Compare Lake Baikal Cruise By Crucemundo by Express to Russia vs Accessible Georgia - 12 Days by Travel for All

Day 1: Irkutsk

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: hotel Irkutsk 3*

Upon arrival in Irkutsk you will be met by the cruise company representative and transferred to your hotel (early check-in is included). You will be given time to recover after a long journey, and in the afternoon you will be taken on a city-tour with a local guide. The tour will include all the major highlights, such as the Lower Embankment, the Square of Three Churches, Znamensky Monastery, historical part of the city and the so called 130-quarter. You will also have Museum of Decembrists’ tour with classical concert and champagne.

Irkutsk is the capital of eastern Siberia, that was founded in 1661 as a settlement for trading gold and furs. Nowadays it is known as one of the most picturesque stops along the Trans-Siberian Railway route with its world-known gem – Lake Baikal.

Day 2: Ust-Orda

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: hotel Irkutsk 3*

On this day, you will enjoy a full-day excursion to the Burjat village Ust-Orda (±70 km from Irkutsk) that offers a deep and interactive insight into the Burjat history, traditions, food and family life in Siberia. You will visit the local museum and ethno-park, with traditional welcome ceremony, folklore concert including fascinating throat singing, playing on the “khomus” (Jew’s harp, mouth harp), and traditional dances. You will also take a look at the traditional Burjat yurtas, learn about everyday life of Buryats, and take part in culinary master-class. You will then stop at the small Buddhist temple with possibility to meet the monks.

The Buryats are the largest indigenous group in Siberia who has lived here before the Russians and are closely related to Mongolians. As the largest ethnic minority group in Siberia, the Buryats are estimated to number 436 000, half of which populate the Lake Baikal area. The Buryats practice Tibetan Buddhism with a touch a paganism. Their language is similar to Mongolian and is a member of the Altaic family of languages.

Day 3, Listvyanka

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: country hotel Krestovaja Pad’ (Listvyanka)

You will check-out from your hotel in Irkutsk and head to Listvyanka Village located on the shores of Lake Baikal. On the way, you are going to visit Taltsy - open-air museum of wooden architecture. On this day, you will have lunch in a Russian family.

Listvyanka is a village located on the shores of Lake Baikal in 70 km from Irkutsk. Ideal place to see true Siberian Nature, enjoy numerous hiking routes, try some authentic cuisine.

Day 4: All Aboard!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: MS Imperia 3*

In the morning, you will check out from your hotel in Listvyanka to be taken on Baikal Museum tour.

Then it will be time to board the ship where you will meet the crew and have a safety briefing.

In the afternoon, the ship will reach Kadilnaya Valley. If weather permits, we will go ashore by lifeboat (30-40 min) and walk to the beautiful edelweiss glades.

Free sauna is available onboard to relax after a busy day!

Kadilnaya Valley is located on the western shore of Lake Baikal, between Listvyanka and Bolshoy Goloustniy. Kadilnaya Pad can be reached only by water, but it's worth it. This place is famous for its sandy beaches, coniferous forests, green meadows, and caves.

Day 5: Ogoy and Olkhon Islands

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: MS Imperia 3*

In the morning, the ship will reach Ogoy Island. If the weather permit, we will go ashore by a lifeboat (30-40 min) to have a walking tour of the island and visit the Stupa of Enlightenment.

In the afternoon, if the weather permits, we will go ashore by a lifeboat (30-40 min) on Olkhon Island (Khuzhir settlement) to meet a local Shaman and observe a ceremony at the famous Shaman RockOgoy Island is quite big island in Maloe More (Small Sea) that is located next to Baikal Lake. The most interesting thing about this place is that it was never inhabited. Olkhon is the largest island in the area. The island is known as Sacral center of Baikal and well known with its ancient legends and tales.

Day 6: Zmeinaya Bay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: MS Imperia 3*

On this day, we will reach Malie Ushkanyi Islands (Small Ushkanyi Islands) and you will be offered an optional tour to the seal rookery, which you can pay on the spot.

After lunch, the ship will reach Zmeinaya (Snake) Bay as we will go ashore by a lifeboat (30-40 min) if the weather permits. You will be given free time on the beach to enjoy bathing in hot springs.

