Russia Northern Lights, 12 days

Arrival in Moscow, International Airport.

Meeting by a guide in the arrival hall of the airport (after Customs zone). Delivery of the transport.

Transfer to the hotel.

Arrival at the hotel, check-in.

Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel

09:00 Meeting with a guide in the hotel lobby.

09:00-10:00 City-tour around the most outstanding Moscow landmarks.

10:00-13:00 Excursion to an incredible Moscow “must-see icon” - the Kremlin, including territory and famous Armoury Chamber that houses a unique collection of crown jewels, stunning coronation finery, hand-forged armor and weapons, royal carriages and sleighs, and world-famous Fabergé eggs.

13:30-14:30 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

14:30-18:00 Continuation of sightseeing tour: Red Square, Mausoleum (outside), St. Basil's Cathedral (inside), exterior of GUM, the Moscow State University and city views from the Sparrow Hills.

18:00 Return to the hotel. Time at disposal.

19:00-20:30 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.

09:30 Meeting with private guide in the hotel lobby. Transfer to Cooking Studio.

10:00-14:00 Russian Cooking Class, including lunch: Russian cuisine, 3 courses.

14:00-15:00 Transfer to Leningradsky Railway Station.

15:30-19:30 Sapsan Train to St. Petersburg - a modern high-speed train that takes you to St. Petersburg in comfort and safety in just 4 hours. 

19:30 Arrival in Saint Petersburg, Leningradsky Railway Station. Meeting with a guide, transfer to the hotel.

20:30-21:30 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

21:30 Arrival at the hotel, check-in.

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00-18:00 Meeting with a guide in the hotel lobby. Sightseeing tour including the most outstanding attractions of St. Petersburg.

11:00 Peter and Paul Fortress - a burial place of almost all the Russian emperors and empresses from Peter the Great to Nicholas II and his family. Continuation of sightseeing tour.

13:30 Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood which stands on the site where Russia's great emperor Alexander II was mortally wounded. Continuation of sightseeing tour.

15:00 Afternoon tea in Astoria with a wide choice of Russian sweets, traditional Russian meat pirozhki etc, as well as coffee and tea.

16:30 Excursion to St. Isaac's Cathedral.

18:00 Return to the hotel. Time at disposal.

19:30-21:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meeting with a guide in the hotel lobby. Transfer to the outskirts of St. Petersburg to Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo).

10:00-11:30 Excursion to the Catherine Palace that is a striking example of baroque architecture gifted by Peter the Great to his wife Catherine I. The famous Amber Room is included into the excursion.

11:30-12:30 Russian Troyka riding - a traditional Russian amusement.

13:00-14:30 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

14:30-15:30 Return transfer to St. Petersburg.

15:30-16:30 The Russian Vodka Museum - the first museum in Russia and in the world dedicated to Vodka. The tour includes excursion full of interesting facts about vodka history, culture and drinking traditions, and Vodka tasting with typical Russian snacks.

17:00 Return to the hotel. Time at disposal.

19:30-21:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.

10:00 Meeting with a guide in the hotel lobby. Transfer to the Hermitage.

10:30-13:00 Excursion in the State Hermitage Museum, that houses its unique collection of world art, including the masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, El Greco, Francisco Goya and Thomas Gainsborough, in the halls of the Winter Palace.

13:30-14:30 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

14:30-15:30 Transfer to the Railway Station.

16:15-21:17 Train to Sortavala, a town in the strikingly beautiful region of Russia, the Republic of Karelia. The duration of the trip is about 5 and a half hours. 

21:17 Arrival at Sortavala, meeting with a guide. Transfer to the hotel.

Arrival at the hotel, check-in.

22:00-23:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.

09:00 Meeting with a guide. Transfer to Ruskeala Mountain Park. 

10:30-12:30 Exploration of the stunning Ruskeala Mountain Park.

Ruskeala Mountain Park is one of the brightest and most amazing places of the North Lagoda, visited by thousands each year. The Park is famous for its over 200-year history of marble excavations and the pearl of the Mountain Park - the Marble Canyon.

14:00-15:00 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

15:00-18:00 Transfer to Petrozavodsk.

18:00 Arrival at the hotel, check-in. Time at disposal.

19:30-21:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out.

09:00 Meeting with a guide. Walking to the pier along the embankment to board a hovercraft to Kizhi Island, which is a miracle of wooden architecture. The trip to Kizhi Island is a subject to weather conditions.

09:30-11:00 Duration of this transfer is about 1.5 hour. Important: The trip to Kizhi is possible by hovercraft for trips from the 15^th of January till the 31^st of March (when the lake is frozen); and by hydrofoil for the trips within the 1^st – 30^th of September. For other periods visit to Kizhi will be replaced by alternative options, discussed additionally.

11:00-13:30 Upon arrival: a walking tour of the Open-Air Museum Kizhi, including its famous settlement - Pogost with the dazzling 22-domed Transfiguration Church built without a single nail, beautiful windmills and ancient Russian wooden houses.

13:30-15:00 Return to Petrozavodsk by hovercraft (or hydrofoil)

15:00-16:00 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant.

16:00-16:30 Transfer to the Railway station.

17:10-12:05 Train “Arktika” to Murmansk, overnight on board. 

Dinner boxes.

