Tour: Great Tour of Siberia

Day 1

Arrival in Krasnoyarsk by a flight from Moscow, meeting at the airport. Transfer to a 3 star hotel (55 km), check in, short rest and lunch. Start the first day in Siberia with Krasnoyarsk city tour incl a visit to Paraskovya Pyatnitsa chapel (the symbol of the city), Annunciation Cathedral. Learn about the history and ethnography of this rich land in Krasnoyarsk Region Museum, one of the best of this type in Siberia.

Welcome dinner and overnight.

Day 2

Breakfast. Set off on a trip of Siberia discovery to the city of  Divnogorsk (“Wonderful Town”) named after the Divnye (Wonderful) mountains next to the city, on the opposite shore of the Siberian powerful river Yenissey (35 km). Cross the river along the dam (Krasnoyarsk hydropower station) and learn about the period of Soviet construction and mega-projects. Lunch in the open air at a café at 258 km.

Continue southwards to the historical village Shushenskoe, once upon a time a notorious place of political exiles. As nowadays the inhabitants are more proud of their folk traditions and hospitality than of this fact dating back to the Soviet regime, visit the State Ethnographical museum-reserve “Shushenskoe” to find out about the history of the village. Take part in a traditional evening meeting – “vechorka”, national rites, games and dances in the tavern while enjoying a cup of taiga herbal tea and a piece of the famous bird cherry pie.

Overnight in a hotel (Tourist).

Day distance (auto): 490 km

Day 3

Start this day with a visit to the village Tanzibei, visit the house of the Master of Wood to learn the traditions of handicraft and carpentry in the area.   

After lunch set off from within Krasnoyarsk region for Tuva, towards spectacular mountains of the East Sayan, stop on the way at the viewpoint with an impressive vista of Tuva’s landscapes and visit Arjaan II, an archeological site dating back to the 6 century BC.

Arrival in a cozy Biy-Khem camp on the riverside, accommodation in the ger (yurt) complex. After dinner enjoy an unusual experience - traditional throat singing – “khoomei” performed for you by a local band.

Breafast, lunch, dinner (BLD), accommodation in gers

Day distance (auto): 350 km

Day 4

After breakfast - trip (25 km) to Kizyl, the capital of Tuva where is the geographical centre of Asia. Visit the Buddhist temple to listen to the sermon of lama. Take your time in the Shaman clinic where the shamans will narrate about Siberian traditions and future. Lunch in a of Kyzil. Visit the National Museum of Tuva and the atelier of the national dress.

Come back to Biy-Khem gers for dinner of traditional Tuvan cuisine. Witness a bewitching show – a ritual blessing for health and happiness.

BLD, accommodation in gers

Day distance (auto): 50 km

Day 5

Today we’ll cross Tuva east to west following the way of ancient nomads. Stop at the Khayrakan mountain, considered sacred by locals and sanctified by the Dalai Lama IX. Lunch on the grass, in the company of "Seven Sisters", century old larch trees.

With crossing the Sayan pass of a 2206m high, enter the land of Khakassia with its fabulous mountains and pine taiga.

Accommodation in the taiga camp Snow Leopard. BLD

Day distance (auto): 535 km

Day 6

Have a stroll in the taiga (5 km return) to a scenic mountain lake located at a height of 1520 meters. Try plunging into the clear waters of the lake.

A new experience is waiting for you after lunch – Phytosauna (sauna with herbal steam). In the evening, the hosts of  the Snow Leopard will offer you the true Siberian banya. Sitting at the campfire, enjoy the silence of the evening, look into the starry skies and listen to the crackles of wood in the fire.

Accommodation in the taiga camp Snow Leopard. BLD

Day distance (walk): 5 km

Day 7

In the morning attend an interesting introduction to taiga and mountain medicinal herbs. The guides will tell you how to render first aid and help a person recover without contemporary medicines, with the help of nature.

After lunch bid farewell to Snow Leopard and depart by minivan. Make a stop in a Khakasian village where there is a monument Hurtuyah tas* set, a fertility sacred place.

By the evening the bus arrives in the Kug valley 137 km from Abakan. Have dinner and enjoy a performance of the national folklore group.

Accommodation in the yurt complex Kug. BLD

Day distance (auto): 240 km

Day 8

After breakfast visit Kazanovka, the State museum-reserve of Khakassia. After lunch - the sequel of the archaeological excursion to the sacred signs of the ancient shamans and a cult obelisk Kug, famous for its healing energetic field (5-7 km).

Accommodation in the yurt complex Kug. BLD

Day distance (walk): 5-7 km

Day 9

Say good-bye to Kug. 2-hours transfer to Abakan, the capital of Khakassia. Pay a visit to the Republican regional Museum. And leave for the Valley of Kings, with 30 burial mounds dating back to the III-IV century B.C. The culmination of the trip will be the Great Salbyk Mound. Lunch close to the Great Salbyk Mound with a view to the Valley of the Kings, then transfer to Krasnoyarsk.

Accommodation in a 3 4tart hotel in Krasnoyarsk. BDL

Day distance (auto): 570 km

Day 10

Breakfast, and transfer to the train or the airport for a flight to Moscow

The Tour Operator reserves the right to introduce alterations to the itinerary due to weather conditions or other factors out of control by the Tour operator.