Day 1 - ISTANBUL - MOSCOW
Meeting at 06:00 at Istanbul Airport, International Terminal, Turkish Airlines check-in counter. After check-in and passport procedures, we will depart for Moscow on Turkish Airlines flight TK417 at 09:10. Arriving in Moscow at 13:00 local time, we will proceed with our panoramic city tour. During the city tour, we will see sites including Leningrad Avenue, Tverskaya Street, the Parliament Building, Bolshoi Theatre, Lubyanka Square, KGB Headquarters, St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Gum Shopping Center, Christ the Savior Cathedral, and the State Duma building. At the end of the tour, we will transfer to our hotel for dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - MOSCOW
After breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish can join optional tours to NOVODEVICHY Cemetery, where NAZIM HIKMET and numerous statesmen and artists who shaped Russian history are buried, as well as a METRO + ARBAT tour. After the tour, we will transfer to the hotel for dinner. After dinner, guests who wish can participate in an optional NIGHT TOUR OF MOSCOW UNDER LIGHTS. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 - MOSCOW
After breakfast, guests who wish can take an optional tour of the “KREMLIN.” After the tour, we will head to the port to board our awaiting cruise ship. After embarkation and settling into our cabins, the cruise will set sail. A briefing will be held at the designated time regarding the ports we will visit, the waterways we will navigate, and the operation of the level pools. In the evening, we will attend the captain's welcome cocktail. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 4 - UGLIČ
After breakfast, you can participate in onboard activities or enjoy the beauty of the Volga River from the upper deck. After lunch, our ship arrives in Uglič. During our free Uglič walking tour, we will see the Transfiguration Cathedral in the Old Kremlin Square and the Church of Dmitry on the Blood, built at the site where Ivan the Terrible's son Dmitry died at the age of 9. The ship will set sail again at 18:00. Dinner and overnight aboard the ship.
Day 5 - GORITSY / KIRILOV
After breakfast, you can participate in various onboard activities or enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Volga River from the deck. Following lunch, we will arrive in Goritsy, known as a picturesque and tranquil village in Russia, with a small port on the riverbank. You will dive into the simplicity of this charming village and discover the medieval atmosphere. This region is also an important center of early Christianity in Russia, reflecting the spiritual life of many monasteries and monks. Upon arrival at this beautiful village by the river, we will travel by bus to the town of Kirilov, located 10 km away. After visiting the monastery in the town, we will return to Goritsy. We will have free time to explore the village and shop. At the designated time, we will return to the ship, which will then set sail. You can savor the stunning views of the riverbank as you enjoy your coffee on the upper deck. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 6 - KIZHI
After breakfast, you can partake in onboard activities or admire the beauty of Lake Onega. After lunch, we will arrive in Kizhi at 17:00. This island, located above the 60th parallel, serves as an open-air museum and is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. During our free Kizhi walking tour, we will see the wooden Transfiguration Church, which is a fairytale sight with its 22 domes and was built without using nails, as well as ancient wooden village houses, gaining insights into the life of the past village and island communities. After the tour, there will be free time on the island. Later, we will return to the ship, which will set sail at 20:30. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 7 - MANDROGI
Breakfast on board and arrival in Mandrogi at 12:30. We will have free time in Mandrogi, a vibrant village dotted with colorful Russian wooden houses. Here, you can take a walk amidst the greenery, visit a mini zoo, and browse souvenir shops and workshops housed in beautiful wooden buildings. There is also a small vodka museum here (entrance fee applies). After lunch, the ship will set sail. You can enjoy the scenic views as the ship navigates through Russia’s northern forests. Dinner and overnight on the ship.
Day 8 - VALAAM
After breakfast on board, we will arrive in Valaam. The Valaam archipelago, located north of Europe’s largest lake, Lake Ladoga, is known for its nature and historical monasteries. During our walking tour on the largest of the islands, Valaam, we will explore historical structures from the 14th century and discover the stunning natural beauty of the island. Valaam holds significant importance in Orthodox Christianity and has witnessed numerous historical events; we will learn about the history of the island and the religious centers here. After the tour, we will return to the ship and it will set sail for St. Petersburg. Tonight, you will be hosted at the Captain's Gala dinner. Overnight on the ship.
Day 9 - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast, we will arrive in St. Petersburg. After disembarkation, we will start our city tour with our luggage. During the tour, we will see sites such as Alexandr Nevski Monastery, Nevsky Prospekt, Count Strogonoff Palace, Palace Square, Winter Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral, Smolny Monastery, Anichkov Palace and Bridge, and the Church of the Savior on Blood. After the tour, guests who wish can join optional tours to “HERMITAGE MUSEUM” and optional “CANAL” tours. Afterwards, we will transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 - ST. PETERSBURG
After breakfast at the hotel, check-out procedures and transfer to the airport. Following the return flight, our tour ends.
- Economy class flight ticket between Istanbul Airport and Moscow / St. Petersburg with Turkish Airlines.
- Accommodation in a cabin on the 5-star Lavrinenkov ship with FULL BOARD (Full board service starts with dinner on the embarkation day and ends with breakfast on the disembarkation day).
- 2 nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel in Moscow with half board.
- 1 night accommodation in a 4-star hotel in St. Petersburg with half board.
- Panoramic City Tour of Moscow (Half day).
- Panoramic City Tour of St. Petersburg (Half day).
- Tours at ports along the river route.
- Airport transfers as specified in the program.
- Professional Turkish guidance service.
- Luggage handling service on the ship.
- Welcome cocktail on the ship and Captain's Gala Dinner.
- Tea and coffee service at all meals on the ship.
- Concerts, shows, cultural lessons and activities on the ship (Russian language lessons, Russian song lessons, Russian dance lessons, Russian cuisine, Russian folk arts, information about the history and making of costumes and wooden souvenirs).
- Cruise staff service fee (Per person: 80 EURO) will be collected at the airport.
- Tips for local guides and drivers (Per person: 70 Euro) will be collected at the airport.
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and bottled water on the ship.
- Tours not mentioned in the program.
- Travel Health and Cancellation Insurance (We recommend that all our passengers obtain travel health insurance to avoid any issues in case of a health-related cancellation.)
- Visa Fee: Russia requires a visa for regular passport holders. An ONLINE ELECTRONIC VISA is required to participate in the Volga Tour. The visa fee per person is (100 EURO) Green passport holders do not need a visa. Regardless of the type of passport, a passport valid for at least 6 months from the end of the tour and undamaged with no tears in the seams is required for entry into Russia.
- Foreign exit tax.
- The cruise company is not responsible for any changes in the schedule, date, and route that the airline and train company may make.
- The cruise, airline, and train company reserves the right to make these changes.
- The working days and hours of the museums and historical sites mentioned in the program may vary.
- Travel documents and plane tickets will be sent to guests 48 hours before the trip. Participants are obliged to read and check these tickets and the information contained.
- Due to changes in river water levels, port conditions, weather conditions, and unforeseen situations, the cruise company reserves the right to make changes to the program. Accordingly, the ports to be visited, arrival and departure times may vary based on river traffic.
- Passengers who are not present at the specified airport or the port where the ship will dock at the times indicated by our agency, who do not complete the check-in and boarding processes on time, or those who complete the check-in and boarding processes on time but miss the flight or the ship, will not hold our agency responsible for not being able to travel. All costs related to new round-trip plane tickets or transportation to the port where they can reach the ship and transfers in the destination area will be borne by them.
- Information regarding the departure times of the ships from the port is announced on board the ship or displayed on information boards. Guests are responsible for following this information. In case of missing the ship's departure, all costs for continuing the trip by boarding the ship from a different port or for returning after interrupting the trip will be borne by the passenger. No refund of the tour fee is made in case the trip is interrupted.
- For international trips, it is mandatory to have a legally valid passport with at least 6 months of validity from the end date of the trip. Passengers' passports must be undamaged/worn/free of tears and must have blank visa pages. Passengers are required to fulfill the legal obligations necessary for entry into the countries they are visiting. In the event of non-compliance with these rules, passengers are solely responsible for any damages resulting from not being allowed to board their flights at the airports.
- Passengers participating in the tour are responsible for their personal belongings, bags, and suitcases, and our agency is not responsible for forgotten/lost/stolen items. If forgotten items are found, the costs incurred during their delivery to the country and/or the person will be borne by the owner of the items.
- Full board accommodation on the ship starts with dinner on the first day and ends with breakfast on the last day.
- In Russia, government closures of museums, historical sites, and central squares and streets may occur without prior notice. In this case, the cruise management and guide have the right to change or cancel planned tours (city tour, optional tour). This situation is unpredictable.
- Extra tour buses are for guests who have participated in the optional tour only, and guests who do not participate in tours cannot benefit from these buses.
- The programs and days for the tours and optional tours in Moscow and St. Petersburg may vary depending on museums and historical sites. Some tours may be combined.
Cancellation Conditions;
A penalty-free cancellation rights until 90 days before the tour departure date (The penalty-free cancellation right until 90 days before the tour departure date is only valid for the cruise portion. Any airline ticket fees will be charged separately.)
50% penalty applies between 89 days – 60 days!
80% penalty applies between 59 days – 45 days!
100% penalty applies between 44 days and the tour departure day!