AUD 1326 / pp
Russia
Dates:
All year round
Duration:
8 days
Tour:
Private
Spend the week of your life exploring Moscow & St. Petersburg. This 8-day trip offers unparalleled access to Russia's most famous cities and all their attractions. Our Signature tour, group or private, on your choice, will dazzle you with stunning architecture & heritage under the guidance of our expert local tour guides. This tour runs vice versa.
Day 1: Arrival at Moscow
Arrival at Moscow. Meet & Greet at the airport and transfer to your cosy hotel in downtown. The evening is free at leisure. In the evening, join the group for a welcome dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: The Kremlin & Novodevichy convent
A tour to Russia is not complete without a tour to Moscow, the heart of Russia and one of the oldest cities in the country. It is a city of bright contrasts where quiet patriarchal courts and small streets adjoin to futuristic business centres, and old neighbourhoods are interspersed with modern high-rises. After breakfast, start with a full-day sightseeing tour in Moscow including the Moscow Kremlin (all the highlights including the Armory), the Red Square, Lenin’s Mausoleum, Saint Basil's Cathedral, GUM, the Bolshoi Theatre, KGB Headquarters & other attractions of the downtown, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills (Lenin Hills), and Arbat street. During the tour, you also take a ride by the famous Moscow metro. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3: Tretyakov Gallery, VDNKh & more
After breakfast, take a full-day sightseeing tour in Moscow. The tour includes several locations. First of all, visit the State Tretyakov Gallery, the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. Then enjoy the beauty of the Izmaylovo Kremlin. Visiting the Kremlin gives you a rare opportunity to get into an atmosphere of the past, see masters of handicraft at work — blacksmiths, potters, wood carvers, and also participate in the process of producing artworks of the national applied and decorative arts. The tour also includes Stalin's skyscrapers and the VDNKh. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: Train to St. Petersburg
After breakfast, take a transfer to the railway station and board high-speed bullet train for 4 hours journey to St.Petersburg. Meet & Greet at St Petersburg railway station and transfer to your hotel in downtown. The evening is free at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: Peterhof
After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour to the royal Peterhof Palace. Gardens and Parks are spread over more than four hundred hectares and include thirty-one amazing museums and beautiful Versailles-style gardens. Interiors, as always in Russia, are all made of gold. In summer, the Peterhof is especially good thanks to its famous fountains which run naturally. We shall visit the Grand Palace - the golden must-see! - and have a tour around the estate. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: The Hermitage & iconic landmarks
After breakfast, take a full-day sightseeing tour in St. Petersburg. Today, you visit one of the most important sites in Russian history and heritage, the world-famous Palace of the Hermitage, the former residence of the Royal Family. The Hermitage today is the second largest art museum in the world; its collection includes over 2.7 mln items. Then, take a tour to see the city’s iconic landmark: Isaac Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress and cathedral. Visit the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood — one of the most powerful constructions in Russian Orthodox Christian architecture, an absolutely enthralling must-see. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7: The Catherine Palace
After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour in Pushkin/Tsarskoye Selo (30 km south of St. Petersburg). The tour includes the Catherine Palace and world-famous Amber Room. The stunning Rococo palace was the summer residence of the Russian Tsars. The residence originated in 1717 when Catherine I hired German architect Johann-Friedrich Braunstein to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. Construction lasted for four years, and on 30 July 1756, the architect presented the brand-new 325-meter-long palace to the Empress. Amber room is a reconstructed chamber decorated in amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors, located in the Catherine Palace. The afternoon is free at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 1: Arrival at St. Petersburg
