Day by Day Itinerary
DAY 1: WELCOME TO MOSCOW
Arrival in Moscow, meet and greet at the airport, transfer from airport to Hotel. The rest of the day at leisure – take a discovery walk of the hotel vicinity. This evening you will enjoy dinner on your own. Overnight in Moscow.
DAY 2: MOSCOW
Breakfast at hotel, city tour of Moscow including Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Moscow University, and view of Moscow on the Lenin Hills, a tour of Moscow Metro. After lunch at a city restaurant, you will explore the Red Square, the very heart of Moscow, with picturesque St. Basil’s Cathedral, visit the Kremlin, one of the best-known monuments in Russia and in the world, the former residence of the Russian Tsars. Enjoy some time in downtown strolling along the ancient Arbat Street with its numerous cafes and souvenir shops. Followed a sightseeing tour of Moscow metro stations.
Dinner in the city restaurant. Overnight in Moscow.
DAY 3: MOSCOW – VOLGOGRAD
Breakfast onboard, continue with the Grand city tour of Moscow in the morning. Later in the afternoon, you are welcome onboard the «Imperial Russia» Train, enjoy dinner on board, and get to know your travel companions. Departure from Moscow. Lunch and dinner onboard.
DAY 4: VOLGOGRAD
Breakfast onboard. Arrival in Volgograd. Begin the sightseeing city tour of "Hero-city Volgograd" with a visit to the memorial complex "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" at Mamayev Hill – main height #102.0 including a visit to all main sights. After Lunch in the city restaurant, visit the panoramic-museum "The Battle of Stalingrad" and the legendary Pavlov´s house & visit the open-air exhibition "Weapon of Victory". This is one of the biggest WWII museums in the world with hundreds of unique exhibits, including the rifle of Zaitsev and a huge panoramic canvas.
Free time for souvenir shopping, the guide will recommend the souvenir shops. Dinner in the city restaurant and transfer to the train station. Board the train and depart from Volgograd.
DAY 5: ASTRAKHAN
Breakfast onboard, arrival in Astrakhan. Begin the sightseeing tour of the city, visiting the main attractions, such as the Kremlin, St Vladimir´s Church, the Monastery of Annunciation, the Theater of Opera and Ballet, the monument to Peter the Great, and the Arch of Triumph. you will visit a fish market, followed by Lunch in the city restaurant.
Later, visit a local sturgeon farm outside the city. The guides will tell you how the sturgeons are bred and will show you the details of obtaining the black caviar. Dinner at the farm. Transfer to the train station. Board the train and depart from Astrakhan.
DAY 6: DAY ONBOARD
Today enjoy your stay and various activities on board of “Imperial Russia” Train. onboard. Enjoy the relaxing day in anticipation of the next stop. Breakfast, lunch, dinner on board.
DAY 7:URGENCH/KHIVA
Breakfast onboard. Welcome to Uzbekistan. Arrival at Urgench. Transfer to Khiva. Caravans come to China from West to East and our route starts from Khiva, museum city under the sky. If you ever dreamed of getting into Eastern fairy tales, then your dreams come true.
Meet and greet by your local guides, followed by a City tour in Khiva: Itchan-Kala architectural complex (XIIXIX), Ata Darvaza Gates, Said Alautdin Mausoleum, Muhammed Amin Khan Madrassah, Kunya-Ark Castle (XIVXVI), Juma Mosque (X) and other Khiva tourist sights.
Lunch in the national house. Continuation of the walking tour: Ak Mosque, Palvana Darvoza Gates, Tash-Hovli Palace (XIX), Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum (XIV-XVIII), Allahkuli Khan Madrassah, Islam Hodja Residence. Narrow streets, carved “ayvans” veranda and doors, majestic minarets and mausoleums, heritage and arts –all kept with care in this city as a great treasure.
Dinner in the city restaurant. Transfer to the railway station. Board the train and depart from Urgench.
DAY 8: KONYE-URGENCH/DARWAZA GAS CRATER
Breakfast onboard. Welcome to Turkmenistan. Arrival at Dashoguz station. Meet and greet by your local guides and transfer to Konye-Urgench (XII-XIV), one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Excursion to Konye-Urgench, one of Turkmenistan’s most
impressive world heritage sites, dotted with architectural masterpieces, including a minaret, which is one of the oldest of its kind in the world.
