Russia: Northernmost Part of the Earth
The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, in Murmansk, are surrounded by an air of mystery and wonder. This ethereal light display, caused by solar particles colliding with Earth’s atmosphere, appears in vivid shades of green, purple, pink, and even red, dancing across the Arctic skies. While science explains its origins, many mysteries and legends still surround the phenomenon, adding to its allure.
In Saami folklore, the Northern Lights are believed to be the energies of ancestral spirits communicating with the living. Others consider them a bridge between the earthly world and the heavens, symbolizing a connection to the divine. Some myths warn against whistling under the lights, as it is said to summon bad luck or spirits.
Daywise Itinerary: 25-Jan to 02-Feb
Day 1-2: Moscow
Moscow, on the Moskva River in western Russia, is the nation’s cosmopolitan capital. In its historic core is the Kremlin, a complex that’s home to the president and tsarist treasures in the Armoury. Outside its walls is Red Square, Russia’s symbolic center. It’s home to Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum’s comprehensive collection and St. Basil’s Cathedral, known for its colourful, onion-shaped domes. vladivostok,moscow city,russia tour,Moscow weather,moscow city,make my trip,tour packages russia, russia travel package, russia travel guide, russia travel blog, russia travel cost, russia travel video, russia travelogue, russia travel visa, russia travel places
Tour description
1. Pick-up, and transfer from the hotel to the military ground (in a 1.5-2 hr drive from the city centre).
2. All the visitors are offered to put on military-field uniform: a jacket, trousers, and a tank helmet.
3. Safety briefing.
4. Ride in a tank, BMP-1, BTR-80 or BRDM-2.
5. Shooting a tank or BMP gun*.
6. Shooting small-calibre guns* (Machine guns, Automatic, Rifles and Pistols).
7. Shooting a large-calibre gun* (Grenade launcher).
8. Transfer to the city.
Moscow Metro: the Underground Palaces
Entry is mostly free or minimal (less than 200 RUB) and drinks aren’t expensive when compared to any metro city in India. The sex ratio is almost 1:10 that’s right for every guy there are 10 girls! Da Da Ding! Not to mention the party goes on till 6:00 AM!
Some of the best clubs include City Space Bar, O2 Lounge, Bar Gipsy, Kot Shredingera, and Night Club Icon.
Day 3,4,5,6 & 7
MOSCOW TO MURMANSK:
Take an early morning flight from Moscow to Murmansk. We will help with bookings or you can book a flight directly.
Why Murmansk:
Muransk being north of the Arctic Circle offers opportunities for visitors to witness the Murmansk Northern Lights.
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora borealis, are caused by solar winds that emit charged particles into the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The interaction of these particles with the atoms and molecules in the atmosphere causes the sky to light up in various colours.
Where is Muramnsk:
Geographically, Murmansk Oblast is located mainly on the Kola Peninsula almost completely north of the Arctic Circle.
MURMANSK
Murmansk, located in the far northwest of Russia on the Kola Peninsula, is the largest city within the Arctic Circle. The city is a unique destination for experiencing Arctic phenomena such as polar nights, which last from early December to mid-January, and the mesmerizing Northern Lights, especially visible during winter. Visitors can explore the Lenin Icebreaker, the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker turned museum, and delve into the Indigenous Saami culture in nearby villages.
Post landing, you will get transferred to the Hotel. We will explore the famous places in the city.
- Lenin Icebreaker
- Alyosha Monument
- Church of the Savior on Waters
- Murmansk Mall and Local Markets
Tonight we will go for the Northern Light Tour:
Northern Lights tour :
A real miracle and the pearl of the northern land – Aurora Borealis!
A fascinating adventure in pursuit of an exceptional natural phenomenon that makes us happy all winter! The best time for hunting is from October till April, a pleasant forecast: cloudless sky, high level of activity.
Stay in Murmansk
Day 4
Post Breakfast, we will check out and go to one of the most famous places in Russia.
