Spirit of the Altai Nomads Tour

A comprehensive tour of the Altai Mountains in Siberia, Russia. The Altai Nomads Tour offers a combination of incredible sightseeing, undemanding adventure activities and culturally immersive experiences. You’ll be one of a few privileged outsiders to visit some of the most spiritually powerful places in Altai, according to the legends of the indigenous Altayan people.

You’ll visit traditional villages inhabited by ethnic Altayan tribes as well as remote settlements that are still home to some of the last of the Russian Old Believers. You’ll also follow the part of the route traversed by Nicholas Roerich’s 1920s expedition in search of the mysterious Shambhala. A great trip for those seeking a vivid cultural experience, this itinerary also mixes in light hiking, whitewater rafting and horse riding (or an optional helicopter flight) in the beautiful Belukha Mountain region.

SPIRIT OF THE ALTAI NOMADS TOUR – HIGHLIGHTS:

• Explore the mystical Karakol Valley, where for centuries the nomadic Altayans performed shamanic rituals. Search for evidence of these ancient practices within the protected Uch-Enmek Nature Park
• Experience whitewater rafting on the mighty Katun River. Things start off calmly, exploring a wide, gentle section of the river before working our way up to the Katun’s world-famous rapids

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Lake Baikal: Two Shores, Four Cultures

One of the world’s oldest geographical features formed 25 to 30 million years ago, magnificent Lake Baikal, which is the highlight of Eastern Siberia, Russia. Ancient and mysterious, Baikal holds deep spiritual and historical significance for the four indigenous cultures that inhabit its shores. On this 9 day Lake Baikal tour, you’ll get acquainted with these long-surviving cultures as we visit the region’s most famous and picturesque places, both overland and across this majestic “inland sea”.

Lake Baikal tour highlights:

• Cruise to Olkhon Island, the largest of Lake Baikal’s islands and the “capital” of shamanistic culture. On a day tour of Olkhon’s natural wonders, discover untouched Siberian forests, soaring capes and cliffs, pristine sandy beaches and jaw-dropping sunsets

• Visit Ust-Orda village to experience the ancient customs of the Buryat people first hand. Feast on Buryati noodle soup and dumplings, hear extraordinary throat singers and participate in traditional games and dances

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Karelia & Kizhi Island in 3 Days

This short detour from either Moscow or St Petersburg gives you the chance to explore some of the most remarkable historical and natural landmarks of Karelia. Known as Russia’s ‘Land of Lakes’, Karelia is a republic with its own unique culture, bordering Finland and the White Sea. Your tour begins in Petrozavodsk, the largest city in Karelia and the gateway to Kizhi Island, the most visually spectacular cultural site in Karelia. We’ll reach Kizhi by rapid hydrofoil boat, giving us plenty of time to explore the World Heritage Listed Kizhi Pogost, a collection of 17th and 18th-century churches, elaborately and fantastically crafted entirely out of wood.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• The Kizhi Open Air Museum is a World Heritage site and one of the most unmissable greatest cultural attractions in Russia. The island contains some 83 relocated buildings from the 17^th to the 19^th centuries, each one elaborately crafted out of wood

• The crown jewel of Khizi is the Transfiguration Church, an architectural masterpiece featuring a chorus of wooden domes, gables and ingenious decorations designed to keep water off the walls. Built without using a single nail, it has withstood the elements for over 150 years

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Treasures of St Petersburg

Before Moscow became the seat of Russian power, St Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire for 200 years. Inspired by London, Vienna, and Paris, Peter the Great transformed a tract of swampland on the Lena River delta into what would become renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. This in-depth seven-day tour of St Petersburg will ensure you have plenty of time to relish all the most unmissable highlights of St Petersburg and its surroundings. St Petersburg, is, after all, one of the most visually compelling destinations in Russia, and its ornamental splendour was designed to be savoured.

Treasures of St Petersburg Tour Highlights: 

• St Petersburg Walking Tour: Admire the spectacular urban architecture, old-world grandeur and a buzzing vibe on a guided walking tour of St Petersburg, including a stroll along the lively main drag, Nevsky Prospekt

• Take a hydrofoil boat trip to the World Heritage listed Peterhof Palace and Park, known as the ‘Russian Versailles’

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