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In Russia there are a lot of things and places to see, and only a tiny part of them is available in the capital. Many firms offer tours in the capital suburb or further - in cities and towns in the European part of Russia as well as to the eastern part (look at http://www.sela-v.com/east-europe/russia.htm#getin to know about the eastern centers). The agency, that proposes the widest range of these tours is Irkutsk-Baikal Travel Inc. (www.irkutsk-baikal.com). The most popular tour, close to Moscow is "Golden ring". It includes the following cities and towns: Vladimir - Bogolubovo - Suzdal - Kostroma - Yaroslavl - Rostov the Great - Pereslavl Zalessky and Sergiev Possad. All of them have a long history, as they played important roles in Russia at different periods of time. There are many interesting things and beautiful views to see. Sergiev Possad, or Zagorsk, is a special town, where separate tours are organized. There is a Trinity Monastery, which was found in XII century by a famous Russian Saint, Sergy Radonejsky and has been a spiritual symbol of Russia since then. "Arsa" and "Prata" agencies arrange these tours. You can find out the details here: http://www.arsa.ru/eng/travel/index.html, http://koi.prata.ru/in/excu/excu-desc-sain.htm. Among the common tours there is also a tour to St. Petersburg, the Russian capital in the XVIII-XIX centuries. This is a mysterious, beautiful city of art, science and politics, and is known as the gateway to Russia's north. There you can visit museums and theatres, beautiful suburban parks and palaces, take boat trips along the canals or just walk through the streets, squares and side streets. You will find the information about the tours on the mentioned sites. Traveling along the waterways of Russia is a pleasant and interesting way to get to know the country. These trips can be taken from Moscow to St. Petersburg and to the picturesque settlements of Karelia or to the southeast cities along the Volga, as well as on the rivers of Siberia (Enisey). The Russian river net is very extensive, which gives the traveler a variety of travel possibilities. It's worth Caucasus with its colorful mountain scenery and fresh climate. The section of this region that poses little danger to travelers is Kabardino-Balcaria. Here the famous mountain Elbrus is located. You can try to climb it if you are an avid mountain climber or you can go a trekking in this picturesque area. Elbrus FAQ will help you: http://www.elbrus.org/eng/faq1.htm - Getting there. From the eastern exotic tours the most popular one is to the lake Baikal. This is a large lake with the clearest water in the world. This area is unique; it's a natural phenomenon, a miracle. The agency Reap International specializes on the tours to Baikal. See www.reapintl.com. East Russia Travel Market (http://www.traveleastrussia.com/khabarovski.html) offers a cruise along the Amur River, fishing tours in Khabarovsky Krai and a tour to Moscow, Irkutsk, Ulan Ude or Vladivostok by the Trans Siberian Railroad. This will show you different sides of Russia and will surely leave you with memorable impressions. The far eastern part of Russia is a place full of wonders and is found on the peninsula of Kamchatka. This small, isolated, spit of land, with its valleys of gaseous geysers, volcanic calderas, crater lakes, stone sculpture "parks" (the natural by-product of ancient eruptions), geothermal hot springs, mountain glaciers and ancient volcanoes attracts adventurous travelers. "The Land of Fire and Ice" overwhelms imagination. "Offbeatrips" (http://www.offbeatrips.com/kamchatka.htm) and "Lena and friends" (http://www.lenaandfriends.com/general.htm) agencies will help you to arrange the travel. |
