Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Mature and solo travelers group Travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway for 22 days covering the second half of the Trans-Siberian journey, from Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk in the heart of Siberian Russia Small group journeys with a tour leader, explores 5 key cities with local guides providing authentic experiences in each with stops of 2-3 nights.

From A$12,560AUD

Available

Highlights

  1. 1. See the Bolshoy Salbysky Burial Mound, an ancient religious and astronomical monument.
  2. 2. Experience life in the preserved village of Taltsy at the Taltsy Architectural and Ethnographic Museum.
  3. 3. Visit Lake Baikal, one of the world’s oldest and deepest freshwater lake, and home to numerous endemic species.
  4. 4. See the giant granite rock formations in the oldest national nature reserve in Russia, Stolby Nature Sanctuary.
Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk on the Trans-Siberian Railway itinerary

Departure Dates

Departure Date Price
07 April 2024

Ends 28 April 2024

A$12,560 Twin

A$13,750 Single

Available
Selected
04 August 2024

Ends 25 August 2024

A$12,560 Twin

A$13,750 Single

Available

Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk by the Trans-Siberian Rail in 22 days

SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

For details on our programs and an up-to-date list of guaranteed departures, please https://www.odysseytraveller.com/tour-category/guaranteed/

Join Odyssey Traveller on this trip to Krasnoyarsk by the Trans-Siberian Rail. We embark on the greatest train journey in the world, the Trans-Siberian Railway, moving westward from Vladivostok, where in 1891 tsar-to-be Nicholas first laid the stone that would be the foundation of the railway, to the old town of Krasnoyarsk in the heart of Siberia.

This 22-day tour is designed for the mature or senior traveller interested in the history and culture of Russia whether travelling alone or with company. Group size is typically between four to 12 travellers, fully escorted by an Odyssey Program Leader and local guides. On this tour, you will be able to traverse varied landscapes, watching the view change from the temperate rainforests of the Far East to the pine and fir trees of the taiga.

This tour spends multiple nights in:

  • Vladivostok, which means "lord of the east", Russia's naval port city in the Far Eastern coast
  • Khabarovsk, sitting on the bank of the Amur River, the second largest city in the Russian Far East after Vladivostok
  • Irkutsk, situated in the rolling hills and the subarctic forests of eastern Siberia
  • Abakan, the capital city of the Republic of Khakassia and dubbed the Siberian "Archaeological Mecca"
  • Krasnoyarsk, located more than 4,000 kilometres from Moscow, one of the oldest Siberian towns

For more details, click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right-hand side of this page.

Odyssey Traveller Tours by Railway

Odyssey Traveller regularly offers tours designed for the mature or senior traveller to enjoy in a small group holiday and learning environment. We also publish articles to provide more information to our loyal and prospective participants.

Prepare for the Vladivostok to Krasnoyarsk Trans-Siberian Rail Journey

If you want to learn more about the Trans-Siberian Rail and the train journey to Krasnoyarsk, click through to read the following articles prepared by Odyssey Traveller:

  1. Trans-Siberian Railway overview, which includes tips on booking your ticket and preparing for the long train ride
  2. History of the Trans-Siberian Railway
  3. Trans-Siberian Landscapes and Wildlife

You may also want to check out our other tours also travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, one travelling from Mongolia to Russia and the other traversing the rails from Helsinki to Irkutsk. You can also learn more about Russia from our country profile.

For a different pace and cultural experience, you may want to explore our other small group tours by rail:

Other articles of possible interest is this two-part post filled with travelling tips for seniors, an article on the many nifty gizmos and gadgets you can bring on your trips, and an important article about practising responsible travel.

Itinerary

22 days

Day 1: VLADIVOSTOK

Accommodation: Hotel Versailles or similar

We make our own way to our hotel in Vladivostok, the administrative centre of the Primorsky Krai, which is bounded by the Ussuri river and dominated by the Sikhote-Alin Mountains. The Sikhote-Alin Range is a 1,200-km (750-mile) mountain complex fronting the Sea of Japan, which should offer breathtaking views.

Vladivostok was founded in 1860 as a Russian military outpost. Its name (“lord of the East”) reflects the Russian Empire’s expansionist dreams. In March 1891, tsar Alexander III officially announced the building of a Trans-Siberian Railway. His son and heir apparent Nicholas (later tsar Nicholas II) laid the first stone at Vladivostok, and the railway crept westward to connect European Russia with Far Eastern Siberia.

It served as the naval base of the Soviet Pacific Fleet and during Soviet rule was closed to foreigners. Whilst it was a Soviet closed city, those on the Trans-Siberian Railway catching a ship to Japan had to disembark in Khabarovsk, nearly 650 kilometres to the north.

