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Frequently Asked Questions
In Russian, the word mir means both “peace” and “world.” Hence the Russian department store, Detskii Mir, or “Children's World,” and the former Russian space station, Mir, or “Peace.” 2. How long have you been in business? MIR began over 25 years ago, in 1986, when president and founder Douglas Grimes played on an American volleyball team that participated in a Russian-American volleyball exchange as a part of Gorbachev's glasnost, or "openness" policy. Douglas enjoyed the country and the people so much that he was inspired to help others travel there. 3. What is your maximum group size? MIR has four types of trips, the Premier, Cultural, Explorer, and Flexible Essential series. The Premier and Cultural trips have a maximum of 16 travelers, and the more intimate Explorer trips allow a maximum of only 12. Since Flexible Essential tours are designed to be customized, they have no minimum group size. Private Train tours are often very large groups of 100 or more travelers.
4. Are the departures guaranteed? Departures are guaranteed when we have the minimum number of travelers for any given tour. The minimum number of travelers on our small group tours varies from two to six; please see the specific tour information for details. 5. Can you arrange air transportation? We would be happy to arrange your air transportation for you. We have special airfares to most of our destinations, and can offer excellent business class fares on Lufthansa, SAS, Austrian and United Airlines. 6. Can you arrange pre- and post-tour extensions? Absolutely. Our staff has the information and expertise to plan anything from one extra day in St. Petersburg to two extra weeks in the Gobi Desert. Aside from special-order extensions, many of our trips are designed so that they can be linked together back-to-back.
No specific inoculations are required to travel to these destinations. We recommend that you talk to a travel medical specialist and consult the website for the Centers for Disease Control for recommended inoculations. MIR’s tour managers and national guides are experienced, caring, multi-lingual leaders who bring a love of their work to ensure your satisfaction. Many of our managers are native to the lands in which they guide and have university degrees in art history, architecture, geology or ethnography. 9. How strenuous are your tours? Each MIR tour is carefully built to maximize flexibility and balance, depth and breadth. We offer three styles of small group travel - Premier, Cultural or Explorer Series tours - each with a slightly different focus. 10. What's included in my MIR tour? For a full list of inclusions, please click here. 11. What is the food like? Will there be vegetarian or low-fat options? Cuisine in MIR's corner of the world varies widely, from the elaborate salads and zakuskii (snacks) of Russia to the lamb-based stews of Mongolia. Our booklet, Touring with MIR, will describe the food in the countries you will be traveling through. In most places, vegetarian options and low-fat items are readily available.
12. What kind of accommodations can I expect? Style of accommodation varies by trip type and destination - from rustic lodges to authentic Mongolian gers to moderate or luxury hotels. For more details on trip styles, click here. Included in the Touring with MIR booklet, which you will receive after registration, is a comprehensive list of suggestions on what to bring with you, including clothing, sundries, gift items and indispensables. Weather information for each of the countries you plan to travel to is included in the Touring with MIR booklet you will receive when you register for a trip with MIR. You can also look here for climate information: www.climate-zone.com 15. Can I have more details on the tour I'm interested in? Yes. Please call 1-800-424-7289 or email (info@mircorp.com) for a descriptive daily itinerary of the tour or tours that you are interested in.
Yes. A MIR transfer agent will be waiting just past customs and passport control with a MIR sign, as long as you arrive for a tour on the day the tour begins in the city where the tour begins. If you are traveling independently, or are arriving before the official start date of the tour, MIR can still arrange a pick-up and transfer from the airport to your hotel. 17. I'm traveling alone. Do I have to pay the single supplement? Not necessarily. If you wish, we can try to find a roommate of the same gender for you. We are not always able to match two singles wishing to share accommodations, but we are often successful. If we are unable to find a roommate for you, you will be assessed the single supplement fee. 18. Do you offer travel insurance? Is it required for my tour? We are happy to offer travel insurance to all travelers on our tours. Travel insurance is required on certain tours, including all Private Train tours and some Explorer Series tours.
19. What kind of information will I receive to prepare for my trip? Once MIR receives your deposit and completed reservation form, we’ll send you a complete pre-departure information packet including detailed packing guidelines, visa regulations and application forms (if applicable), descriptive itinerary, recommended reading and travel tips. 20. Will you help me to get my visas? We will assist you in the coordination of your visa needs; however, these costs are not included in the land tour prices listed. 21. What if I change my mind and want to switch to a different tour? You can transfer from one small group tour (any trip labeled Premier, Cultural, Explorer or Flexible Essential Series) to another small group tour for no charge up to 91 days prior to the tour departure. Sorry, no transfers are allowed on Rail Journeys by Private Train tours. For more details, please give us a call or download our Traveler Information. 22. What are the penalties for canceling my trip? For a full schedule of cancellation penalties, please give us a call or download our Traveler Information. 23. What if MIR cancels the tour? Your deposit will be refunded if MIR cancels your tour. 24. Isn't it dangerous to travel to these regions? As far as petty crime (theft, pick-pocketing, etc.) is involved, we have found that these countries are no more dangerous than downtown Manhattan. It's wise to take normal precautions, however, simply because thoughtless travelers can make good targets in any country, including our own. Any political unrest in our destination countries is always closely monitored. MIR has partners on the ground in close contact, and they advise us of any emerging situation that may pose any kind of threat to our travelers. Our job is to stay current on developments in our destinations, and we take it seriously.
We offer a back-to-back tour discount of $100/tour if you reserve two tours in a row with us, such as the Journey Through Central Asia together with the Treasures of the Trans-Caucasus. Occasionally we offer discounts on certain tours through our newsletters; please sign up for our e-newsletter here or give us a call 1-800-424-7289. 26. I only want train tickets on the Trans-Siberian. Can you help me with that? Unfortunately, we cannot offer train tickets only. We would be happy to help you with your plans for a Trans-Siberian tour if we are making arrangements for your accommodations, transfers and touring as well as the train tickets.
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What does your name mean?
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Are there any inoculations required for my tour?
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Will I be met at the airport? 
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Do you offer any discounts? 