Zmeinaya Bay is located in Chivyrkuyskiy Bay and is well-known for its healing hot springs (the water temperature is up to 45 C!). The waters of the Zmeinaya Spring contain fluorine and hydrogen sulphide (so they have a particular smell and taste). It is believed that these thermal waters are good for healing musculoskeletal disorders.

Day 7: Off-road UAZ ride

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: MS Imperia 3*

On this day, if the weather permits, we will go ashore on Olkhon Island (lifeboat, 30-40 min) to enjoy a jeep  tour! Soviet-style off-road UAZ vehicles are used for this journey. The following route is to be covered: Uzury – Sagan-Khushun Cape (the northeast point of Olkhon Island) - Cape Khoboy.

Khoboy Cape is the most northern point of Olkhon island. The name comes from an old Buryat word meaning "fang" because of its shape, a vertically oriented marble rock, appearing much like a fang

Day 8: Akademicheskaya Bay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: MS Imperia 3*

This is your final sightseeing day aboard. You will visit Akademicheskaya Bay and have walking tour of the Babushka Bay, the famous Peschanaya Bay (Sandy Bay) and the Grand Belfry rock. The tour will last 1.5-2 hours, the distance is 1.5 km.

Another activity on this day is a walking tour to the Viewpoint Rock (2.5 hours) where you'll have chance to take some great photos (and bring back home these travel memories!)

In the evening you will be offered sauna with Baikal herbal tea.

Peschanaya Bay - often called the "Siberian Riviera" - is probably the most picturesque place on Baikal. Here, the famous "stilted" trees grow, from under which water and wind have constantly washed and blown out the sandy soil.

Day 9: Disembarkation

Meals: Breakfast

On this day, you will say good-bye to the crew and the new friends you made during the trip. You will check-out after breakfast. Transfer to the airport is included.

Day 1: Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia

Home for people with diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The name “Tbilisi” /warm/ was given to the city because of the area’s numerous sulphuric hot springs.

Meeting at Tbilisi airport

Transfer to the hotel

Breakfast at the Hotel

Spend the afternoon sightseeing, Visit Old Tbilisi :

Sameba -Trinity a magnificent cathedral erected on the top of Elia rock, the beautiful View where you can see all panoramas of all historical parts of Tbilisi

Artistic Theatre Square of The Gabriadze

The Bridge of Peace –Glass Bridge through the river see both side panorama of Tbilisi

The Asian- type coloured baths, built on hot sulphur springs – a favourite place of Tbilisi citizens and foreign guests (A. Pushkin, A. Duma, A. Tolstoy);

Visit Leselidze avenue where side by side locate Synagogue Georgian and Armenian churches and Mosque symbol religious diversity and tolerance

Georgian National Museum – you can see the sensational unique discoveries and artefacts of ancient period archaeological treasures; option

Optional welcome Dinner in a traditional Georgian restaurant with unforgettable folk music, dance and delicious Georgian cuisine or Diner in Tbilisi Funicular with beautiful park.

Day 02 : Tbilisi – Telavi – Kvareli --- Kakheti region

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Tbilisi - Telavi. - Kvareli ---Kakheti region

Breakfast at the hotel

Drive along the “Wine Route”, through the beautiful landscape of vineyards and wine-producing villages.

Town Telavi. Administrative and cultural centre of the region. The town sits on a hilltop above the Alazani valley with the Caucasus Mountains in the background. Telavi hosted The International Festival of classical music;

The Royal castle, the pantheon and the Persian-style Palace of King Erekle II (XVIII c.)

Lunch in Nadikvari Park – View of Caucasus Mountains.

Gremi castle – museum the royal capital city, the Royal Tower Ensemble. Historically, one of the important trading centres of this region.

Visit Wine Corporation “KHAREBA” wine degustation.

Overnight in Kvareli

Day 03: Kvareli – Sighnaghi- Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Sighnaghi Town of love is built on the right bank of Alazani River, on a higher hill. Royal fortified town with narrow streets surrounded by the defensive walls with 23 towers.  Here was   a place where the Georgian King used to join the army before the battle.