Arrival at St. Petersburg. Meet & Greet at the airport and transfer to your cosy hotel in downtown. The evening is free at leisure. In the evening join the group for a welcome dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2: Hermitage & iconic landmarks
After breakfast, take a full-day sightseeing tour in St. Petersburg. Today, you visit one of the most important sites in Russian history and heritage, the world-famous Palace of the Hermitage, the former residence of the Royal Family. The Hermitage today is the second largest art museum in the world; its collection includes over 2.7 mln items. Then, take a tour to see the city’s iconic landmark: Isaac Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress and cathedral. Visit the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood — one of the most powerful constructions in Russian Orthodox Christian architecture, an absolutely enthralling must-see. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3: Peterhof Palace
After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour to the royal Peterhof Palace. Gardens and Parks are spread over more than four hundred hectares and include thirty-one amazing museums and beautiful Versailles-style gardens. Interiors, as always in Russia, are all made of gold. In summer, the Peterhof is especially good thanks to its famous fountains which run naturally. We shall visit the Grand Palace - the golden must-see! - and have a tour around the estate. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: The Catherine Palace
After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour in Pushkin/Tsarskoye Selo (30 km south of St. Petersburg). The tour includes the Catherine Palace and world-famous Amber Room. The stunning Rococo palace was the summer residence of the Russian Tsars. The residence originated in 1717 when Catherine I hired German architect Johann-Friedrich Braunstein to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. Construction lasted for four years, and on 30 July 1756, the architect presented the brand-new 325-meter-long palace to the Empress. Amber room is a reconstructed chamber decorated in amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors, located in the Catherine Palace. The afternoon is free at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: Train to Moscow
After breakfast, take a transfer to the railway station and board high-speed bullet train for 4 hours journey to Moscow. Meet & Greet at Moscow railway station and transfer to your hotel in downtown. The evening is free at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: The Kremlin & Novodevichy convent
A tour to Russia is not complete without a tour to Moscow, the heart of Russia and one of the oldest cities in the country. It is a city of bright contrasts where quiet patriarchal courts and small streets adjoin to futuristic business centres, and old neighbourhoods are interspersed with modern high-rises. After breakfast, start with a full-day sightseeing tour in Moscow including the Moscow Kremlin (all the highlights including the Armory), the Red Square, Lenin’s Mausoleum, Saint Basil's Cathedral, GUM, the Bolshoi Theatre, KGB Headquarters & other attractions of the downtown, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills (Lenin Hills), and Arbat street. During the tour, you also take a ride by the famous Moscow metro. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7: Tretyakov Gallery, VDNKh & more
After breakfast, take a full-day sightseeing tour in Moscow. The tour includes several locations. First of all, visit the State Tretyakov Gallery, the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. Then enjoy the beauty of the Izmaylovo Kremlin. Visiting the Kremlin gives you a rare opportunity to get into an atmosphere of the past, see masters of handicraft at work — blacksmiths, potters, wood carvers, and also participate in the process of producing artworks of the national applied and decorative arts. The tour also includes Stalin's skyscrapers and the VDNKh. Overnight at the hotel.
Russia
Citizens of the UK should apply for a visa only personally (63 GBP for a visa, issued in 20 days). Сitizens of New Zealand can apply for a visa by mail (120 $ NZ for a visa, issued in 10 days). Citizens of Australia can apply for a visa through Visa Application Service Centers (120 AUD, issued in 4-10 days). Citizens of the USA and Canada can apply for visa personally or through Visa Application Service Centers (160 USD for the USA citizens and 112 CAD for the citizens of Canada).
