The Trans-Siberian Express in Winter 2012 

We meet at London St Pancras International and embark on an extraordinary journey across almost half of the globe by train. We depart by Eurostar for Brussels in Standard Premier Class, with a light meal and drinks served on board. We change trains on to the high-speed First Class service to Cologne, where we board the Jan Kiepura overnight sleeper train to Warsaw. On the morning of Day 2 we arrive in Warsaw and enjoy a sightseeing tour, including the Old Town, Castle Square, King Sigismund's Column and St John's Cathedral. Your afternoon is free to explore.

We board the Ost-West sleeper train on the morning of Day 3 and continue east across Poland, arriving in Moscow on the morning of Day 4. Upon leaving the train we transfer to the 5-star Marriott Royal Aurora Hotel (or similar), where we enjoy a welcome reception and dinner in the evening. On Day 5 we spend the day in Moscow and take a tour of its famous sights, including the Kremlin, Red Square and St Basil's Cathedral. This evening we join the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, for our fabulous 12-night adventure to Vladivostok.

Our first stop is Vladimir, one of Russia's oldest communities and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We visit the beautiful Uspensky Cathedral, before we move on to Suzdal, a perfectly preserved walled city dating back to 1024. Here we visit the atmospheric St Euthymius Monastery for an enchanting choral performance and enjoy a horse-drawn Troika sledge ride around Suzdal.

Today we cross the Europe-Asia divide and arrive in Yekaterinburg, founded in 1723 by Peter the Great. Here we visit the poignant site where the Romanov family headed by Nicholas II of Russia was murdered in 1918, now a church dedicated to their memory.

Today we alight in Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, for a guided tour including the Opera House, the largest in the world, and Lenin's imposing statue.

We spend Day 9 on the train enjoying the passing scenery as we travel through the Sayan Mountains. On Day 10 we arrive in Irkutsk, founded by Cossacks. The city is affectionately known as 'the Paris of Siberia'. During a sightseeing tour we visit the city's most significant sights and museums including some classic Siberian carved-wood architecture and the Decembrist House Museum. We also enjoy a concert before leaving for the wooded encampment of Zaimka (Hunters Lodge), where we are met by local women in traditional costume and treated to food and drink in the authentic wooden houses.

Today we experience one of the true highlights of our journey through Siberia. The Golden Eagle skirts vast Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater lake, totally frozen at this time of year. We wind our way through tunnels and along cliff-hugging tracks before stopping by the side of the lake to visit the Ice Festival. We ride across the lake by hovercraft for your chance to experience a snowmobile or a sledge ride. Alternatively, try your hand at ice-fishing and smoke your freshly caught fish in the mobile smokehouse, delicious served warm with ice-cold vodka.

Today we arrive in Ulan Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic. Here we visit the Old Believer's Village, where we have the opportunity to learn about the culture and history of these religious people as we are treated to a traditional meal and enjoy a concert featuring local musicians and dancers. On Day 13 we arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Passing the Genghis Khan monument, we visit the National Museum before enjoying lunch in a traditional yurt. Day 14 is spent on board as we continue east through the beautiful landscape of this vast and varied country.

The train follows the Shilka and Amur Rivers close to the Chinese border. Our route takes us across an area of permafrost, as remote as it is dramatic. During Day 16 we reach the most easterly point of our journey and as we head towards the Pacific coast, we enjoy a farewell dinner on board.

After travelling across 11 time zones and over 8,000 train miles, our epic journey from London to Vladivostok concludes today, as The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express arrives in Vladivostok, where we disembark. We take a tour of the city before transferring to the Hyundai Hotel for one night. On Day 18 we transfer to the airport for our return flight via Moscow to London.

We are delighted to offer a version of the tour beginning with a flight from London to Moscow. Although shorter in length (15 days), this Trans-Siberian adventure still includes all the splendour of Moscow, plus the classic rail journey to Vladivostock. The two tours will join together in Moscow.

The outbound flight option is not available to book online, so if you are interested in flying out to Moscow to join the group, please call one of our Tour Advisors who will be happy to help you.