13D The Naadam Festival,
Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express: Ulaan Baator to Moscow
Naadam is the one and only Big Event in Mongolia – a lively national festival, held every year from July 11th - 13th. Naadam means “three manly games”. Known as the world’s second-oldest Olympics, it celebrates what defined civilisation in the Steppes eight centuries ago; archery, wrestling and horse riding. The competitors in the riding events are all children aged between five and twelve, many of whom have been in the saddle since the age of one. As they race along the plains for 20 kilometers, thousands of spectators line the remote track to watch up to 650 children sitting confidently astride their small but sturdy Mongolian steed. It is claimed that such equestrian skills won Genghis Khan an empire that stretched from the Sea of Japan all the way to Europe.
In recent times, women have been allowed to enter and they now compete in two of the three events, horse racing and archery. Once a religious ceremony, the festival now formally commemorates the 1921 revolution when Mongolia declared itself a free country.
This is a unique opportunity to be among the few non-Mongolians to experience this spectacular but little known festival and soak up the exciting atmosphere of this national holiday. Our tour combines the Naadam Festival with an amazing overland journey to Moscow on board our Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express private train.
Luxury Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
The 12 new fully en-suite sleeping cars feature state of the art amenities.
Gold Class cabins have everything from power showers and underfloor heating to a DVD/CD player, LCD screen and individual air conditioning – and at 77sq ft (7 sq m) they are among the largest rail cabins anywhere in the world. Fully en-suite, the bathrooms contain a separate shower cubicle.
Silver cabins are more compact at 60sq ft (5.5 sq m) and have similar facilities with a fully en-suite wet room.
A particular delight of the Golden Eagle is our two beautifully appointed restaurant cars, the venue for our chefs to serve carefully-prepared meals using only the finest local ingredients. Whether it be the world-renowned ‘Borsch’, caviar or Omul – a fish unique to Lake Baikal – we offer a culinary experience representing the very best of Russia.
Our meals are complimented by wines from around the world, as well as – naturally – vodka.
Yet the social heart of our train is of course the bar car, a great place to relax and settle into the unhurried pace of life on board. Unwind in comfortable surroundings and watch the world go by as you get to know your fellow passengers… the bar stays open until the last person leaves.
Westbound Itinerary
Day 01 / Arrive Ulaan Baatar
International arrivals are met and transferred to a centrally located hotel in the heart of this intriguing city. There is free time to explore before we have a welcome reception and dinner in a city restaurant. This is a great time to get to know fellow travellers with whom we will be sharing this 13 night adventure.
Day 02 / Ulaan Baatar
Today we spend a full day at the festival. We get to observe the elaborate opening ceremony which consists of local dancers, athletes, horse riders and musicians, before watching the main competitions.
Day 03 / Ulaan Baatar
After a further half day at the Festival, we take a city tour which includes a visit to the Gandam Monastery. After spending some time at the central square with its impressive monument to the legendary ruler, Gengis Khan, we visit the National Museum which gives us a comprehensive insight into this fascinating land and people.
Day 04 / Ulaan Baatar
We have a day to enjoy the magnificent alpine scenery of Terelj, one of the most beautiful places in Mongolia. We can take a leisurely stroll through meadows carpeted with edelweiss and a dazzling variety of other wild flowers; view fascinating rock formations against a backdrop of pine covered mountains; or wander along the wooded banks of a mountain stream.
The more adventurous of us can go horse riding in the 300,000 hectare Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Alternatively, we can spend the day in Ulaan Baatar with its many opportunities for leather or cashmere shopping. Tonight we board the Golden Eagle and have time to settle into our modern, stylish cabins before enjoying dinner in one of our beautifully designed restaurant cars. There is then time to listen to our resident pianist in the comfortable bar car.
Day 05 / Ulan Ude
This morning we have time to relax on board the Golden Eagle. As well as watching the ever changing scenery, there is time to chat with fellow guests in the bar car, or maybe watch a DVD in our cabins. Crossing the border into Russia we arrive in Ulan Ude, capital of the Buryat Republic. Our tour here includes a visit to the Village of Old Believers where we have time to learn about the local culture and history of these unique people.
