsk
Our guide will meet you at your accommodation. Transfer to Irkutsk. On our way to Irkutsk, we will stop to visit the open air Wooden Architecture Museum in Taltsy, located the banks of the river Angara. The museum conveys the lifestyle of 16th – 19th century Russia. A guided city tour around Irkutsk will provide an insight into 18th century churches as well as examples of modern Russian architecture.

Transfer to the railway station in the evening where we board a comfortable train to Yekaterinburg. Arrival in Yekaterinburg in the evening two days later. (B)
Day 14 – Saturday - Yekaterinburg
Our driver will meet you at the carriage with a signboard with your names. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 15 - Sunday - Yekaterinburg
We will visit the majestic Memorial Cathedral on the Blood in the name of all Saints, which was built on the place of execution of the last Russian tsar Nikolay II and his family. Then continue to “Ganina Pit” the unique orthodox monastery before driving out the see the obelisk that marks the "Border of Europe and Asia". (B)
Day 16 - Monday - Yekaterinburg
Our driver will meet you at the hotel lobby with a sign board with your names. Transfer to the railway station. Fast train 015. Departs Yekaterinburg at 09:19, arrives in Moscow at 09:23 next day (all times are local). (B)
Day 17 – Tuesday - Moscow
Arrival in Moscow. Our driver will meet you with a China & Beyond signboard at the beginning of the platform. Transfer to the hotel. We start with a Moscow walking tour, including visits to Lubyanka Square (the world-famous KGB centre), Tverskaya Street (the main and the busiest street in Moscow) and the Red Square. You will instantly recognise the brightly-domed St. Basil's cathedral, the Lenin Mausoleum, Kazan Cathedral and Kremlin towers.
Day 18 - Wednesday - Moscow
Today, you will discover the interior of the Kremlin - the former residence of the Tsars and now the residence of the Russian president. You will also visit the Kremlin’s orthodox cathedrals, the Armoury Museum and enjoy a guided tour of Moscow Underground in its Socialist Realism style. (B)
Day 19 - Thursday - Moscow
Transfer to the airport. Our driver will meet you with a China & Beyond sign board at the hotel lobby. (B)


Want to travel on different dates?
Please see below for our group tour dates, if you would like to travel on a different day, please let us know and we will come back to you with an offer. There might be additional surcharges for a private tour but all depends on the number of people in your party and your travel preferences.

 

Peninsula Palace *****

Category: De Luxe 5* hotel
Address: China, Beijing, Wangfujing, Goldfish Lane, 8

Peninsula Palace The Peninsula Palace Hotel Beijing is located within main shopping areas of Wangfujing and Dongdan in the heart of Beijing. It only takes a few minutes to walk to the popular scenic spots such as Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and The Museum of Chinese History.

Opened in 1989, the hotel has an imposing, traditional Chinese architectural-style exterior, integrated with the ultimate in luxurious, modern hotel amenities and facilities.

There are 525 guest rooms, which have been refurbished to the most luxurious standard based on the Peninsula's tradition of comfort, interwoven with subtle Chinese influences. The newly designed guest rooms and suites feature hardwood floors covered with carpet, a 42” plasma television, high-speed broadband Internet access, silent fax machine and The Peninsula signature technology - a bedside electronic panel that controls all lighting and audio-visual equipment in the room, as well as a special control panel by the door displaying outside temperature and humidity levels.

The hotel has a lounge, restaurants, fitness centre, sauna, spa, indoor pool, prestigious shopping Arcade with 50 exclusive designer boutiques.

Peninsula Palace Peninsula Palace Peninsula Palace Peninsula Palace



Howard Johnson Paragon ****

Category: Business 4* hotel
Address: China, Beijing, Jianguomen Avenue, 18

Howard Johnson Paragon The hotel is located in the city centre, next to the famous shopping mall - Henderson Centre, a 10-minute walk to the famous Tian Namen Square, Summer Palace and just across the street to the Beijing Railway Station.

There are 280 rooms equipped with a private bathroom, hairdryer, cable/satellite TV, coffee/tea maker, Internet access, iron and ironing board.

The hotel has a restaurant, bar/lounge, room service, baby sitting on request, beauty salon, fitness centre, free parking, game room, ironing/laundry services, business centre, meeting /conference rooms, non-smoking rooms and rooms for the disabled.

Howard Johnson Paragon Howard Johnson Paragon Howard Johnson Paragon Howard Johnson Paragon



Red Wall ***

Category: Tourist 3* hotel
Address: China, Beijing, Sha Tan North Street, 31

Red Wall The hotel is located in the centre of Beijing and within 5 minutes walk to its major attractions: Forbidden City, traditional Chinese folk house (Hutong and Siheyuan), Wangfujing shopping street, Red Building of Beijing University, including relics of the city wall of Beijing.

The hotel has a total of 200 rooms including standard rooms, deluxe standard rooms, executive suite rooms equipped with a private bathroom, hairdryer, air conditioning, cable/satellite TV, high-speed Internet access, telephone, safety box, iron and ironing board and mini-bar.

There is a gym, sauna, massage, beauty salon, restaurant, coffee bar and meeting room. The restaurant offers Chinese and Western cuisines including Chinese imperial cuisine, Sichuan cuisine and Guangdong cuisine.

Red Wall Red Wall Red Wall Red Wall



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