Transfer back to Dashoguz and depart from Dashoguz. Lunch onboard. Arrival at Ichoguz station. Transfer to Darwaza gas crater.
Darvaza is one of the most surprising places in Turkmenistan. The huge crater in the middle of the desert has a diameter of 60 mt and depth of 20 mt and is called “Door to hell”.
Enjoy your dinner in the form of a barbecue with local wines and vodka tasting followed by an excursion around the crater. Later, transfer back to the train. Board the train and depart from Ichoguz.
DAY 9: ASHGABAT
Breakfast onboard. Arrival in Ashgabat. Meet and greet by your local guides, followed by a sightseeing tour of the city, including Turkmenbasy Ruhy Mosque and 1st President Mausoleum, Nisa – the residence of the Parthian Kings (one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites), Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, Monument of Neutrality.
Lunch in the city restaurant. Visit the National History Museum, Ashgabat Hippodrome, Seyit Jemaletdin Mosque ruins, Turkmen carpet museum. Visit the city fruit and vegetable market. Night Ashgabat tour. Dinner in the city restaurant.
Transfer to the train station. Board the train and depart from Ashgabat.
DAY 10: MERV
Breakfast onboard. Arrival at Mary station. Meet and greet your local guides and transfer to Old Merv for an excursion. Merv is one of the oldest and best-preserved oasis-cities along the Silk Road in Central Asia with a variety of monuments surviving the ravages of time and attracting archaeologists and tourists alike. Transfer back for lunch. Lunch in the national house. Transfer to Mary´s local museum of history. Mary´s sightseeing tour visiting the old church of Alexander Pokrovsky, the city market, and the trade center. Dinner in the city restaurant. Transfer to the train station. Board the train and depart from Mary.
DAY 11: BUKHARA
Breakfast onboard. Welcome to Uzbekistan. Arrival in Bukhara. Meet and greet by your local guides followed by a City tour in Bukhara: Ismael Samani Mausoleum (the tomb of representatives of Samanids’ dynasty at the end of IX - beginning of X), Bolo-Hauz Mosque (beginning of XX), Citadel Ark (IV) – a city in the city, Poi Kalon Ensemble (Pedestal of the Great), the religious heart of Sacred Bukhara, consists of Minaret Kalon (XII), Kalyan Mosque (XII), Miri Arab Madrassah (XVI), Ulugbek’s Madrassah (1417), Madrassah Nodir Divanbeghi, Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble (dated XIV-XVII centuries).
During the excursion - lunch in the city restaurant. Free time to explore on your own – visit Bukhara Dome Bazaars (dated 15-16 centuries): Toki Saraffon (the Dome of Moneychangers), Toki-Telpak Furushon (the Dome of Cap makers), Toki Zargaron (the Dome of jewelers) and Tim Abdullakhan (the Center of silk).
Transfer to the railway station. Board the train and depart from Bukhara. Dinner onboard the train.
DAY 12: SAMARKAND
Breakfast onboard. Arrival in Samarkand. Meet and greet by your local guides.
Long ago the cities of Uzbekistan were trading centers along the Great Silk Road, but Samarkand was always located on the crossroads. Roads to West – to Europe, roads to the East – to China, and roads to the South – to India were crossing in Samarkand. Alexander Makedonsky and Genghis Khan were the conquerors whose names were closely related to the history of the town, and the famous general Amir Timur turned Samarkand into the capital of his empire.
Full day city tour in Samarkand: the Mausoleum Guri Emir - Tamerlane's Tomb (XIV-XV), a visit to the morning East Siab Bazaar, Registan Square - Madrassah Ulugbek (XV), Madrassah Shir-Dor (XVII), Madrassah Tillya-Kori (XVII), Bibi Khanum Mosque (XIV-XV), the Architectural Complex Shakh-i-Zinda (dated XI-XV century), Ulugh Beg observatory. During the excursion - lunch in the city restaurant. Transfer to the railway station. Board the train and depart from Samarkand. Dinner onboard the train.