12:05 Arrival at Murmansk, meeting with a guide.

12:30-14:00 Sightseeing tour, including the memorial complex “Alyosha” dedicated to the defenders of the Soviet Polar Region during the Great Patriotic War; the Zeleny Cape hill and ascent to the observation platform, opening incredible views of the Murmansk city center; the monument "Zhduschey" connected with the life in the Russian extreme north and it is one of the new symbols of Murmansk, reflecting the close connection of local residents with the sea.

14:00-15:00 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

15:00:16:30 Continuation of the city-our: the memorial complex dedicated to sailors who died in peacetime and the tragic events that took place on the Kursk Submarine, see the Spas on Water church (or The Church of the Savior on the Waters) which is a maritime Orthodox church built on donations from the residents of Murmansk

16:30-17:30 A highlight of the tour - visit to the famous Lenin Nuclear Icebreaker (not applicable all days).

17:30-18:00 Transfer to the hotel.

Arrival at the hotel, check-in. Time at disposal.

19:30-21:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

21:00-00:00 An overwhelming and unforgettable activity - Northern Lights hunting**, taking place among fantastic winter landscapes accompanied with magnificent views of the Northern .02:00 a.m. -return to the hotel.

**Depending on the weather conditions, the Northern Lights hunting tour can be rescheduled for the next day with a higher possibility of witnessing the Aurora Borealis.

Breakfast at the hotel.

09:00 Meeting with a guide in the hotel lobby.

09:00-12:15 Transfer to Kirovsk.

12:15-13:15 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

13:30-15:30 Snowmobile safari in mountains: a ride through a beautiful northern forest, ascend to Kukisvumchorrsky pass and seeing a fantastic mountain valley with a lake, where northern and southern ridges of Khibiny mountains meet. On the way – stops for taking photos.

15:30-16:15 Snow Village (Snezhnaya Derevnya) visit. Located at the foot of the Khibiny Mountains, the unique Snow Village Complex takes a large territory that encompasses a snow labyrinth, beautiful snow and ice sculptures, as well as a visitor's center and a gift shop. 

16:15-19:15 Transfer to Murmansk.

Arrival at the hotel. Time at disposal.

20:00-21:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:30 Meeting with a guide in the hotel lobby.

10:30-13:00 Transfer to the exciting Husky Park.

13:00-14:00 Lunch at the local café/ restaurant (set menu).

14:30-17:00 During the trip - the amazing history of Siberian Husky, breed and communicate with charming dogs and reindeer; visiting the reconstructed Sami settlement, learning about the traditions of the people of the North. Husky dog riding: the beauty of winter nature behind a bunch of wagging tails.

17:00-19:30 Transfer to Murmansk.

Arrival at the hotel. Time at disposal.

20:00-21:00 Dinner at the local café/ restaurant or at the hotel (set menu).

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel, check-out.

Meeting with a guide in the lobby of the hotel. Transfer to airport for departure.

The end of Russia Northern Lights tour.

TOUR IS POSSIBLE ONLY WITHIN: 01.02-31.03.2024, 01.09-15.10.2024, 15.10.2024-31.03.2025

Price includes:

•  DBL/ TWN accommodation x 10 nights at the hotels 3-4*, including breakfast,
• 1 overnight in train, 
• Registration fees,
• Visa support documents (excluding delivery fee),
• Transport (a minibus/ a big bus) for excursions and transfers - according to the program above,
• Local guide(s) for excursions and transfers – according to the program above,
• Entrance fees to the museums - according to the program above,
• 10 lunches at local cafes/ restaurants downtown and afternoon tea in "Astoria",
• 11 dinners at local cafes/ restaurants downtown or at the hotel,
• 1 Tour-leader is free of charge for all services above with SGL accommodation for the group from 20 pax paid,
• Russian Cooking Class in Moscow,
• Troyka riding in St. Petersburg (Pushkin),
• Vodka tasting with traditional Russian snacks at the Museum of Russian Vodka,
• Kizhi Island visit: Important: The trip to Kizhi is possible by hovercraft for trips from the 15^th of January till the 31^st of March (when the lake is frozen); and by hydrofoil for the trips within the 1^st – 30^th of September. For other periods visit to Kizhi will be replaced by alternative options, discussed additionally,
• The Northern Lights hunting, Snowmobile and Huski riding in Murmansk.

Price excludes:

• Tips,
• OW “SAPSAN” tickets “Moscow – St. Petersburg”: Economy class: from 4 500 RUB per pax; Business Class: from 9 000 RUB per pax. The prices are given for today. They are dynamic and should be reconfirmed after booking is made,
• ​​​​​​OW tickets en route “St. Petersburg-Sortavala”: Economy class: from 1 300 RUB per pax; Business Class: from 3 500 RUB per pax. The prices are given for today. They are dynamic and should be reconfirmed after booking is made,
• OW tickets “ARKTIKA” train from Petrozavodsk to Murmansk: Economy class: from 5 500 RUB per pax; Business Class: from 13 500 RUB per pax. The prices are given for today. They are dynamic and should be reconfirmed after booking is made.

* The program can be changed and recalculated according to your request and group size.

** Upon booking services, changes in the program are possible, depending on availability of tickets and possibilities of museums.  The company reserves the right to make changes in order of excursions, while keeping the program as a whole.