Siberia, Mongolia & Tuva:
Ancient Songs & Stories
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"Everything was excellent. The meals in local homes, especially in Tuva, were spectacular - off the chart! I am very impressed by your complete package and will very likely travel with you again. Thanks!"
Graham Prendergast
Marshfield, MA
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This unparalleled cultural adventure brings us together with Tuvans, Mongols, Buryats and Old Believers as we follow the nomad's path overland through obscure and remote regions in the center of Asia. Along the way we experience the resonant songs of throat-singers, the strong harmonies of the oldest Orthodox hymns and the chants of Buddhist monks.
Days 1-3: Moscow, Abakan, Shushenskoe
Assemble in Moscow, then fly to Abakan and visit the village of Shushenskoye, where Lenin spent three years in exile. Continue overland through the foothills of the Sayan Mountains to Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva.
Days 4-7: Tuva
Tuva, the centerpiece of this journey, is a remote region near the Mongolian border that is more ethnically Mongolian than Russian. Spend four nights in Kyzyl, learning of Buddhist and shamanist traditions, and discover Tuvan throat-singing, an eerie-sounding musical form in which one person produces several sounds simultaneously. Visit Turan, in the Valley of the Czars, where rich Scythian burial mounds have been found. Fly over the mountains to Irkutsk near Lake Baikal.
Days 8-13: Irkutsk, Listvyanka, Lake Baikal, Ulan Ude
Take a boat ride on deep Lake Baikal and spend the night in a lakeshore lodge in the village of Listvyanka. Tour the Siberian "capital," Irkutsk and its sister city, Ulan Ude, capital of the Buryat Republic and center of Buddhism in Russia. Travel the back roads between Ulan Ude and the Mongolian border to visit a native Buryat settlement and a village of Orthodox Old Believers.
Days 14-16: UlaanBaatar, Terelj
An overnight train delivers us to Mongolia where we visit a Buddhist monastery. Venture to the grasslands of Gorkhi-Terelj National Park to experience traditional ger living and interact with local nomads. Return to UlaanBaatar where a Mongolian folk show accompanies a farewell dinner.
Trip Details
| Length of Trip: |
16 Days |
| Departures in 2009: |
1 |
| Dates: |
August 8-23 |
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| Land Tour Cost |
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| 6-12 travelers |
$7,995** |
| Partial Single Supplement |
$1,095* |
| **Land tour cost includes internal flight costs which are subject to change; see the Descriptive Daily Itinerary for details. |
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MIR Signature Features
- Experience a traditional shaman ceremony in remote Tuva
- Discover the other-worldly sounds of throat-singing in its native lands
- Meet the gaze of the largest Lenin head in the world in Ulan Ude
Map - Click to Enlarge
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| Day 1: |
Moscow |
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| Day 2: |
fly to Abakan |
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| Day 3: |
drive to Shushenskoe Village |
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| Days 4-7: |
exploration of Tuva |
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| Day 8: |
fly to Irkutsk |
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| Days 9-11: |
Listvyanka at Lake Baikal, overnight train to Ulan
Ude |
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| Day 12: |
Ulan Ude |
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| Day 13: |
drive to Naushki, overnight train to UlaanBaatar |
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| Day 14: |
UlaanBaatar |
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| Day 15: |
Terelj National Park |
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| Day 16: |
UlaanBaatar |
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Suggested Extensions
Extend your stay in Mongolia to visit the Gobi Desert or Kara Korum. Contact us for details.
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