Classic Trans-Mongolian Holiday

When you land at Beijing Capital or Daxing Airport, our guide will be waiting for you at the arrival hall, holding a signboard with your name on, and then transfer you to the well-selected hotel for check-in. The rest of the day will be left for your own arrangements. You may have a rest in the room to get over the jet lag, or go out to explore the neighborhood on your own. The Qianmen Street is only about 10 minutes’ taxi ride away, where you can taste various local delicacies like Peking Roast Duck and buy some unique souvenirs.

Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel

Today, our escorted sightseeing will officially start with a stroll at the symbolic Tiananmen Square in Beijing city center and surrounded by imposing monuments and buildings. Then, we will walk northward to visit the grand Forbidden City, which is the world's biggest and best-preserved palace complex of wooden structure. It houses more than 70 palaces and over 9,000 rooms, and displays its glorious past through abundant antiques, artworks and furniture. Afterwards, we will pay a visit to the Temple of Heaven, the place where emperors held worshipping rituals for good harvests during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911). 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel

After breakfast, the guide will lead you to visit an icon of China – Great Wall. We will visit the section at Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved sections of the entire military defensive system. Located in suburb of Beijing, it takes about 1.5 hours to get there by the private car. On arrival, a round-trip cable car ride will be included for up and down, so that you could have more time and energy to hike on the wall. Snaking on majestic mountaintops, Mutianyu stands out due to its densely arrayed watchtowers to convey military messages. If your energy allows, we will trek to the highest point to capture amazing panoramic views of the surrounding hills.

Afterwards, return back to Beijing city proper, and on the way have a stopover at the Bird's Nest, the vital venue of 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, for you to take some photos. Then proceed to the enchanting Summer Palace, a wonderful resort garden of ancient royal families, and indulge yourself in the breathtaking scenery with exquisite halls and the beautiful Kunming Lake.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel

According to the itinerary, our guide and the driver will transfer you to Beijing Railway Station and help you get on the train to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The whole journey will take around 30 hours. Along the way, you may feast your eyes with the wonderful scenery outside the window, including busy cities, quiet villages, rolling mountains, and lush green grassland. At meal time, go to the dinning carriage or buy a box meal from the moving trolley to feed yourselves. 

This evening, the train is about to arrive at Erlian, located on the China-Mongolia border to change wheels, which will take 2 hours or so, during which you may either stay onboard or get off to stretch your arms and legs at the designated area. Then, the train will continue to run across the border to the Mongolian town, Zamyn-Ude, for the Mongolian immigration formalities. Tonight, have a good rest in the comfortable sleeper cabin. 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: On the train - soft sleeper

Today, the train will travel through the wild Gobi desert and boundless grassland to reach Ulaanbaatar. On arrival, our local guide will come to pick you up and then start the sightseeing in Mongolia directly. The first stop will be Gandan Monastery. We will delve into the largest temple of Mongolia to appreciate the giant golden Buddha statue that is regarded as the national treasure of the country. The second stop will be Chinggis Khaan Square. We will take a stroll there to admire the Statue of Sukhbaatar in its center and some symbolic landmarks of the country surrounding it. Today’s last sightseeing stop will be Zaisan Hill Memorial, where you can trace the country’s history during the World War II and overlook the city. Tonight, we will serve you an authentic Mongolian dinner with dance and song performance. At the end of the day, send you to the carefully chosen hotel.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Grand Hill Hotel Ulaanbaatar or similar

Based on the tour plan, we will spend the next following two days visiting some top attractions in Mongolia. Today, we will drive to visit Karakorum. It used to be the world’s center and capital of Mongol Empire back to the 13th century. Nowadays, only ruins can be found there. Fortunately, the Karakorum Museum has been built to collect the historical relics of the ancient capital. Later, we will make some wishes at the nearby Erdene Zuu, a Tibetan Buddhism monastery and one of the important historical architectural heritages in Orkhon River Valley, which in 2004 has been titled a UNESCO world cultural heritage. Tonight, stay in Munkh Tenger Ger Camp about 2km (1.2mi) away from Erdene Zuu. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Munkh Tenger Ger Camp

After breakfast, continue to visit Elsen tasarkhai, the semi Gobi with a unique combination of huge Gobi views and green fields. Here you will have an opportunity to ride a camel to cross the sand dunes. 

