The luxury of the Lower Volga and the pearl of Kalmykia

A leisurely vacation in the Astrakhan region with a visit to the capital of Kalmykia – Elista. 

On this tour you will see all the most picturesque places of Astrakhan, go to the Volga Delta, where you will get acquainted with the local flora and fauna on a water excursion, and in July and August you will find an incredible sight – the lotus blossom! 

You will feel the real Kalmyk hospitality: you will see the largest Buddhist temple in Europe, purify your soul and thoughts by passing under the Golden Gate “Altyn Bosch”, learn about the traditions of the peoples of Kalmykia and taste the national cuisine.

Location

Astrakhan
from
$593
+ tickets to the starting point of the tour
No need to pay now
Duration
6 days
5 nights
Departures
25 - 30 Jun
2 - 7 Jul
9 - 14 Jul
16 - 21 Jul
23 - 28 Jul
30 Jul - 4 Aug
6 - 11 Aug
13 - 18 Aug
Accommodation
  • Hotel
    5 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
  • Premium
Difficulty
Easy
Suitable for everyone
Group
From 10 to 45 tourists
Minimum age
6 years old
Group meet at
Astrakhan
Contact the tour coordinator
Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)
Or text us in messengers

Tour highlights

Picturesque Volga Delta
Let's count the number of varieties of herons, make a wish for splashing fish and swim on the island
The capital of the Golden Horde
We will walk along the narrow streets, inspect residential buildings and other buildings recreated using IV century technologies
Delicious national traditions
Let's try exotic salty Kalmyk tea and sweet bortsoki in Kalmykia

Itinerary

  • Day 1 - Sightseeing tour of the city of Astrakhan

    Arrival in Astrakhan. Group transfer to the hotel.

    Check-in time is from 14:00. Things can be left in the hotel's luggage room.

    12:20-13:00 Gathering of the group from the hotels for the excursion program.

    13:00 Set lunch in a cafe in the city.

    After lunch, the excursion program begins with the oldest of the regional museums in Russia. The exposition of the x Museum of Local Lore reflects the history, nature, culture and identity of the Astrakhan region.

    Astrakhan has long been famous for its fish resources, the diversity of which is described by the exhibition hall "Fishes of the Caspian Basin". In addition, guests will be able to visit the museum's most unique and mysterious exhibit, the Sarmatian Gold, which features artifacts that have no analogues in any catalog in the world.

    The program of the stay continues with a sightseeing tour of the city of Astrakhan.

    You will see the city in all its glory! Streets, houses, embankments, monuments – all this impresses with its diversity and local flavor. A stop will be made near the brightest objects to get out and get to know them even more closely. You will learn a lot of new and unusual things from a professional guide, and you will also be able to ask all your questions.

    The pearl of the tour, of course, is the white-stone Astrakhan Kremlin, built in the XVI century by decree of Ivan the Terrible. It is one of the 12 surviving kremlins in Russia. You will also see other picturesque places of the city: the Volga Embankment; ancient streets with merchant mansions – architectural masterpieces; Swan Lake, the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera and Ballet Theater – one of the largest and most beautiful in Europe, etc.

    18:00-18:30 The end of the excursion program.

    Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at the hotel.

    Free time.

    After check-in, guests will have the opportunity to walk around the city on their own, or take a boat trip along the Volga River by tram (the trip will take a little more than an hour, the cost starts from 900 rubles/person).

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  • Day 2 - Volga Delta (lotus flowering period — July and August)
  • Day 3 - Elista is a pearl of the steppe
  • Day 4 - Sarai Batu is the capital of the Golden Horde
  • Day 5 - Free day. An additional tour is optional
  • Day 6 - Departure
Difficulty
Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Accommodation
  • Hotel
    5 nights
Comfort
  • Upscale
  • Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel in Astrakhan.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

Hotel2-local1-localAdditional place
Amber 3* (continental breakfast)430005100040000
Baku 3* (breakfast buffet)440005050035500
Bonotel 3*4800056000-
Kosmos 4* (breakfast buffet)475005800045000
Azimut 3* (breakfast buffet)5350071000under the request
Victoria Palace 5* (buffet breakfast)6400084000under the request

The cost of an additional night for 1 person, rub.:

