Russia

Upon your arrival in Moscow, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative, and you will be transferred to the hotel.

Note: Only one group airport transfer is included in the price. Additional transports can be arranged at an extra cost.

Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, relaxing or exploring the city at your own pace.

For your first dinner in Moscow, it is suggested you choose Café Pushkin: an amazing restaurant hosted in a nobleman’s house, filled with the aura of old times. The space is limited, so a table should be booked in advance.

Accommodation: Cosmos Paveletskaya hotel (4-star) or similar.

After breakfast, you will embark on an exploration of the Russian capital, passing by its most notable landmarks. You will start with a Panoramic Moscow city tour that will last about two hours before you reach the Kremlin, where you will visit both the grounds and the cathedrals.

The Red Square has been for centuries – and remains to this day – the heart and soul of Russia. Few places in the world carry such historical weight and value. From the 16th-century St. Basil's Cathedral (one of the most renowned edifices in the world) to the constructivist pyramid of Lenin's Mausoleum, the Red Square is rich in symbols of Russia's turbulent and intriguing past.

GUM (pronounced as “goom”) is the Glavnyi Universalnyi Magazin (i.e., the "main universal store") and represents the leading department store chain found in many cities of the former Soviet Union. Moscow GUM (known until the 1920s as “The Upper Trading Rows”) is the most famous of all. The building was erected between 1890 and 1893, its façade extending for 242 m along the eastern side of the Red Square. The trapezoidal edifice features an interesting combination of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework with a glass roof: a style similar to the great 19th-century train stations of London.

The Moscow Kremlin is regarded as a symbol of the Russian statehood, its hill becoming the central sightseeing spot for all visitors. After all, the architectural ensemble “The Moscow Kremlin and the Red Square” is included in the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

You will visit the Armory Chamber, several cathedrals (like the Assumption, the Archangel's and Annunciation cathedrals, the Church of Laying Our Lady's Holy Robe, the Patriarch's Palace with the Twelve Apostles' Church and the Ivan the Great Bell-Tower complex), as well as the exhibition halls in the Assumption Belfry and the One-Pillar Chamber of the Patriarch’s Palace.

The history of the museum itself is exciting, as it covers almost 300 years, including periods of prosperity and rapid development with museum and research activities, periods of heroic struggles to save this national treasure, and periods of stagnation, followed by revival.

You will end the day with a spectacular show either in Moscow’s Nikulin Circus or anything similar, depending on the available performances on that day.

Accommodation: Cosmos Paveletskaya hotel (4-star) or similar.

Today, you will continue Moscow’s exploration, passing by, among other things, the Sparrow Hills, Victory Park, and Moscow City.

Sparrow Hills (in Soviet times, it was known as Lenin Hills) is one of the most beautiful and mysterious places in Moscow. Moscow State University’s main building (and an entire college town around it) is one of the most famous Stalin skyscrapers, and the nearby observation deck offers unique panoramic views of the city, especially in the evening. A 720-metre cable car connects Sparrow Hills with the Luzhniki Olympic Stadium on the opposite side of the Moskva River, giving the opportunity to the passengers to enjoy additional incredible views of Moscow.

In Victory Park, you will visit the enormous memorial complex dedicated to World War II (Great Patriotic War). There, you can take a photo next to the 142-meter obelisk and the famous military machinery that was used during the war.

The Moscow International Business Center, also known as «Moscow-City», is the main shopping district of the Russian capital, located on Presnenskaya embankment, just minutes away from the Government House of the Russian Federation. The business center is the first zone in Russia that combines business activity, residential areas and entertainment in one project.

After lunch, you may wish to join an optional tour in the famous Moscow metro, generally acknowledged as the most beautiful public underground transport system in the world and a usual highlight in any Moscow visit. It is a real subterranean city including palaces decorated with marble, bronze, granite and gilt, as well as modern stations (duration of the tour: 1 hour).

You will end your tour at Bunker 42 (65 m underground). «Bunker – 42» is an underground fortification facility, located downtown Moscow. Right after the invention of the nuclear bomb by the USA, the USSR government developed its own nuclear weapons, while building bunkers for protection in case of an attack.

Bunker 42 was built at an accelerated pace by the best specialists of the “Metro stroy” company. The soil was excavated through four mines that had been used earlier for the construction of the Moscow subway stations. Critical operations, like the command center of the long-range air force, had to be transferred there so that they would remain safe in case of war. Today, the bunker has turned into a monument and museum, with thousands of visitors every day, to help people remember the stressful days of the Cold War and be grateful for the fact that a nuclear war was finally averted.

