Moscow and Astrakhan Tour7 Days | Moscow, Astrakhan

Arrive in Moscow, meet your driver, and transfer to the hotel (check in is possible from 14:00). Free time to begin your 1-week Moscow and Astrakhan tour. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, take a guided tour of Russia’s capital city, Moscow. Like Rome, this is a city on seven hills. Your tour of the metropolis starts at Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) in the south-west of the city. Elevated 78m above the river, these hills are Moscow’s main panoramic viewpoint and offer excellent views of most of the city’s attractions: the Kremlin, Stalin’s famous “Seven Sisters” skyscrapers (such as the main building of Moscow State University), the modern Moscow City skyscrapers, the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences, Russia’s “White House”, Shukhov Tower, Luzhniki Stadium, and the Ostankino TV Tower. After visiting Vorobyovy Gory, descend to the Memorial Complex on Poklonnaya Gora (Victory Park) to see the Church of St. George the Victorious, the Triumphal Arch, and Kutuzovsky Prospekt. Then, visit the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world. The original cathedral was destroyed in the 1930s by order of Stalin and only rebuilt in the 1990s. The cathedral has a 69m-high dome, on the inside of which are beautiful images from the New Testament. Continue the tour at the famed Red Square, walking past St. Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, the famous GUM, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden. The day ends at the impressive Kremlin and its cathedrals (closed on Thursdays and replaced with an alternative sight). Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 8-9 hours
During your free time, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Visit to the Armoury or the Diamond Fund in the Kremlin (except Thursdays);
Night city tour, ‘Evening lights of Moscow’;
River cruise on the motor ship ‘Flotilla Radisson Royal’ (from May to October);
Tickets to the Bolshoi Theatre, concerts, the circus, or other performances.

After breakfast, check-out of the hotel (leaving your luggage in the hotel’s storage room) and transfer to the Kuskovo Memorial Estate (19 km, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and replaced with an alternative sight). This estate belonged to the Sheremetev family for several centuries and reached its heyday in the middle of the 18th century, when Count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev acquired it. Take a tour of the estate to admire the architecture and park and learn about the history of the estate and its owners. See the surviving pavilions and the estate’s main building, the Palace, with its old interiors and original 17th to 19th century paintings, sculptures, and works of decorative and applied art. Finally, walk through the 18th century park to see its authentic Italian marble sculptures and visit the pavilions. Return to the hotel to collect your luggage, then transfer to the airport to take the 16:00 flight from Moscow to Astrakhan (1,400 km, 1h15min). Upon arrival in Astrakhan at 19:15, meet your driver and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 3-4 hours

After breakfast, take a sightseeing tour of Astrakhan city, which has a rich history as part of the Golden Horde and as a Tatar Khanate. Located in south-western Russia on the Volga River, near the Caspian Sea, Astrakhan is now famous as a major fish processing centre. The wider Astrakhan region is also a centre of oil and gas production. Your tour will begin with a walk along the beautiful streets of the city centre and along the Volga Embankment. See the Arc de Triomphe, old mansions, Iranian and Armenian courtyards, the Annunciation Monastery, and the chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Walk around the city’s main square, Lenin Square, and see Swan Lake, the Temple of St. Vladimir, and the Tatar Settlement. Continue to the Kremlin and visit the Assumption Cathedral. End the day at the Astrakhan Museum of Local Lore, with visits to exhibitions about Sarmatian gold and the fish of the Caspian Basin. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 4-5 hours
During your free time, we offer the following optional activities (at additional cost):
Visit to the fish market (“Selenskiye Isady”).

Breakfast followed by an excursion to a Kazakh village. The Astrakhan region, located close to the Russian-Kazakh border, is home to a significant Kazakh population. The inhabitants of this village have carefully preserved their Kazakh traditions, costumes, recipes, and holiday rituals. Enjoy the famous oriental hospitality and immerse yourself in the Kazakh culture as you enjoy a performance of traditional singing and dancing, accompanied by the magical sound of the Kazakh dombra. Continue to the Mausoleum of Kurmangazy Sagyrbayev, an outstanding Kazakh educator, composer, and musician. Then visit the International Cultural Centre named after Kurmangazy to see exhibitions about his life and work. Afterwards, take a master class on cooking baursak (Kazakh puffy fried bread), before enjoying a lunch of traditional Kazakh cuisine and a folklore show at a restaurant. Return to the city. Overnight at the hotel.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours

After breakfast, check out of the hotel. Drive to a sturgeon farm where species such as beluga, Russian and Siberian sturgeon, bester, and sterlet are kept. See how sturgeon are raised on the farm and learn how black caviar, one of the most expensive delicacies in the world, is obtained. Then enjoy a lunch of delicious fish dishes prepared by the chef (if you wish, you may also try the caviar (extra cost)). After lunch, take a master class on cooking fish dishes. Finally, transfer to the pier to take a boat tour of the Volga River Delta. Enjoy the unique and impressive landscapes, flora, birds, and fish and, between July and early September, see the beautiful flowers blooming at the famous lotus fields. The boat will take you to the tourist camp. Dinner. Overnight in the recreation centre at the tourist camp.
Duration of sightseeing tour: 5-6 hours

After breakfast, drive to the airport in Astrakhan to take the 10:30 flight to Moscow. Upon arrival at the domestic airport at 11:55, meet your driver and transfer to the international airport. Departure. End of the Moscow and Astrakhan tour.

Economy:
Azimut Hotel / Lotus Hotel
Comfort:
Park Inn by Radisson / Astrakhanskaya Hotel / Victoria Palas Hotel

Economy:
Recreation Centre
Comfort:
Recreation Centre