Today we will take a morning tour of the city by visiting several monuments–Arsenev Regional Museum, Hermitage Vladivostok, Vladivostok Fortress Museum, and Primorsky Picture Gallery. We will take a short ride on the cable cars of the Vladivostok Funicular which goes up the slope of Orlinaya (Eagle) Hill, offering a scenic view of Golden Horn Bay, which is connected to the Sea of Japan.

We then have the afternoon free to spend at our leisure. In the evening, we meet together again for dinner and orientation concerning the rest of the tour.

Day 2: VLADIVOSTOK

Accommodation: Hotel Versailles or similar

We will venture further away from the city centre and visit the Zayra (“Dawn”) Centre for Contemporary Art. The centre was opened in 2013 in an old Soviet garment factory and serves as an artistic space for the city. It holds modern art exhibitions, film screenings, and lectures, and has a beautiful reading room and a small coffee shop.

In the afternoon we will enjoy a relaxing cruise to view the bridges of Vladivostok: the first spanning Golden Horn Bay, the second spanning the Eastern Bosphorus strait to Russky Island (the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, built in preparation for the 2012 APEC Summit hosted by Russia), and the third across Amur Bay.

The late afternoon will be free for us to spend at our leisure.

Day 3-4: VLADIVOSTOK TO KHABAROVSK

Accommodation: Hotel Parus or similar

Today marks our first train journey on the Tran-Siberian Railway, heading west from the train’s eastern terminus, Vladivostok, towards Khabarovsk. This journey will take about 15 hours, so use this time to settle in. The Trans-Siberian trains moves at a leisurely speed of at most 90 km/h, giving passengers a time to relax, chat with fellow travellers, and sip hot tea courtesy of the samovar.

Khabarovsk is capital of Khabarovsk Krai and sits on the right bank of the Amur River. As the Russian Empire expanded to the east, it eventually encroached on Chinese territory, which was halted by the Treaty of Nerchinsk, signed in 1689 between Russia and the Manchu Chinese Empire. Under the Treaty of Nerchinsk, Khabarovsk, named after 17th-century Russian explorer Yerofey Khabarov, was neutral territory. In 1858, Khabarovsk was founded as a military post by Eastern Siberia’s governor-general, Count Nikolai Muravyov (later Muravyov-Amursky) in an effort to take the Amur back from the Manchus and develop Siberia. The Trans-Siberian Railway arrived here from Vladivostok in 1897, which further spurred the city’s development.

We head to our hotel upon arrival.

Day 5: KHABAROVSK

Accommodation: Hotel Parus or similar

Today is a free day for us to rest after the long train journey.

Day 6: KHABAROVSK

Accommodation: Hotel Parus or similar

We will learn more about Khabarovsk’s history by strolling down Muravyov-Amursky Street (named after Khabarovsk’s founder) which is flanked by historic buildings and monuments, and a visit to the city’s oldest museum, the Regional Lore Museum.

We will have the afternoon free to spend at our leisure.

Day 7: KHABAROVSK

Accommodation: Hotel Parus or similar

Today we will immerse ourselves in the culture of the Nanai, an indigenous people of the Far East who have traditionally lived along the Amur and Ussuri Rivers and whose economy was based on fishing. We will visit the Nanai Cultural Museum and view petroglyphs dating back to the 13th century BC. We will learn more about the Nanai’s traditional meals, view the process of drying fish skin to use in their clothing, and if time permits, attend a Nanai folk concert.

Day 8-11: KHABAROVSK TO IRKUTSK

Accommodation: Hotel Yevropa or similar

We will once again board a train and travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Irkutsk. This will be our longest journey on the train–around two days and 17 hours.

At this point we are moving closer to the heart of Siberian Russia, and we will see the landscape change from the temperate rainforests of the Far East (similar to the forests of Southeast Asia) to the taiga, the forests of the cold subarctic.

Irkutsk is often called the “de facto capital” of Eastern Siberia. Irkutsk became a place of exile for intellectuals, artists, and nobles who revolted against Tsar Nicholas I in the early 19th century–at one point there were two exiles per local residing in the city–turning Irkutsk into a scholarly and artistic hub. Their influence is still very palpable in the city’s architecture and aesthetics.

Upon arrival we shall head to our hotel and rest.

Day 12: IRKUTSK

Accommodation: Hotel Parus or similar

After more than two days on the train, we will enjoy a much-deserved free day in this new city.

Day 13: IRKUTSK

Accommodation: Hotel Yevropa or similar

Today we will go on a city tour and learn more about Irkutsk’s history through its architecture and museums. We will hear about the Novemberists, the October Revolution, the Red and White Armies of Russia, and the Bolsheviks who came to power after the fall of the tsarist regime.