Day 06 / Lake Baikal
Just one of the many highlights of our journey; we wind our way through tunnels and round cliffs along the shoreline of Lake Baikal, the world’s largest freshwater lake. The scenery we pass is stunning and the snow-covered mountains on the distant shore form a beautiful background to this awe-inspiring lake. Stopping at one of the bays we have a barbeque on the beach (weather permitting). The brave can even go for a swim! We then board a hydrofoil which takes us to Listvyanka, a small Baikal village nestled at the base of the surrounding hills.
Day 07 / Irkutsk
We have a morning arrival into the “Paris of Siberia”, Irkutsk. Our tour includes a cultural immersion into the major sights and museums of this fascinating city, which include the classic wooden architecture that this area is renowned for. This afternoon after a tour of the Count Volkonsky’s house museum we enjoy a private concert performed in our honour.
Day 08 / Abakan
Heading west we enjoy the peaceful pace on board enjoying the scenery. Today there will be the choice of attending one of the various lectures and lessons on board, socialising in the bar car and if time permits, we will have a short stop in Krasnoyarsk, which lies on the Yenisei river and is the third largest city in Siberia.
Day 09 / Novosibirsk
We stop in this modern “Soviet” city and visit the famous Opera House, Lenin Square and Akadem Gorodok. This fascinating “Academy Town” is the educational and scientific centre of Siberia.
Day 10 / Yekaterinburg
This afternoon we arrive in Yekaterinburg, the last city in Asia and capital of the Urals. Our city tour includes the Romanov execution site, now a Church dedicated to the memory of the Russian Royal family and the monument to the Europe/Asia divide where we can stand with a foot in each continent.
Day 11 / Kazan
After a morning arrival we have time to discover Kazan, the picturesque capital of Tatarstan on the Volga River. One of the highlights of today is our visit to the Kremlin fortress, a UNESCO world heritage site, containing a stunning mosque and Russian Orthodox cathedral. Tonight we have our final dinner on board the Golden Eagle, our home for the last 7 days.
Day 12 / Moscow
Mid-morning arrival in Moscow. We spend the rest of the day touring the amazing sites of this vibrant city, including Red Square and the Kremlin. We transfer to a centrally located five-star hotel for a one-night stay and enjoy our farewell dinner where we say our goodbyes.
Day 13 / Moscow
After breakfast in the hotel, free time in the rapidly-changing Russian capital brings our tour to an end (note that it is possible that the Kremlin visit could be this morning). Airport transfers are provided for our departing flights.
The Naadam Festival - Luxury Trans-Mongolian Eastbound Jun 30 - Jul 12, 2009
Day 01 / Arrive Moscow
Day 02 / Moscow
Day 03 / Kazan
Day 04 / Yekaterinburg
Day 05 / Novisibirsk
Day 06 / Abakan
Day 07 / Irkutsk
Day 08 / Lake Baikal
Day 09 / Ulaan Baatar
Day 10 / Ulaan Baatar
Day 11 / Ulaan Baatar
Day 12 / Ulaan Baatar
Day 13 / Depart Ulaan Baatar
Tour Dates 2008
- Jun 30 - Jul 12, Eastbound
Tour Cost Per Person
Gold Class
- EUR €10,695 Twin
- EUR €14,995 Single
Silver Class
- EUR € 8,695 Twin
- EUR €12,495 Single
Tour Cost Includes
- All accommodation as per the itinerary; both on board the train and in hotels
- All meals starting with dinner on the first day (on some tours this may differ slightly, so please refer to the specific itinerary)
- A generous allowance of wine, beer, soft drinks and tea and coffee with all lunches and dinners both on and off the train (except where stated otherwise)
- Complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water 24 hours a day
- All arrival and departure transfers (providing you arrive/depart on the tour start/end date and except where stated otherwise)
- Guided off train sightseeing excursions
- Services of experienced tour leaders
- All gratuities
- A doctor (except where stated otherwise).
Tour Cost Excludes
- International and domestic airfares
- Visa and excess baggage charges
- Insurance
- Personal expenses such as drinks in the bar car or laundry
- On some tours there may also be an occasional optional activity that needs to be paid for locally
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