We all have different reasons to travel: seeking inspiration, cuisine, raison d’ètre, shopping, wealth, happiness, nirvana, tans or romance. Often, the physical journey stimulates the psychological voyage. You can see your life from another perspective by meeting others- often of other cultures or mentalities, having time to read, think or…just gazing out of a train window. The Long Train ride is the best vehicle for a physical and psychological journey, with the Forbidden City of Beijing and the mushroom domes of Moscow at either end, Genghis Khan’s Mongolia, Dr Zhivago's Steppes and the Blue eye of Siberia- Lake Baikal- in the middle: it will take you to some special places….

11th October- Depart London for Beijing and arrive 12th October. Transfer to Guangzhou hotel or similar, for 3 nights B&B. Phil Haines will be on hand to organise restaurant, shopping (load up with goodies for the train journeys) visits and tours (please ask when booking) to the Great Wall, the old alleyways or Hutongs, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the bustling market streets of Qianmen, the imperial lakes, Jing Shan park, the Temple of Heaven and the food…One evening take the opportunity to enjoy a traditional roast Duck banquet dinner. Make the most of old Peking.

15th October- After early breakfast transfer for train Nr: 23 at 0740h for Ulanbaataar. The 18-hour, 1460kms journey travels 20kms beside before crossing the Great Wall of China, then, after entering Mongolia, through the Gobi Desert.

16th October- Arrive UB 1315h transfer to Nomin Camp for 2 nights Ger on full board.

17th October- Breakfast. Visit to nomad families with opportunity for horse riding. Lunch. Dinner

18th October- After breakfast, drive to Ulanbataar, with its charming cheerful populace, UB is the world’s coldest capital with a temperature range between –49C and 38C, to the Chingghis Khan hotel one night B&B.

19th October- Inside the Soviet-style city we uncover centuries of colour with a tour to Subataar Square, Chojin (the gold seated Buddha is actually a mummified lama) & Gandan Monasteries (before the communist crackdown in the 1930’s, when 14,000 monks were killed, Mongolia had over 700 monasteries), 8thC Bogd Khan Palace (in the museum, look for his ger covered with 150 snow leopard skins). Transfer to 4-berth 2nd class train NO: 363 at 2010h.

21st October- After 35h, arrive Irkutsk & drive 64kms to Baikal chalets in Listvyanka. The incredibly clear Holy Sea, Lake Baikal, is 1637m deep & estimated to contain 20% of the world’s freshwater supplies, enough to supply the planet for about 40 years. Dip your hands in, they say, and you will live for a year longer, your feet…another 5 years!

22nd October- Transfer to Irkutsk followed by walking city tour. Irkutsk was once described the ‘Paris of Siberia’ and still has many Siberian log-cabin houses with intricate fretwork. Depart by train Nr. 9 at 1620h for the 5185kms 3.5-day journey to Moscow, crossing the Steppes, the Urals, the Yenesei and Ob rivers.

25th October- Finally disembark the train 1642h at Yaroslavski station, transferred to Zarya Hotel for 2 nights B&B.

26th October- Half-day city tour to the Kremlin, Red Square & St. Basil’s Cathedral (this symbol of Moscow, dubbed the ‘pineapple church’ by Victorian visitors, was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in 1561). Afternoon at leisure.

27th October- Transfer to airport for London flight.

COSTS - £1900.00, single supplement = £185. Includes: Flights, B&B hotels, English-speaking guides, trains (1st class shared 2 or 4-berth compartments except Ulanbataar to Irkutsk, 2nd class), meals, transport and excursions as shown.The air holiday and flight is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6151
Excludes visa charges, local airport taxes, insurance (available throughLIVEfor £38), meals not mentioned in the itinerary, tips, drinks and other items of a personal nature, optional excursions and activities.
VISAS are required for Russia (£45), Mongolia (£35) and China (£30) + £50 LIVE Travel charge.