The village is located between the capital of the northern lights – Murmansk and the Arctic Ocean. From Murmansk, the distance is about 50 km. In this place, it is absolutely dark and the light of the city does not interfere at all with a comfortable observation of the natural miracle. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, go snowmobiling and fish. “Aurora Village” will leave you with the best memories!
We will stay in Glass igloos and if lucky, will see northern lights from inside the Igloos.
Day 5
Post breakfast, we explore the Saami culture.
For a long time, the Saami, a local ethnic group belonging to the Ural race — intermediate between Caucasoid and Mongoloid, lived in this territory.
The total number of Sami in the world is 80 thousand people, of which 50 thousand live in Norway, 20 thousand in Sweden, 8 thousand in Finland, and two thousand in Russia.
In Russia, the capital of the Saami is Lovozero village. There the Sami National Cultural Center, various Sami festivals are held, the Kola Sami Radio is broadcast, the Museum of the History, Culture and Life of the Kola Saami is working.
- Saami people, their nature, traditions and lifestyle;
- fauna of the Saami: reindeer, foxes and husky dogs and have a chance to stroke and feed them making new friends;
- traditional Saami cuisine and taste it;
- the alley of majestic idols and have a chance to whisper them your secret dreams;
- the traditional houses of Saami people with interiors full of their belongings.
Stay in a Hotel
Day 6
Today you can go on an optional tour to Teriberka (you will pay directly to them)
Teriberka is a small fishermen’s village, located at the shore of the Arctic Sea, at the mouth of the Teriberka River. The name “Teriberka” means “Tersky coast”, “Ter” – the old name of the Kola Peninsula, according to some versions. It is 20 degrees off the North Pole, so it is almost at the edge of the Earth.
It is located 120 km from Murmansk, this small village has just 617 residents and a wide selection of picturesque abandoned houses. During your tour, you will see a wooden ship’s “cemetery”, the Arctic Ocean coast, frozen rocks, tundra, and waterfalls all against the mighty Barents Sea.
On the way to Teriberka we cross 3 climate zones. The first, in which Murmansk itself is located, is called taiga. Here you can see trees, both coniferous and deciduous. Then begins semi-tundra, or forest-tundra. Trees are getting lower, mostly there are shrubs. And then – tundra.
In 2014 Russian drama movie “Leviathan”, which won a Golden Globe in 2015, was filmed in Teriberka.
This event provoked the new development of the place and people began to learn about the forgotten Teriberka, as it is the only place in the European part of Russia that can be reached by road to see the open Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean.
Stay in Murmansk
Day 7
Post breakfast, do last-time shopping and explore the city or you can enjoy the city mall.
Take an evening flight to St. Petersburg
Stay in St. Petersburg
Day 8
ST. PETERSBURG:
Post breakfast, we will explore the most beautiful city in Russia.
St. Petersburg is a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea. It was the imperial capital for 2 centuries, having been founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, the subject of the city’s iconic “Bronze Horseman” statue. It remains Russia’s cultural centre, with venues such as the Mariinsky Theatre hosting opera and ballet, and the State Russian Museum showcasing Russian art, from Orthodox icon paintings to Kandinsky works.
The first church, a small wooden structure, was built in 1712, but a new church, designed by Italian architect Domenico Trezzini, was added in 1724. It was this building, in particular, that was named for Nevsky, who was considered a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church. His remains were moved here from a church in Vladimir and for many decades, the day they arrived was celebrated as a holiday.
Whilst taking a stroll along Nevsky Prospekt you cannot fail to notice the impressive Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. Kazan Cathedral, constructed between 1801 and 1811 by the architect Andrei Voronikhin, was built to an enormous scale and boasts an impressive stone colonnade, encircling a small garden and central fountain. The cathedral was inspired by the Basilica of St. Peter’s in Rome and was intended to be the country’s main Orthodox Church. After the war of 1812 (during which Napoleon was defeated) the church became a monument to Russian victory. Captured enemy banners were put in the cathedral and the famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, who won the most important campaign of 1812, was buried inside the church.