Then, continue our trip to Hustai National Park home to Takhi wild horses and other specious wild animals. Takhi wild horses are the world’s only pure wild horse species living till today. There is a museum inside the national park, where you can learn many living habits about the horses. Another night stay in the Mongolian style ger camp. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Tourist Ger camp

There is no sightseeing arrangements today. In the morning, we will go back to Ulaanbaatar. After lunch in downtown, the guide will send you to the train station and assist you board the train to Irkutsk, Russia, which runs along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Today’s dinner will be on your own and you may have it in the dining carriage. After, have a good rest on your sleeper to restore energy for the coming sightseeing. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: On the train - soft sleeper

In the morning, the train will pass by Ulan Ude - the third largest city in east Siberia and travel along the breathtaking shore of Lake Baikal. 

In the afternoon, the train will arrive in Irkutsk, and our local guide will pick you up from the railway station and transfer you to the hotel, by a private vehicle. After settling your luggage, the guide will offer you a 2-hour guided sightseeing on foot around the city center. Firstly, he or she will lead you to visit the park and War Memorial, and then drop by some graceful churches along the Angara River; then, continue to stroll along some prosperous main streets in the city center; and next, admire the statue of Alexander III who ordered the construction of the great Trans-Siberian Railway.

Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Accommodation: Boutique Marussia Hotel

This whole day will be spent admiring the charming scenery of Lake Baikal and its surroundings. After breakfast, you will be transferred to Bolshoe Goloustnoe by our private vehicle, taking 2 hours on the way. Bolshoe Goloustnoe is a gorgeous village hidden in the southwestern shore of the stunning Lake Baikal. Housing classic wooden residences, the village is an ideal place to experience the authentic Siberian ambience. On arrival, we will visit a church in the village, and wander at leisure along the lakeshore to absorb the charm of Lake Baikal. Besides, the guide will accompany you to dive into the adjacent dense forests of larch and pine trees and climb up to the hills to have a bird’s eye view of the lake. As for the overnight stay, we will reserve a clean and comfortable Siberian Guest House for you.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Siberian Guest House

Today, we will continue to explore the tranquil lakeshore village Bolshoe Goloustnoe, and venture into the surrounding hills covered with pine trees and meadow carpets as well as delightful wildflowers. We will then enjoy a trekking to a nearby mountain top to capture an amazing panoramic view of Lake Baikal. 

After lunch and noon break, the guide will transfer you back to Irkutsk and help you catch an overnight train bound for Moscow.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: On the train - soft sleeper

Staying on board, you could embrace fascinating scenery along the way. Vast and wild, most areas the train will pass by remain unspoiled. By the window, you could come across picturesque landscapes made up of verdant rolling hills as well as lush forests of larch, pine and birch, and with rivers and streams wriggling through. In the evening, the train will pass by Krasnoyarsk, and then reach Siberia's largest city - Novosibirsk, which offers you a vibrant neon-lit cityscape.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: On the train - soft sleeper

During today's rail journey, you would get captivated by the tranquil and refreshing natural beauty of swamps and forests, dotted with a few settlements along the way. At night, the train will run through Yekaterinburg and then the Euro-Asia Border where you could catch sights of some idyllic villas by the river.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: On the train - soft sleeper

As the train gets closer and closer to Moscow, you will see more cityscapes, farms, pastures, picturesque towns and villages emerging on the way. You are suggested to get your luggage well packed in advance and have a good sleep, as the train will reach Moscow very early tomorrow morning.

Meals: No meals
Accommodation: On the train - soft sleeper

Arriving in Moscow in the early morning, our local guide will pick you up from the railway station and then chauffeur you to the hotel to leave the luggage and have breakfast. After, start exploring the city on foot. 

The guide will firstly lead you to the main streets to admire Russian-style architectures, and drop by the time-honored Bolshoi Theater. Then stroll along the Tverskaya Street - the most prosperous and bustling street of Moscow, which is clustered with big-name brands, museums, theaters and restaurants. Next, continue to the GUM Department Store to discover the most vibrant side of Moscow, and roam around the Red Square to admire the eye-catching St. Basil's Cathedral, which is painted in bright colors and looks like a castle in fairy tales. At the end, escort you back to the hotel for a good rest.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Series or similar

This morning, we are going to ascend Panorama 360 on the 89th floor of Moscow City Tower, the highest observation deck in Europe, and where you can see the panoramic view of the city. In the afternoon, take a Radisson boat to cruise on Moskva River to appreciate the incredible Moscow from another perspective.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Holiday Inn Series or similar

Today, our service will end with the airport or railway station see-off service. We will transfer you there according to your flight or train schedule. Before that, you may take advantage of the free time to further explore Moscow or buy some souvenirs. Hope you have enjoyed a good time with us during the tour! 

Meals: Breakfast