Big Country Travel: Trips to Russia, Adventure Tours & Vacation Packages

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What is Astrakhan? A city on the Lower Volga with an amazing history and nature, which you will get to know on this three-day trip.

You will visit the ancient Kremlin of the XVI century, the endless steppes and deserts where the capital of the Golden Horde, Sarai Batu, was once located, get acquainted with the infinitely beautiful nature of the Volga Delta – rivers, channels, a variety of birds and an abundance of vegetation.

Location

Astrakhan

Sightseeing tours

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Weekdays: 8am - 8pm
Weekends: 8am - 7pm (GMT +3)

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Tour highlights

Open-air Museum

You will find beautiful central streets of the city and a walk through the White City – the oldest district of Russian Astrakhan with the Kremlin

The capital of the Golden Horde

Explore the excavation sites of the ancient city and see the scenery of Sarai Batu, the reconstruction city that was built for the film "The Horde"

The Mysteries of the Caspian Jungle

Walk along the ecological trail, take a ride on motorboats, learn a lot about the amazing flora and fauna of the Volga Delta and admire the beauty around

Itinerary

Day 1 - A tour of Astrakhan and a visit to the Astrakhan Museum of Local Lore
11:30 Meeting at the airport.
Check–out time at the hotel is 14.00.
12:00-13:00 Lunch at a cafe in the city.
13:00-14:00 Visit to the Astrakhan Museum of Local Lore, the exhibition "Gold of the nomads".
The collection of archaeological objects made of precious metals at the Astrakhan Museum-Reserve began to form in the second half of the 20th century.
14:00-17:00 Sightseeing tour of Astrakhan. You will see Lenin Square, Swan Lake, the Arc de Triomphe and the Alley of Glory of the heroes of the Astrakhan land, admire the majestic monument to Emperor Peter I, walk along Petrovsky Embankment overlooking the Volga River and see old houses on one of the oldest Astrakhan streets.
The walk will end in the Astrakhan Kremlin.
The main decoration of the city and a constant tourist attraction is a unique architectural ensemble, a monument of military engineering art of the second half of the XVI century – the Astrakhan Kremlin.
In 1947, the Astrakhan Kremlin was included in the list of architectural and historical monuments of national importance and placed under state protection.
Astrakhan Fish Market is a very colorful place where you can buy fish for every taste and just feel the atmosphere of this port city, where oriental bazaars have been bustling for centuries, and merchants were one of the main strata of the population.
Check-in at the Astrakhan honey store.
Mini tour and tasting.
You will learn the history of beekeeping in the Astrakhan region, try on a beekeeper's costume, get acquainted with the structure of the hive and the life of its inhabitants, and be able to try and purchase natural and healthy products.
17:00 Transfer to hotels, check-in, free time.

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Day 2 - When the story comes to life... The town is a decoration of Sarai Batu, the capital of the Golden Horde
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:30 Meeting with the guide, departure of the group to the village of Saltpeter.
Today we will take another amazing trip to Sarai Batu, the medieval capital of the Golden Horde.
140 km above Astrakhan, the village of Selitrennoe (Kharabalinsky district of the Astrakhan region) is located in the steppe. Looking at the wide desert steppe surrounding the village, it is impossible to believe that one of the capitals of the world, one of the largest centers of civilization, was once located here.
But, nevertheless, it was here, on the hills and mounds of the modern village, that the Golden Horde once settled. The raids and campaigns of the conquerors took place from here, and the ruins of the huge Golden Horde city of Sarai Batu, called the Saltpeter Hillfort, rest here.
10:30 Arrival at the Batu Barn.
10:30-12.30 An exciting tour of the scenery of Sarai Batu, the reconstruction city of the Golden Horde, which was built in 2010 in the Kharabalinsky district of the Astrakhan region for Andrei Proshkin's film The Horde.
When you get to Sarai Batu, the city impresses with maximum historical authenticity, which archaeologists have helped to recreate thanks to their long and painstaking work.
Free time, you can walk along the shore of Ashuluk, visit the khan's headquarters, the site of sand figures.
For an additional fee, you can have a snack at the Khan cafe (pastries, pilaf, shurpa), ride a camel, visit a torture chamber or shoot an arrow (from 300 rubles per person per service).
12:30-13:30 Arrival at the Saltpeter hillfort excavation site. Inspection, guided tour.
13:30 Departure to Astrakhan.
15:30 Arrival in Astrakhan.
Lunch in Astrakhan, transfer to hotels.