We will visit the Taltsy Architectural and Ethnographic Museum, which used to be the site of a real village called “Taltsy”. When the Ust-Ilimskaya hydroelectric power station was constructed, a part of Taltsy came in danger of being flooded. The Russian government decided to evacuate the people out of town and preserve the village–complete with water mills, houses, and a school–as a museum. (Depending on time, the trip to Taltsy might be combined with the trip to Lake Baikal–see Day 14.)

Day 14: IRKUTSK

Accommodation: Hotel Yevropa or similar

Today we will go on a trip to Lake Baikal, the largest, deepest, and oldest freshwater lake in the world. It contains nearly a quarter of the world’s fresh surface water, more water than all of the Great Lakes of North America combined. It has a depth of 1.6 kilometres (around a mile) and is considered the world’s oldest lake at 25 to 30 million years old. Lake Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, 80% of them endemic to the area, which means these species are found nowhere else. The Circumbaikal Railway train chugs along around the perimeter, offering a scenic and leisurely ride around the lake. If time permits, we will take a boat trip on the lake itself.

Day 15-16: IRKUTSK TO KRASNOYARSK

Accommodation: Novotel or similar

Today we will hop aboard the Trans-Siberian Railway and travel by train for 20 hours westward to Krasnoyarsk. Our view from the train will be filled with the pine and fir trees of the taiga.

Krasnoyarsk, located more than 4,000 kilometres from Moscow, is one of the oldest Siberian towns. It was founded by Russian traders and Cossack explorers in 1628, nearly a quarter of a century after a Cossack expedition led by Yermak Timofeyevich captured Isker, capital of the khanate of Sibir (from which Siberia derives its name), beginning Russia’s expansion into the region.

Day 17: KRASNOYARSK

Accommodation: Novotel or similar

We head out as a group for a short city tour. Here we take in the important sites in the city, including Mira Square (Peace Square), the oldest square in historic Krasnoyarsk. The city’s historical gateway, the Arch of Triumph, stands here in the place of a tower of Krasnoyarsk Prison, which burned down in 1773. Mira Square offers a view of the Yenisey River. We ascend to Karaulnaya Hill, a good vantage point to see the whole of the city. We will also visit a monument to its founder, Andrey Dubensky, and the Praskovya Pyatnitskaya Chapel.

Day 18-19: KRASNOYARSK TO ABAKAN

Accommodation: Hotel Asia or similar

Today we will get ready for a 410-km drive to Abakan, the capital city of the Republic of Khakassia in Central Russia. The drive will take around five hours.

The indigenous Khakass people (who speak the Turkic language of the same name) make up only about 10 percent of the total population of the republic (the rest are Russians) and were originally nomadic herders.

Dubbed Siberia’s “Archaeological Mecca”, the region has witnessed human activity for 30,000 years and is rich in archaeological sites. We will learn more about the region’s history as we visit these sites including the Bolshoy Salbysky Burial Mound, a religious and astronomical monument dating back to the 5th-4th centuries BC; the Khakass National Museum of Local Lore, which holds a vast Paleolithic collection; the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral containing icons of Siberian saints; and the city’s river port overlooking the great Yenisey River.

Day 20-21: KRASNOYARSK

Accommodation: Novotel or similar

We return to Krasnoyarsk and visit the Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Power Station dam, the first power station built on the Yenisey. The dam is located 30 kilometres upstream and we will drive through beautiful countryside and stop on a lookout place that offers a gorgeous view of the river and the Siberian forests.

We will then head to the Stolby Nature Sanctuary. Founded in 1925 by locals, Stolby (“pillars”) derives its name from the unusual shapes of its rock formations mostly of sedimentary and volcanic origin. These rocks date back to the Cambrian Period, making them more than 600 million years old. A small portion of the huge nature reserve (“Central Stolby”, around 4% of the reserve’s total land area) is open to the public, while the rest (“Wild Stolby”) is not recommended to tourists. The nature reserve is surrounded by taiga (name given to the forests of the cold, subarctic region), so the flora is predominantly made of coniferous trees such as pine and silver fir.

Day 22: KRASNOYARSK

Our tour and our services conclude after breakfast.

Includes / Excludes

What’s included in our Tour

  • 14 nights hotel accommodation.
  • 5 nights travel aboard the Trans Siberian in 4 berth compartments, with exclusive use for 2 or 3 people (depending on final group size and train type availability).
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary.
  • Transport and field trips as per itinerary.
  • Applicable entry fees and services of local guides.
  • Gratuities and necessary tips.
  • Invitation letter for Russian Visa.
  • Services of an Odyssey program leader.
  • Detailed Tour Information Booklet.

