Arctic Circle Steam Express
Come along on an incredible steam-hauled journey through the Russian "White Nights," from glittering Kiev to imperial St. Petersburg, then up above the Arctic Circle almost to the shores of the Arctic Ocean and back to Moscow. Lovers of rail travel will thrill to the sound of the powerful steam engines and the re-creation of a long-ago era of train travel coupled with modern-day onboard amenities and stylish accommodations.
Gather in Ukraine's capital, Kiev, and tour the 11th century Caves Monastery, then board the exclusive Siberian Tiger Trans-Siberian Express private train bound for the high north. Along the way, pause at the Bryansk Locomotive Works, where the armor for the Battleship Potemkin was fabricated. Hauled by Europe's largest steam locomotive - the P36 4-84 - continue on to Moscow to survey Red Square and the Kremlin.
Next day, arrive in St. Petersburg and visit Catherine's Palace on the outskirts of town. Explore Pskov and Novgorod, two of Russia's oldest towns.
As the train steams north, it rolls out of the region of little dachas with their vegetable gardens and into the taiga, an immense landscape of seemingly endless Russian forest. In Vyborg, visit the 13th century Swedish castle, and from Petrozavodsk, hydrofoil over Lake Onega to the remarkable open-air museum on Kizhi Island.
Even further north, the taiga slowly transforms into the austere landscape of the tundra. Although we cross the Arctic Circle around midnight, it will still be light; the sun will not completely set for the next few days.
Explore the port of Murmansk on the Arctic Ocean, kept ice-free by the Gulf Stream, and make a stop at the world's most northerly passenger-train station. At long last, our sturdy steam locomotive heads back to Moscow and a farewell dinner to celebrate our unforgettable journey.
Trip Details
| Length of Trip: |
17 Days |
| Departures in 2007: |
1 |
| Dates: |
June 14-30, 2007 |
| 2 nights hotels, 14 nights onboard the Siberian Tiger Trans-Siberian Express.
|
 |
| Land Tour Cost |
|
| Heritage Class, twin share |
$6,195 |
| Heritage Class, single share |
$8,495 |
| Gold Class, twin share |
$11,995 |
| Gold Class, single |
$16,995 |
|
Special Features
- Experience the czarist opulence of baroque St. Petersburg and the modern cacophony
of Moscow
- Relax in our comfortable "hotel on wheels" as it is pulled by the
mightiest steam locomotive ever built in Russia
- Watch the thick Russian forest thin and shrink as we head north toward the
permafrost zone
- Cross the Arctic Circle under the Midnight Sun
Map
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| Days 1-2: |
Kiev |
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| Day 3: |
Bryansk |
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| Day 4: |
Moscow |
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| Day 5: |
St. Petersburg |
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| Day 6: |
Pskov, Novgorod |
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| Day 7: |
Vyborg |
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| Day 8: |
Petrozavodsk |
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| Day 9: |
on board toward Arctic Circle |
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| Day 10: |
Murmansk |
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| Day 11: |
on board crossing Arctic Circle |
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| Day 12: |
Kem |
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| Day 13: |
on board |
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| Day 14: |
Uglich |
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Day 15: |
Novosokolniki |
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| Days 16-17: |
Moscow |
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Suggested Extensions
Extend your stay in either Kiev or Moscow. Contact us for details.
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