Dinner   the most delicious dishes are cooked with local, natural, fresh, seasonal product

Sighnaghi Historical-Ethnographic Museum where extraordinary ethnographic,      archaeological and medieval materials are kept.( expectable only first floor)

The defensive wall surrounding Sighnaghi. Because of the wall’s high location the beautiful view of Alazani Valley is well visible.

Gala dinner in Tbilisi

Overnight in Tbilisi

Day 04: Tbilisi-Borjomi-Aspindza

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Mtsketa – Town-museum. The ancient capital of Georgia. Known as “Hole Place”, is considered as the second” Jerusalem”. Situated on a plain at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, the ancient trade silk route ran here.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral – The biggest Christian temple in Georgia. A sacred place, where the Christ’s robe is kept. UNESCO World Heritage site.

Town Borjomi – Borjomi mineral water park .A synonym for healthy, pure mineral water

Day 05: Aspindza - Vardzia

Meals: Breakfast

Vardzia (Georgian Petra) rock- cut town complex founded (12-13th cc) Golden Age period during the reign of Queen Tamar. There is – well fortified monastery with 600 apartments, 28 wine-houses, churches, library, storeroom of medicines, important political, cultural, educational and spiritual centre of the country.

Vardzia is not adapted, it is rock- cut down, but surround is very good view  and outside you can see all panoramas of these rocks town)

Overnight in Aspindza

Day 06: Aspindza - Tskaltubo

Meals: Breakfast

Rabat castle, the former  largest slave bazaar till XVIII c. –  The site of ethical and religious diversity,  historical symbol of Georgian tolerance, where you can see Georgian, Armenian and Moslem  buildings of public worship standing next to each other. Within the 7 hectare castle complex there is a church, a Mosque, a Minaret and a Synagogue.

Tskaltubo is little town a spa resort that is famous for its radon-carbonate mineral springs. This unique gift of nature was not without reason called the “Living Water”. Today, modern installations give us the opportunity to treat, prevent and improve body tone.

Overnight in Tskaltubo

Day 07: Tskaltubo

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the Hotel

Free Time.  Spa Capsule: hydro massage (optional)

 Day 08: Tskaltubo- Batumi

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Breakfast at the Hotel

Batumi – one of the oldest sea-side cities in Georgia was inhabited from as early as the third century BC. Having all the resources necessary for the resort cities, at present days Batumi became the distinguished tourist center at the Black Sea cost. Batumi is always green and sparkling.

Sightseeing:

“Old Batumi” Small, white, mostly 2-3-storied 150 years old, buildings are decorated with mythical creatures with a lot of open cafes with  aromatic hot black coffee prepared on the heated sand.

PIAZZA Batumi is one of the most beautiful squares in whole Georgia is distinguished by its painting, as well as by its exquisite mosaics and stained glass windows. Piazza Square has already become the venue of numerous entertaining and cultural events.

Dinner plus an evening Batumi laser show and dancing fountains then overnight in Batumi

Day 09: Batumi

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Batumi

Visit Gonio fortress – Roman fortification in Adjara, on the Black sea, 15 km south of Batumi, at the mouth of the Chorokhi River. The village sits 4 km north of the Turkish border.

Visit Batumi Delphinium – you can swim and take pictures with Dolphins (option);

Batumi Seaside Boulevard.

Overnight in Batumi

Day 10: Batumi – Tskaltubo

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing

Batumi Botanic Garden is a unique place famous for its unique flora. It has a beautiful view on black sea and Caucasus Mountain.

Overnight in Tskaltubo

Day 11: Tskaltubo- Tbilisi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Kutaisi   One of the most beautiful and ancient cities in West Georgia – Emeriti region. Kutaisi has contributed much to the process of Georgian unification. According to the legend Kutaisi was the final destination of the Argonauts.

Bagrati 10- 11th cc. Situated on the top of the hill, it was an ancient citadel, a royal palace and one of the most important castles from 6th to 17th c. nowadays it’s distinguished for its elegant proportions, grand size, facade composition, ornaments and relief carvings and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site,

Rest and Lunch in Village Ubisa

Overnight in Tbilisi

Day 12: Departure

Meals: Breakfast

Transfers to the airport included