Hotel2-local1-localAdditional place
Amber 3* (continental breakfast)260040002200
Baku 3* (breakfast buffet)280039001100
Bonotel 3*35004900-
Kosmos 4* (breakfast buffet)350055003200
Azimut 3* (breakfast buffet)450077003300
Victoria Palace 5* (buffet breakfast)64009800under the request

Check-out time in Astrakhan hotels:

  • 14:00 (local time +1 a.m. Moscow time) – check-in;
  • 12:00 (local time +1 a.m. Moscow time) – eviction.
The Yantar Hotel or Baku Hotel or 5 nights
The Yantar Hotel

The Yantar Hotel has opened its doors in sunny Astrakhan, close to the main streets and attractions.

For recreation, comfortable categories are offered, depending on the pricing policy. Each room is decorated in a pleasant color scheme and harmonious design, equipped with a comfortable bed and other furniture, appliances and a private bathroom.

In the cafe with the same name, visitors can taste inexpensive and hearty dishes of both national and European cuisine.

The distance to the airport is 9 km, and the train station is 1 km away. There are architectural monuments and cultural centers within walking distance.

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Another option
Baku Hotel

The Baku Hotel is located in the center of Astrakhan, near the City Mansion and the Weiner Estate.

Rooms of various categories are available to choose from. Each of them has air conditioning systems, comfortable furniture, a bathroom with a spacious shower and personal hygiene products. They include a TV and Wi-fi.

Electric kettles and tea sets are provided for guests. The hotel also has its own restaurant. After visiting it, you can taste dishes of Azerbaijani, Russian, and European cuisines. There are many grocery stores nearby.

Within walking distance there is a sports complex, a shopping center, as well as a Planetarium, the Astrakhan Museum of Culture and the picturesque Petrovsky Garden. Astrakhan Railway Station is 3.1 km away, and Astrakhan International Airport named after B. M. Kustodiev is 6.4 km away.

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Another option
The Bonotel Hotel

The Bonotel Hotel is located in Astrakhan.

The beautiful old hotel consists of spacious, bright, comfortable rooms, which have all the necessary amenities: private bathroom, towels, personal hygiene products, refrigerator, TV, wireless Internet.

There is a delivery of breakfast, food and drinks. The Mikhailovsky grocery store is 647 m away.

There are many attractions within walking distance: Astrakhan Kremlin, Youth Theater, Astrakhan Museum of Culture, Bratsk Garden, Lenin Square, embankment. The distance to the railway station is 2.5 km, to the airport — 7.1 km.

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Another option
Kosmos Astrakhan Hotel

Kosmos Astrakhan Hotel is located a few minutes' drive from Astrakhan city center at 29B Henri Barbusse St., lit. 

The advantageous location on the city map, the high level of service, modern living conditions, its own restaurant and affordable prices make this hotel a popular holiday destination for tourists and business visitors of the city. 

 "Cosmos Astrakhan Hotel" is a high service. Guests can stay in comfortable rooms equipped with everything necessary for a good rest. 

The hotel offers its guests a hearty breakfast, a variety of lunches and dinners. Numerous services will allow guests not only to have a great and full rest, but also to have a productive business meeting or negotiations.

The distance to the railway station is 0.2 km, the distance to the airport is 9.4 km.

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Another option
AZIMUT City Hotel Astrakhan

AZIMUT City Hotel Astrakhan is located in the city center, not far from the embankment. The historical center of Astrakhan is just a 5-minute walk away.

It offers free parking, Wi-Fi, fitness center, table tennis, billiard room, massage. Each room has furniture, telephone, TV, satellite TV, refrigerator, mini-bar, air conditioning. The spacious bathroom is equipped with high-quality plumbing. All rooms are cleaned daily to keep them clean.

A buffet breakfast is served in the morning. There is a restaurant on site. Negotiations can be held in the conference rooms. There is a summer terrace with an outdoor cinema, where snacks and dinner are served.

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Another option
Victoria Palace Hotel

The Victoria Palace Hotel is located in Astrakhan. This hotel is located in the city center, within walking distance of the main attractions.: Kremlin, Opera and Ballet Theater, Swan Lake, Art Gallery named after Kustodieva, Drama Theater.

The hotel welcomes business class guests on business trips, as well as guests traveling for tourist purposes.

