Siberian Odyssey: Legends of Buryatia, Lake Baikal & Tuva
Explore South Siberia, a remote and atmospheric land where mounted Scythians thundered across the steppe long ago. Meet the Buryats of UNESCO-listed Lake Baikal and the Tuvan and Khakass people, whose Mongolian neighbors imbued them with Buddhism, shamanism and khoomei, or throat-singing.
Days 1-4: Moscow, Ulan Ude
Assemble in Moscow, then fly to Ulan Ude, the capital of Siberia's Buryat Republic. Visit Russia's most important Buddhist monastery, and enjoy a home-cooked meal and concert with modern-day Old Believers.
Days 5-7: Listvyanka, Lake Baikal, Olkhon Island
Board a boat crossing UNESCO-listed Lake Baikal to Listvyanka on the western shore. Ferry to forested Olkhon Island, where indigenous Buryats believed the lake's gods to have lived. Search for elusive fresh-water seals and meet an Olkhon shaman.
Days 8-9: Irkutsk, Trans-Siberian, Krasnoyarsk
Attend a private concert in the Decembrist Museum in Irkutsk, then take an overnight ride on the fabled Trans-Siberian Railway to Krasnoyarsk. Fly to Kyzyl, capital of the Republic of Tuva.
Days 10-13: Tuva
Explore remote and beautiful Tuva, whose people have adopted many of the cultural traditions of Mongolia. Attend a shamanist ceremony and discover Tuvan throat-singing, an eerie-sounding musical form in which one person produces several sounds simultaneously. Visit the village of Samagaltai, Tuva's former capital, to visit with a nomadic steppe family. Here, learn the art of making Tuvan cheese and get a private throat-singing lesson. Venture to the famous Arzhan II excavations in Turan, in a place known as the "Valley of the Czars," where ancient Scythian horsemen buried their royalty in rich kurgan, and continue to the village of Ergaki for a night.
Days 14-16: Ergaki, Shushenskoye, Abakan, Moscow
Travel overland through the foothills of the rolling Sayan Mountains stopping in Shushenskoye, an obscure Siberian village where Lenin was exiled. Continue to Abakan, capital of Khakassia, a small South Siberia republic established by Turkic-speaking tribes in the 8th century. Enjoy a Khakassian folk performance before flying back to Moscow for one last night.
Trip Details
| Length of Trip: |
16 Days |
| Departures in 2012: |
1 |
| Dates: |
August 3-18 |
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| Land Tour Cost: |
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| 5-12 travelers |
$7,095 |
Plus internal air
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$1,200 (economy class, subject to change)
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| Partial Single Supplement |
$1,095* |
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| No Hidden Costs! |
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MIR Signature Experiences
- Explore sacred Olkhon Island, sampling local schi Baikal fish soup
- Experience a traditional shaman ceremony in remote Tuva
- Discover the other-worldly sounds of throat-singing
Map - Click to Enlarge
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| Days 1-2: |
Moscow |
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| Day 3: |
Moscow, fly to Ulan Ude |
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| Day 4: |
Ulan Ude |
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| Day 5: |
Ulan Ude, boat to Port Kluevka, Listvyanka Village |
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| Day 6: |
Listvyanka, hydrofoil to Olkhon Island
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| Day 7: |
Olkhon Island
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| Day 8: |
Olkhon Island, Listvyanka Villag
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| Day 9: |
Listvyanka Village, Irkutsk, board overnight Trans-Siberian train to Krasnoyarsk |
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| Day 10: |
Krasnoyarsk, fly to Kyzyl |
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| Day 11: |
Kyzyl, day trip to Turan |
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| Day 12: |
Kyzyl |
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| Day 13: |
Kyzyl, Ergaki |
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| Day 14: |
Ergaki, Shushenskoye, Abakan |
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| Day 15: |
Abakan, fly to Moscow |
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| Day 16: |
Depart Moscow |
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| Ulan Ude |
Ivolginsk Datsan, largest Lenin head in the world, Buddhist Art and History Museum, UNESCO-listed Trans-Baikal Semeiskie (Russian Old Believers)
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| Lake Baikal |
UNESCO World Heritage site |
| Olkhon Island |
Pribaikalsky National Park, hiking on Shaman Cape, Khuzhir Nature and History Museum |
| Listvyanka Village |
Limnological Museum, St. Nicholas Church, Chersky Mount, authentic Russian banya |
| Irkutsk |
World War II Memorial, Alexander III monument, icebreaker Angara, Decembrist Museum, Museum of Wooden Architecture
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| Trans-Siberian Railroad |
World-famous rail line |
| Krasnoyarsk |
Peace Square, Praskeva Chapel and Watch Hill scenic outlook
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| Turan |
Valley of the Czars and Scythian Tombs, Museum of Russian Colonists, meal in a private home |
| Samagaltai |
Former capital of Tuva, visit with a local nomadic family |
| Kyzyl |
Geographic Center of Asia, Tuvan Institute of Manuscripts, shaman ceremony, National Museum of Tuva, performance of Tuvan throat singing |
| Shushenskoye |
State Ethnographical Museum, site of Lenin's pre-revolutionary exile |
| Abakan |
Khakassia's capital, Khakassia Local Studies Museum, oldest vodka factory in Siberia, folk performance of local music |
| Moscow |
St. Basil's Cathedral at night, Red Square, GUM, Kremlin and Armory Museum (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Arbat Street, Metro stations, Izmailovo Park flea market |
Suggested Extensions
MIR can arrange for an extended program in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Baltics or elsewhere in Eastern Europe before the tour begins, or in Mongolia or China at the conclusion of your tour. You may wish to stay on in Mongolia to visit the Gobi, or enjoy a Yangtze River cruise in China. Please call us for suggestions.
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