What’s not included in our Tour

  • International airfares and departure taxes
  • Comprehensive International Travel Insurance.
  • Cost for Russian Visa. Odyssey will assist in obtaining the invitation letter.
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary.
  • Items of a personal nature, such as telephone calls and laundry.
Level 2 - Moderate

Participants must be able to carry their own luggage, climb and descend stairs, be in good health, mobile and able to participate in 3-5 hours of physical activity per day, the equivalent of walking / hiking up to 8 kilometers per day on uneven ground.

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Departure

07 April 2024

Available

Ends 28 April 2024 • 22 days

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Room Type

Single Traveller
A$13,750
Two Travellers
A$12,560 pp

By booking two travellers sharing a room you save $1190 per person.

Payment Type

You can reserve your spot by paying a A$1,000 pp deposit, for full details please see our Terms & Conditions .

Pay Deposit
A$2,000
Pay Full
A$25,120

Prices are per person and valid until 30th December 2024.

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Crossing international borders with restrictions

The list of requirements to travel internationally has changed and will continue to change for several years. Odyssey is here to assist you in managing your way through these requirements:

Pre-departure checklist for travelling across International borders.
Support over email or phone available 24/7 for any questions you have.

For more information see our Crossing international borders with restrictions page.

Book With Confidence

If less than 30 days before your tour starts you are unable to travel as a result of Government travel restrictions, Odyssey Traveller will assist you with a date change, provide you with a credit or process a refund for your booking less any non-recoverable costs.

See Terms and conditions for details.

Peace of Mind Travel

The safety of our travellers, tour leader, local guide and support staff has always been our top priority and with the new guidelines for public health and safety for keeping safe for destinations around the world, we’ve developed our plan to give you peace of mind when travelling with us.

See Peace of Mind Travel for details.

Reading List Download PDF

A History of Modern Russia: From Nicholas II to Vladimir Putin

Robert Service

Russia had an extraordinary twentieth century, undergoing upheaval and transformation. Updating his acclaimed History of Twentieth-Century Russia through 2002, Robert Service provides a panoramic perspective on a country whose Soviet past encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror, and two world wars. He shows how seven decades of communist rule, which penetrated every aspect of Soviet life, continue to influence Russia today. This new edition also discusses continuing economic and social difficulties at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the military campaign in Chechnya, and Russia's reduced role on the world stage.

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To the Edge of the World: The Story of the Trans-Siberian Express, the World's Greatest Railroad

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To the Edge of the World, is an adventure in travel—full of extraordinary personalities, more than a century of explosive political, economic, and cultural events, and almost inconceivable feats of engineering. Christian Wolmar passionately recounts the improbable origins of the Trans-Siberian railroad, the vital artery for Russian expansion that spans almost 6,000 miles and seven time zones from Moscow to Vladivostok. The world's longest train route took a decade to build—in the face of punishing climates, rampant disease, scarcity of funds and materials, and widespread corruption.

The line sprawls over a treacherous landmass that was previously populated only by disparate tribes and convicts serving out their terms in labor camps—where men were regularly starved, tortured, or mutilated for minor offenses. Once built, it led to the establishment of new cities and transformed the region's history. Exceeding all expectations, it became, according to Wolmar, “the best thing that ever happened to Siberia.”

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Strange Siberia Along the Trans-Siberian Railway: A Journey From the Great Wall of China to the Skyscrapers of Manhattan

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Excerpt from Strange Siberia Along the Trans-Siberian Railway: A Journey From the Great Wall of China to the Skyscrapers of Manhattan

Throughout our journeyings in the Tsar's dominions, we were entirely free from any dread of being shadowed by a Russian spy. During our sojourn at Tomsk, the capital of Siberia, we were not even asked to show our passport. Who can say but that our ex emption from all such espionage, of which travelers in Russia so generally complain, was due to the fact that a playful child was unconsciously acting as mascot for our Taft party?

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East of the Sun: The Epic Conquest and Tragic History of Siberia

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The very word Siberia evokes a history and reputation as awesome as it is enthralling. In this acclaimed book on Russia’s conquest of its eastern realms, Benson Bobrick offers a story that is both rich and subtle, broad and deep.

From its conquest by Cossacks and its exploration and settlement in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, through its terrifying Gulag history, to its modern place in a world hungry for natural resources, Siberia –covering a sixth of the world’s surface – has a history unlike any other land. East of the Suncaptures all of Siberia’s history with a depth and flavor that will satisfy both well-informed historians and newly-cast Russophiles alike.

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Lonely Planet Russia (Travel Guide)

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Lonely Planet Russia is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Brush up on your Soviet and imperial history in Moscow and St Petersburg, explore European Russia and its gingerbread cottages and golden domes, or lose yourself in the wilds of Siberia and the east; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Russia and begin your journey now!

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