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Day 3 - Astrakhan Biosphere Reserve / Journey to the Volga Delta*. Completion of the tour
Breakfast at the hotel, room release.
You can leave your belongings in the hotel's luggage room or put them on the bus.
09:00 Departure from Astrakhan, travel information from the guide on the way.
11:00 Arrival at the Biosphere Reserve.
The Astrakhan Nature Reserve was established in 1919 to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the Volga Delta. The Astrakhan Nature Reserve not only protects species in a limited area, but also serves as a source of animal settlement throughout the Volga Delta.
11:00-13:00 Guided tour of the nature reserve (1 hour by boat and 1 hour ecological trail).
An ecological trail, a wooden deck raised above the surface of the earth, invites you to discover the mysteries of the Caspian jungle. The route of the ecological trail of the Astrakhan Nature Reserve begins from the central cordon of the Damchik section, where the participants of the excursion are located in long motorboats, repeating the shape of a boat.
13:00-14:00 Lunch, free time.
14:00 Departure to Astrakhan.
16:00 Arrival in Astrakhan.
On the way, tourists departing by plane are taken to the airport.
Tourists leaving by evening trains can be taken to the railway station or to the hotel (optional).
The travel time is approximate, depending on the ferry capacity!
Please note! If for technical reasons it is not possible to organize a tour to the Astrakhan Biosphere Reserve, the tour will be replaced by a trip to the Volga Delta.
The program of the trip to the Volga Delta.
09:00 Meeting with the guide. Departure from Astrakhan.
The Volga Delta is an incredibly picturesque region, you will see meadows and desert landscapes, forests and thickets of reeds, many rivers, lakes, islands and sand dunes.
Among the many channels and small rivers, you will admire the true beauty of the untouched Astrakhan nature, enjoy the unique landscapes that it has created, and just breathe in the fresh air and have a good rest. The variety of flora and fauna will make your walk unforgettable!
10:30 Arrival at the pier/recreation center.
If the recreation center is an island, then we go to the base from the pier by boat.
10:30-11:00 Meeting at the base, briefing.
11:00-13:00 Boat trip to the Volga Delta accompanied by a huntsman.
Starting a journey along one of the rivers of the Volga delta, after a while you will find yourself in a real water jungle, surrounded by wild islands and hundreds of channels and get acquainted with the unique and amazing world of Astrakhan nature.
The world of the delta is fascinating: chacan, water lilies, water lilies, white swans, ducks, pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, herons, Caspian peals, gentle sun and clear blue sky.
You will get an incredible boost of energy from the water and the sun!
13:00 Arrival at the recreation center.
13:00-16:00 Lunch (soup, second course, salad, drink), stay at the base.
You can swim in the pool (during the warmer months), go fishing (provision of gear for an additional fee) or just stroll around the territory.
16:00 Departure to Astrakhan.
17:30 On the way, tourists departing by plane are taken to the airport.
Tourists leaving by evening trains can be taken to the railway station or to the hotel (optional).

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

2 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

The tour provides accommodation in a selected hotel in Astrakhan in standard double rooms.

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

Hotel	2-local	1-local
Volga-Volga 3* (continental breakfast), economy option	21400	23900
Kosmos 4* (breakfast buffet)	23900	27200
Azimut 3* (breakfast buffet)	27700	35200

The cost of an additional day and an additional payment for early check-in, RUB.:

	Volga-Volga 3*	Cosmos 4*	Azimut 3*
Surcharge for early check-in for 2-bed accommodation	1875	3125	5000
Surcharge for early check-in for 1-bed accommodation	3125	4750	8750
Additional payment per night for 2-bed accommodation (after 08:00)	1000	1600	2500
Additional payment per night for 1-bed accommodation (after 08:00)	1600	2375	4375

Check—out time in hotels: check—in after 14:00, room release before 12:00.

The hotels are indicated approximately, it is possible to replace them with equivalent ones. Please specify when booking.

Volga-Volga 3*

The Volga-Volga Hotel Complex is located in the historical city of Astrakhan, in the Volga Delta. It offers a sauna, free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk and a restaurant.

The rooms of the complex are decorated in an elegant style. They are equipped with air conditioning, a TV, a telephone and a refrigerator. The private bathrooms are equipped with a hairdryer.

The Volga-Volga Complex's restaurant serves European cuisine.

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Another option

"Cosmos" 4*

This hotel is located in the center of Astrakhan, next to the main railway station and bus station. It offers modern rooms with flat-screen TVs and soundproof windows. Free parking is available. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.

The rooms at the Cosmos Astrakhan Hotel are decorated in bright colors. They are equipped with air conditioning and a work desk. Each room is equipped with toiletries, a hairdryer and a free bottle of mineral water.

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Another option

"Azimuth" 3*

Azimut Astrakhan Hotel is located on the banks of the Volga River. It offers comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi and satellite TV. The historical center of Astrakhan is just a 5-minute walk away.

All rooms at the Astrakhan Azimut Hotel have a refrigerator and a private bathroom. Some rooms offer views of the Volga River and the Astrakhan Kremlin.

A buffet breakfast with local and international dishes is served every morning in the Azimut's restaurant. Coffee and tea are served in the cozy lobby of SMART Living. Delicious snacks can be purchased at the Grab&Go counter.