Accommodation
Centrally located hand-picked hotels
3 nights in Moscow // 4 nights in St. Petersburg
Meals
Full breakfast daily
Group tour: welcome dinner
Guided tours
Moscow full day (8 hours) guided tour: the Moscow Kremlin, the Armory, the Red Square, St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow metro tour, Novodevichy convent & Sparrow Hills
Moscow full day (8 hours) guided tour: the State Tretyakov Gallery, Stalin's skyscrapers tour, the Izmailovo Kremlin, the VDNKh & Museum of Cosmonautics
St Petersburg day (6 hours) guided tour: the Royal Palace of Peterhof, Faberge Museum
St. Petersburg full day (8 hours) guided tour: the Winter Palace and the Hermitage, Isaac Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, Peter & Paul Fortress and Cathedral
Catherine’s palace day (6 hours) guided tour: Pushkin/Tsarskoye Selo, Catherine’s palace & Amber room
Transportation
Bullet train Moscow to St. Petersburg
Meet & greet at every location
Return airport/train station transfers
Transportation on tours as per program in a comfortable a/c car/minivan/bus
Full metro/public transport passes in Moscow & St. Petersburg
Speed boat ride to Peterhof Palace
Support
24/7 phone/WhatsApp support line
WofDi Tour manager
Travel tips online brochure
English-speaking guide
Local sim card
Entrance tickets
Entrance tickets to all listed attractions
Russian visa letter of invitation (required by the Ministry of Tourism to grant you a Russian visa) is provided free of charge
Not Included
International flights
Meals not mentioned
Optional tours and activities
Personal expenditures
A sightseeing tour in Pushkin/Tsarskoye Selo
The royal Peterhof Palace, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Novodevichy Convent, the best-known cloister of Moscow
The world-famous Palace of the Hermitage, the former residence of the Royal Family
The Moscow Kremlin - all the highlights including the Armory
The famous Moscow metro, the fifth longest in the world
Douglas Schroeder
Australia
Everything worked like clockwork, when someone was suppose to be there they were. Yuri and Cathrine were excellent guides in Moscow and St. Petersburg and we learned a lot from both. We chose the 4 star hotels, and were very satisfied. Would highly recommend this trip to anyone interested.
David Wellnet
Australia
Georgia in autumn! We had a wonderful trip - one that will stay with us for a long time. Everything was so well organized. All our guides were very informative, and accommodations were just fine. Pre-tour service was very good too and we had travel a lot. My husband’s grandparents are from Georgia and we wanted to explore family routes. All our guides were great in terms of looking after us and they really were so interesting to speak to. Altogether, we had a wonderful time and I would love to explore more of the region and visit neighboring counties.
Alison Danesh
Iran / USA
We just returned from the World Cup in Russia where we followed Team Iran. This involved travel to three different stadiums many miles apart. Thank goodness we booked through World of Discoveries (Discovery Russia branch)! They arranged our lodging and transport. They even set us up with local English speaking guides to take us to see the interesting and historical sights of this beautiful land. We had a blast. We met new friends, ate great food, drank great vodka and cheered our team on. It was a trip of a lifetime.
Irma Rubenstain
Amazing trip to Mongolia
I can't sing the praises loud enough for the operator and their true welcoming, accommodating and approach. From the time I landed and was met by a driver at the airport to take me to my hotel, to fabulous guide, Boloryuya, who worked, it seemed, 24/7 to make sure this trip was everything I dreamed of. From seeking Takhi wild horses with local resident Neema, to meeting reindeer herdsman while in Lake Kovsgol area, from horse back riding and camel rides to a yurt stay at Gobi desert, everything went as planned and exceeded expectations. September seemed a perfect choice to visit Mongolia. Everything from planning and booking, till the farewell transfer to airport, every team member went above and beyond to make it happened the way it was and I’m sending my appraisal too all of you guys. Choose World of Discoveries when you are in need of adventure beyond the ordinary. You name it, they find a way to make it happen. It was truly amazing.
Stacey Filrose
Australia
Me and my family just returned from an Easter break to Moscow. I found the tour very good value for money and the company's assistance with the visa application was also helpful. Reservations, payment, visa letter, and pre-departure correspondence prior to trip (via email) was prompt and well explained with no problems. Final arrangements information were detailed. We knew exactly what to expect, who will be waiting for us, time and venue to meet even with any guides with us. Transport transfers and driver were punctual.
Katherine Ratcliff
Australia
CENTRAL ASIA, I’LL BE BACK! Central Asia was on my bucket list for years but I was reluctant to travel alone and my partner did not want to go. I found World of Discoveries most helpful in arranging my age/gender travel companion in our small group tour in October 2019. Everything run smooth from inquiry to farewell dinner in Nur-Sultan The tour was good value for money. Most meals included and great. Lots of local experiences. Great people on tour, helpful guides. I would love to return to explore more of Uzbekistan and would love to visit Tajikistan (that was not part of the tour). Yurt experience was just amazing. Such a great scenery and heartily people.