DAY 13: TASHKENT
Breakfast onboard. Arrival in Tashkent. Meet and greet by your local guides.
Tashkent is more than 2000 years old. During these years from a small village, it has become one of the biggest cities in Uzbekistan. Being the capital, Tashkent is a big metropolis with a population of over 2,5 million people. City tour: Excursion through the old part of the city. Visiting the religious complex Khasti Imam: consisting of Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum (XV century), Barak Khan Madrassah (XVI century), Muy-Mubarak Mosque – the storehouse of the well-known Koran of Khalif Osman and the gold hair of the prophet Muhammad; the State Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, and Chorsu Bazaar.
During the excursion - lunch in the city restaurant. Transfer to the railway station. Board the train and depart from Tashkent. Dinner onboard the train.
DAY 14: TURKESTSAN
Breakfast onboard. Welcome to Kazakhstan. Arrival in Turkestan. Turkestan was founded around 500 AD at the crossroads of caravan routes from Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva in northern Kazakhstan. The city was known as the spiritual and political center of the Turkic-speaking people in the XVI-XVIII centuries and was the capital of the Kazakh Khanate.
Meet and greet by your local guides and drive to Sauran city. Sauran was functioning in XIII – XVIII centuries, and it was one of the most powerful Turkestan castles. In the middle of the XIII century, the city was the capital of Ak Orda. It is located 40 km to the North –West of Turkestan.
Walk to the historical monuments of the old Sauran. After lunch - transfer to the Mausoleum complex of Khoja Akhmet Yassawy. Then visit Hodzha Ahmed YASSAVI mausoleum complex (XIVс ), historical-cultural reserve museum Aziret-Sultan, Darvaza (gates) of 18 - 19th centuries, Esim Кhan mausoleum (16th century), Rabiga Sultan Begim mausoleum (end of the 15th century), Akhmed Yassawi khanaka-mausoleum (12 - 14th centuries), "Zhuma" mosque (1878), underground mosque Khilvat (12 - 15th centuries), oriental baths (16 - 18th centuries), Big khilvet (12th century), Chillyakhana (14th century), the archeological site of ancient settlement Kultobe (14th century).
Transfer to the railway station. Board the train and depart from Turkestan. Dinner onboard the train.
DAY 15: ALMATY
Breakfast onboard. Arrival in Almaty. Meet your local guides at the railway station. Your luggage will be delivered to the hotel upon your arrival. Lunch in the city restaurant, followed by a City tour: Panfilov Park, named after the 28 Panfilov guards from Almaty, who died heroically defending Moscow against the Nazi invasion in 1941, the world’s most elevated wooden church Zenkov Cathedral. Passing the modern highlights of the city: the futuristic and busy Al Farabey street, the Presidential Palace, the Monument of Independence. Dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight in Almaty.
DAY 16: ALMATY
Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the Green Bazaar and then to The State Museum, the largest museum in Kazakhstan, and one of the largest museums in Central Asia. The museum houses are the most significant collection of Kazakh historical, archaeological, and modern cultural and political artifacts. Lunch in the city restaurant.
Drive to The Big Almaty Lake – the main storehouse of freshwater in Almaty city – which is located in the gorge of river Big Almatinka and is considered to be the highlight of the Trans-Ili Alatau, rising to 2510 meters above sea level and within the Ili Alatau-National Park. Due to the height, in summer the lake water temperature does not exceed 8°.
On the way back from The Big Almaty Lake the tour continues to a Falconry farm “Sunkar” (17 km from The Lake). The “Sunkar” (Falcon) is the first Falconry Centre in Kazakhstan. It was established in 1989 for the purpose of breeding rare and endangered species of birds of prey and their reintroduction into the wild, primarily listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. The guests will get a lot of information about the history of falconry, the biological features, and the way of life of birds of prey.
Dinner at the Kok-Tobe. Enjoy dinner with a show. Overnight in Almaty.
DAY 17: ALMATY DEPARTURE
Breakfast at hotel, transfer from the hotel to the airport, end of the trip.
Note! Tour program changes are possible