The church itself is an architectural marvel. Built by the French-born architect Auguste Montferrand to be the main church of the Russian Empire, the cathedral was under construction for 40 years (1818-1858), and was decorated in the most elaborate way possible. When you enter the cathedral you pass through one of the porticos – note that the columns are made of single pieces of red granite and weight 80 tons (about 177,770 pounds) each. Inside the church many of the icons were created using moaic techniques and the iconostasis (the icon wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church) is decorated with 8 malachite and 2 lapis lazuli columns. The cathedral, which can accommodate 14,000 worshipers, now serves as a museum and services are held only on significant ecclesiastical holidays.
The first residential building to be built in the newly founded city of St. Petersburg was a wooden house or cabin, intended for Tsar Peter himself. The cabin is very small – only 60 sq. meters in area and is a strange combination of a traditional Russian house – izba – and a Dutch home with large and elaborate windows and high roof, covered with wooden tiles. Tsar Peter lived in this house between 1703 and 1708 and the living room, bedroom and study, still filled with Peter’s original belongings, still bear the mark of his presence. Peter the Great wanted all the houses of his new city to be built of stone, the way it was done in Europe. But he could not afford a stone house at the time, so he ordered the walls to be painted as if the house was made of bricks.
You will have an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the city and its history, to see St. Petersburg from an unusual perspective – from the water, and to feel the beauty and grandeur of palaces, granite embankments and bridges. Throughout the trip on the boat, you will see the most beautiful sights of the city: the Peter and Paul Fortress, Strelka of Vasilyevsky Island, Winter Palace, Marble Palace, Summer Garden, Mikhailovsky Castle, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, Kunstkamera and many other attractions.
WHERE TO PARTY:
St. Petersburg has umpteen number of places to party but the must-visit places are:
- Coyote Ugly
- Underground: An amazing ex USSR bomb shelter
- Morrison: Open till 6:00 AM, rooftop and cocktails under 100 RUB
- Chroniki: One of the best in STP
Day 9
LAST DAY In St. Petersburg/ Moscow
If your return flight was from Moscow then take the Sapsan (bullet train) that covers 850 KM in under 4 hours and the service is world-class.
You can spend your last day relaxing and of course souvenir shopping, head to Izmailovsky Market for the best Russian souvenirs ranging from dolls to key chains and even antiques at the best prices. Do not go shopping anywhere else in Russia and this is by far the cheapest place.
Package Per Person: 120000 INR
Inclusions
- Stay 9D/8N in the best of the hotels in the city centre (Ask for the hotel names)
- Glass Igloo hotel stay (1 night)
- Breakfast (8)
- Northern Light Tour
- Saami Village/Reindeer Tour
- Visit the Reindeer farm
- Murmansk City Tour (walking)
- St. Petersburg City Tour (walking)
- Moscow Metro Tour
- Airport to Hotel Group Transfer (6)
- Assistance with flight tickets
- All guided tours with experienced tours
- Registration Fee In Hotel
- Travel Itinerary and group admin
PS: If your flight timings are different from group then you need to manage your own Airport transfers.
Exclusions
- Lunch, Dinner or any other meal
- Entry charges to any monument, club or activity other than those mentioned
- International flight
- Domestic Flights
- Visa Cost (we can help with the agent’s number)
- Personal expenses
- Anything not mentioned in the inclusions
Cancellation Policy:
No refunds within the 45 days of the trip(starting of the trip).
Q: Can I see your pictures of the last trip?
Ans: Follow the link: PICTURES
Q.Is it safe to travel to Russia?
Ans: Russia is generally a safe country in which to travel.
Q. Why this trip is less costly because all the trips for Russia are starting from 1 lac?
Ans. We believe in passing the benefits to members also, as we are a group of passionate traveller who is running this company and not a business-oriented company.
Q. How will I meet the group if I come?
Ans: We will add you to our WhatsApp group for further communication and if you are coming alone then we will arrange an airport pickup for you.
Q.Any discount for a group?
Ans: Yes, if you are more than 2 then you will get a group discount of 3000 Rupee.
Q.Where can I see T&C of the trips?
Ans: Follow this link: CLICK ME
How to Contact us?
Call us on 9029099709 or E-mail us at info@travelbuddiestalk.com
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