Optional Radisson icebreaker river cruise (2,5h ride)

You can end the day with a touch of luxury, if you choose to board the Radisson Royal Flotilla yacht, departing from the Radisson Collection “Ukraine” hotel pier. While onboard, you can enjoy freshly prepared food and enchanting panoramic views that include Moscow Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Peter the Great Statue and, Moscow City skyscrapers. (The ticket to board the yacht is 25 Euros per person, while the cost of dinner is extra, paid during the cruise by each customer separately).

Accommodation: Cosmos Paveletskaya hotel (4-star) or similar.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for the domestic flight to Murmansk (cost of flight not included in the price).

Once you arrive, you may have a quick lunch break (at a local or Chinese restaurant), and then you will embark on a sightseeing tour.

Murmansk is the last city founded in the Russian Empire. Located beyond the Arctic Circle, it goes through long polar nights in the winter and endless daylight in the summer. Compared to the other Russian cities in the same geographical latitude, Murmansk boast the tallest monument, the tallest Ferris wheel, and the world's very first nuclear icebreaker. During your sightseeing tour, you will visit the city’s most important landmarks like the “Five Corners” square (the founding spot of the city), the nuclear icebreaker “Lenin” (external inspection), the “Waiting” and the “Alyosha” monuments, and the memorial complex dedicated to the sailors who died in peacetime. You will also learn a few exciting curios like: where did the fifth corner of the “Five Corners” square go, how the mass grave in the city center turned into a square, or how and where Ernest Bo invented his famous Chanel No. 5 perfume.

You will then check in in your hotel and rest of the rest of the day, before you meet again at around 9pm for a 3-hour Northern Lights hunting adventure. As it is known, during the winter months, the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, often appear in the night sky – though there is no guarantee when and where they will appear, nor how strong they will be. Murmansk is one of the best places in the world to see this incredible phenomenon, and, with the help of our expert guides, you will have great chances to finally see – and photograph – the spectacular event.

Accommodation: Azimut City Hotel (4-star; smart room) or similar, Murmansk.

After breakfast, you will head towards the village of Teriberka (120km, approx. 2.5hrs), located on the Barents Sea shore, surrounded by fascinating landscapes. There, you will enjoy a sledge riding adventure on the sea shore with a snow scooter, traveling from the Small Battery Lake to the Teribersky waterfall. The waterfall is located between rocks, but you can go down the left side towards the place where the water flows into the sea.

After lunch, you will return to Murmansk (120 km, driving time), and you relax until the group reassembles at 9pm for another Northern Lights hunting tour.

Accommodation: Azimut City Hotel (4-star; smart room) or similar, Murmansk.

After breakfast, you will head to Lovozero (a 2.5-hr drive). Upon your arrival, you will be welcomed by the local guide and you will continue your trip to the Husky Park on a sledge. Once at the park, you will enjoy a full tour around the husky kennels and the reindeer farm including husky sledding and a traditional lunch (Saami style) in the Russian Lapland on Kola Peninsula. During your visit, you will learn more details on the Siberian Husky breed, you will connect with the charming dogs, and you will enjoy a dog sledding ride through forest and frozen lakes. Finally, you will visit a replica of a Saami village where you get acquainted with the culture of the Saami people, as it was more than a century ago. There, you will have plenty of opportunities to meet, feed, hug and photograph the reindeers.

After lunch, you will return to Murmansk and you will enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace. If you have not seen the Northern Lights the previous nights, you will go on a last Northern Lights hunting adventure (which is optional).

Accommodation: Azimut City Hotel (4-star; smart room) or similar, Murmansk.

After breakfast, you will visit the Lenin Icebreaker Museum. The nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin is the first ship in the world with nuclear power whitener installation. The ship was built in St. Petersburg and was put into operation on December 3, 1959. In 1989, Lenin had been shut down. During its 30 years of operation, the ship was on the Northern Sea Cycle Route, traveling 654400 km/560,600 miles on ice, and 3741km accompanied by ships. Its interior is made entirely of wood. You will enjoy a guided tour, during which you will learn the history of the ship and how ice breakers work.

Afterwards, you will be transferred to the airport to either take a flight back home (via Moscow) or fly to St Petersburg for an optional extension. (Domestic flights are not included)