zFrom China to Russia by Private Train

Check in to the 5-star Sofitel Wanda, ideally situated in the center of the city.

Join your Trip Leader for full day sightseeing. Stand in Tiananmen Square, explore the Forbidden City c, walk atop the Great Wall c and see the 2008 Olympic stadiums. Tonight we’ll take you to the stylish, classically elegant Hua’s Restaurant at Shimao Mansion for a Peking Duck banquet. Meals B,L,D

After a leisurely morning, explore by rickshaw through one of Beijing’s few remaining hutongs, a traditional district of narrow lanes and ancient courtyard homes. At the rail station later this evening, step aboard a comfortably modern Chinese train to embark upon this once-in-a-lifetime trip. As you speed towards Mongolia, Beijing’s energetic urban landscape gives way to fascinating vistas of China’s busy rural life. Meals B,D

Reach the Mongolian border at midday and transfer to our private Zarengold Train. There’s time to explore the colorful border town of Erlian before settling in to your personal compartment. Enjoy dinner onboard as the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert gives way to the green steppes of Mongolia. Meals B,L,D

You can leave your luggage securely onboard this morning and just step off with an overnight bag to check in at the comfortable Bayangol Hotel. Enjoy in-depth city sightseeing, dinner and a performance of Mongolian music. Meals B,L,D

Visit the impressive Gandan Buddhist Monastery. Then continue into the marvelous mountain landscapes of Mongolia’s Terelj National Park outside the capital. Enjoy a picnic lunch by a traditional yurt and a demonstration of Mongolian horsemanship and wrestling. Back onboard the Zarengold, your rail adventure continues. Meals B,L,D

Leave behind the Mongolian steppes and travel through the scenic Selenga Valley. Step off the train and tour Ulan Ude with our in-the-know guide or explore the colorful streets at your own pace. Once an important outpost on the tea route from China, this city is the religious center for Russian Buddhists. Back onboard, your journey continues along the main route of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Meals B,L,D

As your train travels on the original Trans-Siberian tracks that run along the shores of magnificent Lake Baikal, you’ll enjoy unhurried photo stops and the opportunity to experience the captivating beauty of the Lake, crystal clear and surrounded by snowy peaks and primeval woods. Disembark the Zarengold Train in Port Baikal and enjoy a private picnic in a spectacular setting overlooking the lake. Continue by ferry to the comfortable Hotel Mayak in the small lakeside town of Listvyanka. At the unique Limnological Institute, you’ll learn about the indigenous flora and fauna of Lake Baikal, the planet’s oldest and largest freshwater reservoir. Meals B,L,D

After breakfast, make the journey to Irkutsk, founded more than 350 years ago as a Cossack outpost. En route, stop in a remote village along the Angara River and sit down to lunch with a local family. An afternoon excursion to the Open-Air Museum offers a look into Siberian life long ago. Overnight at the Irkutsk Hotel. Meals B,L,D

With its traditional wooden architecture amazingly intact, Irkutsk retains the spirit of a 19th-century Russian town. Your sightseeing includes the lively market hall, municipal theater and - perhaps in keeping with Irkutsk’s anachronistic charm - a newly erected statue of the Tsar. Tonight’s dinner is followed by a delightful concert of classical Russian music. Meals B,D

Transfer to the airport for your included flight to Moscow, where you’ll be met and escorted to the deluxe Hilton Leningradskaya. Meals B

Today’s tour begins in Red Square c, bordered by the ornate facade of the GUM Department Store, the grand State Historical Museum, the Kremlin walls and colorful St. Basil’s Cathedral. Then ascend the Sparrow Hills for sweeping views over Moscow and visit Novodevichy Convent c. In the afternoon, enter within its imposing red-brick walls for a tour of the Kremlin Grounds c. At the Armory Museum, you’ll be dazzled by a display of Imperial treasures including gilded carriages, fur-lined coronation regalia and bejeweled Fabergé eggs. Meals B

Fly to St. Petersburg and transfer to the deluxe, city-center Corinthia Nevsky Hotel. After time to refresh, join your in-the-know guide to explore the city’s many architectural treasures and monuments. See the famous Bronze Horseman statue and marvel at the impressive gilded dome of St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Drive along the gracious Neva embankments to Palace Square and stop to admire the Church of the Spilled Blood, set along one of the city’s many picturesque canals. Return to your hotel via the Nevsky Prospekt, a handsome and bustling commercial boulevard in the heart of town. Meals B

This morning, we’ll take you to the summer estate of Peter the Great. Tour the magnificent landscaped grounds of The Peterhof and thrill to the golden fountains of the Grand Cascade. Return to the city for an expertly guided tour through the galleries of the Hermitage Museum, housed in the magnificent Winter Palace. Meals B

Bid farewell to Russia today as your journey comes to a close. Meals B