THE TRANS-SIBERIAN & CHINA ORIENT EXPRESS: THE SILK ROAD

BEIJING - XIAN - DUNHUANG - URUMCHI - ALMATY - TASHKENT ASHGABAT - MERV - SAMARKAND - BUKHARA - KHIVA - VOLGOGRAD - MOSCOW

TRNTSCOESR - 20 days / 19 nights

Departures: September 28 - October 17, 2004 Eastbound Journey 
Departures: October 1 - 20, 2004 Westbound Journey 

A voyage along this epic and mystical route that has inspired mankind's imagination for generations aboard the most prestigious trains available in Russia and China, the exclusive Trans-Siberian Express and China Orient Express. You will experience firsthand the magnificence and magic of some of the world's most ancient capitals and the many historic and cultural sights contained within.

YOUR TRAIN
We use two different trains for our Silk Road adventure, our exclusive Trans-Siberian Express private train and the China Orient Express train. Two classes of accommodation are available. 

First Class Sleepers offer comfortable accommodation in air-conditioned cars with twin-berth compartments, all fitted with lower berths on the Trans-Siberian Express, and twin-berth compartments, upper/lower, on the China Orient Express. Beds convert to comfortable sofas for daytime travel and there is ample storage space in each cabin. The cars are well appointed with all amenities provided to make your trip as comfortable as possible. On the China Orient Express a washbasin and shower is shared between adjacent compartments. On the Trans-Siberian Express there is a completely separate shower car. A washroom/toilet, containing a chemical WC for passengers' convenience during station stops, is located at each end of each sleeping car.

Deluxe Cars on the Trans-Siberian Express offer luxurious accommodation that equals or surpasses the best luxury trains in the world today. Each car has four compartments, which can be configured for double, twin or single occupancy. Every cabin has its own ensuite shower and WC, an audio system, a DVDNCR with the latest flat-screen plasma television, air-conditioning with individual climate control, a wardrobe for clothes and space for luggage storage. There is also a small bar/lounge for the exclusive use of the passengers in each car. In China there are no fully en-suite cars available, but the China Orient Express offers the best accommodation in the Country. The cars are the same as the first class sleeping cars listed above, but couples booking deluxe class will be allocated two compartments (with washroom between) and singles will share washrooms with another deluxe class single.

Our restaurant cars provide both international and local cuisine serving three, sumptuous meals per day (except where meals are taken off the train). Each carriage has their own highly-qualified attendants who keep the cabins immaculate, providing bed turndown service, plus tea and coffee 24 hours a day. A Bar/Lounge Car is also included in the formation of both trains. Russian restaurant cars serve European style food with a local Russian flavour, Chinese restaurant cars serve Chinese food. European style dishes are available on request.   Trans-Siberian Express Information

The Silk Road
From its birth before Christ, through the heights of the Tang dynasty, until its slow demise six to seven hundred years ago, the Silk Road has had a unique role in foreign trade and political relations, stretching far beyond the bounds of Asia itself. It has left its mark on the development of civilisations on both sides of the continent. However, the route has merely fallen into disuse; its story is far from over. With the latest developments, and the changes in political and economic systems, the edges of the Taklimakan may yet see international trade once again, on a scale considerably greater than that of old, the iron horse replacing the camels and horses of the past. (extract from "Silk Road" by Oliver Wild, 1992).

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Your Westbound Itinerary (Eastbound is in revcerse order)

DAY 1 - Beijing
Independent arrival in Beijing Airport. Transfers will be arranged for all passengers arriving at Beijing Capital Airport today to the Paragon Hotel, where we stay for two nights. No set program today, giving time to relax. Lunch and dinner included.

DAY 2 - Beijing
After breakfast our day-long tour of Beijing includes the fabulous Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City. Lunch and dinner in the city.

DAY 3 - Beijing
This morning we visit the Great Wall at Bedaling then have lunch. Free time in the afternoon before boarding the 'China Orient Express' train for the start of our 10,000 km journey to Moscow. Settle into your comfortable cabin and enjoy a drink in the bar car before dinner and departure for Xian.

Day 4 - Xian 
Breakfast time arrival in the ancient city of Xian and transfer to the Sheraton Hotel for one night. Over most of the past 2,000 years Xian was a booming metropolis vying with Rome and Constantinople for the title of the world's greatest city. Capital of China during the Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties and today's capital of Shaanxi Province, we spend the day touring the city and visiting the Shaanxi Provincial museum, which details the history of the Silk Road, the Great Mosque, the 14-km city walls, Wild Goose Pagoda and Hauquing Lake. Lunch and dinner in the city.

Day 5 - Xian 
We spend the morning visiting the world famous Terracotta Warriors which were only discovered 25 years ago. The 6,000 Terracotta figures, arranged in rows and rows of warriors and horses are considered to be one of the new Wonders of the World. Lunchtime departure of our private train.

Day 6 - Dunhuang 
Travelling through the stark beauty of the Gobi desert we arrive in Liuyuan after lunch. After transferring to the small city of Dunhuang we visit the fascinating Mogao Thousand Buddha Cave complex which contains almost 500 grottoes, carved between 700 and 1,700 years ago, and filled with an amazing collection of sculptures and murals depicting the evolution of Buddhist religious art over a 1,000-year period. Over 2,000 statues and 45,000 murals remain. We stay overnight in the Dunhuang Hotel.

Day 7 - Dunhuang
This morning we visit the desert’s sand dunes where the adventurous can take a camel ride to Crescent Moon Lake. Lunch time departure of our train as we continue our journey across the Gobi Desert.