Renovation was carried out in 2024.

The hotel has a restaurant, a summer cafe, a lobby bar, laundry services, 24-hour room service, a swimming pool, a sauna, a park area and parking. A separate area of the hotel is hosting events and celebrations. The hotel's banquet and conference hall can accommodate 240 people.

Staff at the 24-hour front desk will provide guests with the necessary tourist information, as well as help with booking excursions and ordering a taxi.

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Tour conditions

Group
From 10 to 45 tourists
Minimum age
6 years old
Duration
6 days 5 nights
Group meets at
Astrakhan

Included in price

  • accommodation in a hotel of the selected category (rooms with amenities); 
  • guided tour service according to the program; 
  • transportation services according to the program; 
  • meals according to the program (5 breakfasts and 4 lunches);
  • entrance tickets according to the program: Astrakhan Kremlin, the Museum of Local Lore (2 exhibitions), the Sarai Batu complex, the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Museum of Nomadic Peoples. 

Paid extra

  • air and railway tickets to Astrakhan and back;
  • meals not included in the program (free lunches, dinners);
  • meeting on the eve of the tour on request;
  • early check-in at the hotel;
  • excursion to the Bogdinsk-Baskunchak nature Reserve – 6000 rubles/person.
  • additional services and entertainment;
  • boat trip (by appointment): 
    • along the Volga by tram – from 900 rubles / person.

It's important to know

Personal equipment you need for the tour

Check list of things for excursions:

City sightseeing tour
  1. Comfortable shoes
  2. Headdress
  3. Water

Lotus fields

 

  1. Documents (passport, birth certificate), as the bases are located in the border area
  2. Headdress
  3. Lightweight Long Sleeve Clothing
  4. Bathing accessories
  5. Sun protection products
  6. Water
  7. The rule of behavior on the water: while the boat is moving, it is necessary to wear a life jacket, it is strictly forbidden to get up and move around the boat, drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited, bathing is possible only in strictly designated places.
Batu Shed
  1. Headdress
  2. Bathing accessories (in the warmer months it is possible to swim on the Ashuluk river)

Bogdo Mountain and Baskunchak Lake

 

  1. Comfortable rubber shoes (it is impossible to walk barefoot on the lake, and ordinary shoes can deteriorate from salt)
  2.  Headdress
  3. Lightweight Long Sleeve Clothing
  4. Documents (passport, birth certificate), as the reserve is located in the border area 
  5. Snack and water (check out early in the morning)   
  6. Bathing accessories (in the warmer months it is possible to swim on the lake. Transfer to the lake in one direction 350-500r/person. Showers cost 50 rubles /person).
Elista
  1. In a Buddhist hurula (temple), shoes must be removed, so if you are not comfortable, take socks with you.
  2. Snack and water (check out early in the morning).
Are plane tickets included in the price of the tour?
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Dates and Prices

  • $593
    25 – 30 Jun 6 days 5 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • $593
    2 – 7 Jul 6 days 5 nights
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  • $593
    9 – 14 Jul 6 days 5 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • $593
    16 – 21 Jul 6 days 5 nights
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    No need to pay now
  • $593
    23 – 28 Jul 6 days 5 nights
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    No need to pay now

Reviews Leave a review

  • E
    The tour was very informative and engaging. I especially enjoyed the trip to the lotus fields and to Elista. A special thanks to our guide Evelina. We learned so much fascinating history about Astrakhan.
  • T
    Tatiana
    about provider
    28 Oct, 2025
    I really enjoyed the tour “The Splendor of the Lower Volga and the Pearl of Kalmykia.” The local providers did an excellent job, everything was perfectly arranged! Many thanks to Maria, the tour coordinator, for her efficiency and reliability! Our guide Evelina was absolutely outstanding, knowledgeable, engaging, and professional! The tour was rich and informative. I highly recommend it to everyone!
  • O
    Olga
    about provider
    21 Oct, 2025
    A well-organized tour of the beautiful (if slightly neglected) city of Astrakhan and its region, which combine stunning natural riches with a fascinating historical heritage: nomads, the Golden Horde, a rebellious spirit, and respected merchants. Special thanks to Maria and Evelina, who were always available and quick to help with any questions or issues that came up.