Irkutsk to Helsinki on the Trans-Siberian Railway

On arrival in Irkutsk, we make our way individually to the hotel. In the evening, we meet for a welcome dinner and orientation.

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.

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.

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.

Today we will hop aboard the Trans-Siberian Railway and travel by train for 20 hours westward to Krasnoyarsk. The Trans-Siberian trains moves at a speed of at most 90 km/h, giving passengers a time to relax. Upon arrival in Krasnoyarsk, we will have the rest of the day free to ourselves.

“Taiga” is a forest of the cold, subarctic region. The word means “land of the little sticks” in Russian. The world’s largest taiga is in Russia, covering 5,800 kilometres (3,600 miles), which means this is the landscape you will most likely see from the windows of the Trans-Siberian trains. The Russian taiga has primarily pine and fir trees, which we will watch pass by as we chat with fellow travellers and sip hot tea courtesy of the samovar.

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.

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. The rest of the day can be spent at our leisure.

After seeing the sites of the city, today we head to the Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Power Station dam, the first power station built on the Yenisey River. The dam is located 30 kilometres upstream and we will drive through beautiful scenery. Midway through to the dam we will stop on a lookout place that offers a gorgeous view of the river and the Siberian forests.

We will then visit 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, dating back to the Cambrian Period, making the rocks 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, so the flora is predominantly made of coniferous trees such as pine and silver fir.

We will once again board a train and travel closer to European Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway towards Yekaterinburg. We will take the evening train and spend 2 nights on board. This will be our longest journey on the train for this tour, as we will be travelling for 33 hours.

Yekaterinburg (also spelled Ekaterinburg) sits on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, which forms a boundary between Europe and Asia. The city was given its name in 1723, named after Russian emperor Peter the Great’s wife, Yekaterina, who succeeded him as Empress Catherine I after his death in 1725.

Yekaterinburg became the centre for all the iron works of the Urals region, and in 1878 the Trans-Siberian Railroad arrived and linked it with Siberia. Yekaterinburg also became infamous when, in 1918, the fallen tsar Nicholas II and his family were killed here by firing squad.

Our local guide will outline for us Russia’s history, covering pre-history, the industrialisation initiated by Peter the Great, the October Revolution, the Soviet era, and the modern era, through visits to museums and historic sites. We will also take a drive in the afternoon to see examples of local farming techniques.

Today is reserved for our 30-hour journey by train to Moscow, Russia’s capital. The train passes at kilometre post 1777, a white obelisk marking the boundary between Europe and Asia. We will settle in our accommodation upon arrival.

Today we will have a much-deserved rest after our train journey. We can use this time to catch up with laundry, shop, or simply restore our energies for the trip ahead.

Moscow is Russia’s political centre and its most populous metropolis. Viewed from the air, Moscow‘s city layout resembles concentric rings circling the Kremlin, the seat of the current Russian government and its predecessor, the USSR. We will view the heavily guarded Kremlin during a boat cruise on the river, before we venture into the city with a local guide. We will explore Moscow‘s towers, garden, enormous Tsar Bell, and the cathedral square at its heart. The Red Square, St Basil’s and Kazan Cathedrals and the State History Museum are among our stops.

Later, we sample Georgian cuisine at Tifils restaurant. Pending local programming, we enjoy a second performance — perhaps the opera, ballet, theatre, or even the circus. Moscow is brimming with cultural events.

Today we travel by train during the day to St. Petersburg.

St Petersburg was Russia’s capital from 1712 to 1918, following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution (October Revolution) that toppled the tsarist regime. The city is often compared to the current capital, Moscow. It is often said that Moscow is “traditionally” Russian, with buildings designed by Russian architects, while St Petersburg has absorbed influences from Western Europe. (Interesting fact: the city was renamed “Petrograd” in 1914 at the start of the First World War to make it sound less German.)

Today is the first of two full days to explore the cultural heritage of this vibrant city. We enjoy a tour with a local guide, and visit the Botanical Gardens, or, to use its full name, the Botanical Garden of the V.L. Komarov Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This is Russia’s oldest botanical garden, founded in 1714 by order of Peter the Great. Today, it mostly follow an English landscape style, with many diverse species available for our appreciation. The giant water lilies, which bloom during the summer, are a highlight.

While we are in St Petersburg, we will experience a performance of either the ballet or opera — depending on local programming.

Today we visit some of St Petersburg’s most historically significant sites, including the Hermitage — Russia’s most famous palace and equally famous art collection, containing pieces from Matisse, Rubens, Rembrandt, and Picasso. The Winter Palace is now part of the Museum complex, but was the official residence of the monarchs until 1917.

St Isaac’s Cathedral is the world’s largest orthodox basilica (and fourth largest cathedral). It houses a museum where we can learn about the building’s historic and cultural significance. Later, we board the Vladimirskay metro, bound for the vibrant Kuznechny market.

In the evening, we dine at the popular Austeria restaurant, located within the Peter and Paul Fortress. Now a museum, St Petersburg’s original citadel provides views across the city’s popular, sandy beaches. We enjoy traditional Russian fare and live music.

Today we will be leaving Russia and crossing the border into Finland to journey into Helsinki. This relaxing journey will take up the full day.

Helsinki was once under the rule of the Russian Empire as part of the Grand Duchy of Finland, serving as the duchy’s capital starting in 1812.

Today we will step back in time and experience a tour of Helsinki by vintage tram, a relaxing way to take in the sights and sounds of the “white city of the north”.

The end of breakfast also marks the end of the tour and our services.