Day 8 - Urumchi 
Mid-morning arrival in Urumchi and transfer to the Holiday Inn. Lunch and dinner in the city with free time in the afternoon to tour this bustling capital of the Xinjiang Province.

Day 9 - Urumchi 
Free time in the morning. After lunch a visit to Heavenly Lake, nestling at the foot of the 5,445-metre high Peak of God, with it’s Alp-like setting in the midst of the Gobi desert. Dinner at the hotel before rejoining the train for a late evening departure.

Day 10 - Crossing to Kazakstan
Breakfast on the Chinese train before arriving in Alashankou, where after passing border controls, we pass into Russia and transfer to our awaiting Trans-Siberian Express private train for the continuation of our journey to Moscow. Lunch and dinner aboard the Russian train. 

Day 11 - Almaty
We arrive in Almaty after breakfast and tour the flourishing former capital of Kazakstan nestled in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains. We visit the magnificent Zenkhov Cathedral during our morning city tour before having lunch in a Kazak yurt in the mountains, some 25 kms from the city. Mid-afternoon departure.

Day 12 - Tashkent 
After lunch on board we arrive in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan. We spend the afternoon in this modern Soviet-style city that was rebuilt with wide tree lined boulevards after a devastating earthquake destroyed over 90 percent of it in 1966. After visiting the Museum of Fine Arts we have dinner on the train as we depart for Samarkand.

Day 13 - Samarkand
The quintessential Central Asian town whose name, more than any other, instantly conjures up evocative images of the Silk Road. Many words have been used to describe this wonderful city - 'Rome of the East', 'Pearl of the Muslim World'. Founded in the 6th century BC, its’ architecture gives an indication of its former status as one of the most important cities in the Muslim world. We spend the day touring the many fabulous buildings finishing in Registan Square, one of the most awe-inspiring sights in all of Central Asia. After a dinner featuring traditional music and dancing, we return to the Square for a memorable light show. Return to the train for a midnight departure. 

Day 14 - Bukhara
During the night we enter the Kara Kum desert and arrive in the large and ancient oasis city of Bukhara. Although smaller in size than Samarkand, this 2,500 year-old city, known as the Fulcrum of Islam, is in many ways more impressive showcasing some of the area’s most fabulous monuments. UNESCO renovated much of this ‘jewel of the desert’ for its’ 2,500-year celebrations in 1999. Immerse yourself in the historic culture of the seemingly unchanged ancient, walled city with its 140 protected buildings. One of the many highlights of our tour is the Ark,, fortified residence of the Emirs of Bukhara who were infamous for their cruelty and who survived into Soviet times. Lunch is within one of the many ancient Madrassa's (Islamic schools). Dinner back on the train as we travel through the Kara Kum into Turkmenistan and along the Amu-Darya (also called the Oxus) River to Khiva.

Day 15 - Ashgabat and Merv
Early morning arrival in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, with a morning tour of this newly constructed ‘Las Vegas of the Kara Kum desert’. The old city has been replaced with a modern, multi-fountained, gold-gilded centre dedicated to President for Life, Sapamurat Turkmenbashi. Return to the train for lunch as we continue through the desert to the ancient Silk Road city of Merv, a city left to ‘die’ after the Emir of Bukhara destroyed the dam, which the population depended upon for water. The 50-square mile area houses five different walled cities of which we visit one.

DAY 16 - Khiva
Mid-morning the train crosses back into Uzbekistan and arrive in Urgench. We drive the short distance to Khiva to tour this fascinating 2,500 year-old Silk Road city, which was once the most important trading centre at the crossroads of the routes between Mongolia, Russia, China and Persia. The ancient walled city contains some of the area’s most fabulous buildings, mosques, minarets and bazaars. We enjoy lunch in the city and have dinner on the train as we depart north through the desert heading for Russia.

DAY 17 - Kara Kum
A relaxing day on the train as we head through the Kazak Kara Kum desert. Enjoy the scenery and the remote villages we stop at from time to time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the train. In the evening we pass into Russia and follow the Volga northwards.

DAY 18 - Volgograd
On the banks of the River Volga, Stalingrad, as the city was known in Soviet times, was the scene of probably the most important battle of World War II. The Russians finally turned back the Nazi advance to the Caucasian oil fields in Baku in the famous battle that claimed many hundreds of thousands of lives. Up to this defeat Hitler had lost no major battles, after Stalingrad he won none; it was the turning point of the war but Stalingrad had paid an enormous price. The city had been virtually destroyed and we visit the sobering Mamayev Kurgan War memorial by the excellent diorama and interesting museum before returning to our train for our farewell dinner on the 'Trans-Siberian Express'.

DAY 19 - Moscow
Lunchtime arrival in Moscow where we transfer to the five-star-Baltschug-Kempinski Hotel overlooking the Kremlin for one night. Afternoon visit to the Kremlin. Final Farewell Dinner will be held in the City.

DAY 20 - Moscow
A morning tour of the Russian capital brings our tour to an end and transfers are available in the afternoon to connect with the late afternoon flight departures.

Included: Accommodation aboard our private trains. Hotel accommodation as per the itinerary. All meals starting with dinner on day one, until breakfast on the final tour day; including a generous allowance of wine, local beer, soft drinks and waterwith all lunches and dinners, on and off the train. Arrival/departure airport transfers, provided you arrive/depart on the tour start/end dates. All guided off-train tours. The services of an experienced Tour Manager, with local guides for scheduled off-train touring. Complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water round the clock from your car attendant. All Gratuities. Detailed route guide, itinerary and information pack. A Doctor who travels with the train throughout the tour.

Not Included: