Useful Information

Choosing and booking a tour

• How to book a tour?

  You can choose a tour on your own or contact Big Country support service. To search for a tour on your own, use filters: select a region, type of vacation and travel dates. Sort the trips by trip duration and complexity. We have identified 4 main levels of difficulty:

  • Easy level
    Minimal physical activity. Suitable for everyone regardless of fitness and age. Activity examples: city sightseeing tour or quiet family vacations.
  • Moderate level
    Does not require physical training but involves moderate physical activity. Activity example: a hike to a waterfall with a trek through a forested area.
  • Challenging level
    Does not require specific skills, but one must be in good health. Activity example: a multi-day backpacking trip to high-altitude lakes.
  • Extreme level
    Only for experienced and physically fit hikers. Requires specific skills and equipment. Activity example: mountain climbing.

  If you are unable to find the right option, please contact our support service. We will select a tour according to your request and offer several options from proven organizers free of charge.

• How to pay for a tour?

  You can pay for the tour in several ways:
  We accept Visa, Mastercard, MIR, SBP, CoronaPay, Union Pay or SWIFT. Your coordinator/manager will advise you on the appropriate method for your application.

• Are there any special offers or discounts?

  If you apply for your trip in advance (e.g. six months before the trip or more), there are often early booking offers. Some tours have discounts for children under 12 years old.

• How to get a visa to Russia?

  Citizens of 55 foreign countries can obtain an electronic visa to enter the Russian Federation through border checkpoints (Moscow and all major cities). It can be used to enter Russia for 16 days. Please read our guide about tourist visas in Russia.

  The visa application is made online on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website or on a mobile app. The cost is 52 dollars. Processing time - up to 4 calendar days. Leave a request for a tour and our managers will consult you on any question you may have.

• How to get an invitation for a visa?

  We issue a tour invitation for free for tourists who have bought a tour from us. If you need a tourist invitation for visa processing, please inform your manager about it when booking a tour.

• What confirmation documents will I receive after paying?

  You will be provided with a tour voucher. It contains telephone numbers of your guide, meeting details and some recommendations to prepare for a trip.

• Are your tours for groups or for individuals?

  We organize both. You can join any group trip on certain date. If you’d like to order a private tour,please, tell us about your preferences: the region, dates, the type of leisure (hiking, rafting, horse riding, jeep tour, expedition, etc.) you’re interested in.

• Restricted access regions

  Some tours take place in the border zone and a pass is required to visit it. As a rule, these are the tours in the Caucasus, Far East and Siberia.
  We issue a free border pass for tourists who have purchased a tour from us. Please note that the pass is issued no later than 45 days (in some regions 70 days) before the start of the tour. By this time you should already have a visa to Russia.

• Will the guide speak my language?

  Yes, different tour formats are possible:

  • Joining a Russian-speaking group with an interpreter
  • Joining a foreign group with an English-speaking guide
  • An individual program in your language

  For any tour presented on the site, it is possible to get an interpreter speaking your language. Some of our tours are created especially for foreign groups, where the guide speaks English. In case you need the services of an interpreter, please inform your manager when booking the tour.

• Are the tickets included in the tour price?

  Tickets are not included in the tour price. You can buy your own airplane tickets or ask us for help. We will help you to book tickets yourself to the starting point of the tour online free of charge (or purchase them for you with a commission).

• Medical insurance

  We recommend that you take out medical insurance for the entire period of your stay in Russia. You can do it yourself or ask us for help. If your tour is active or takes place in remote and inaccessible areas, we recommend taking out an extended insurance policy covering additional risks. Your manager will advise you on the choice of insurance options.

About the company

• Have you got any license to provide tours?

  Big Country Travel is certified tour operator in Russia (registration number: РТО 020723) with public indemnity insurance. We are eligible for organizing tours and providing tour service.

  We issue travel invitation letters for our guests to obtain visa.

  We provide adventurous tours in all spectacular corners of Russia and we know how to organize various types of active leisure.

  Travelling with us is safe. All our guides are qualified experienced travelers.

  They know how to hike a mountain safely, set a tent camp, provide first aid, cook delicious meals on fire and so on.

• Where are you located?

  We have local offices in the regions of Russia where we organize our tours. Our main office is in the city of Perm, which is on the border between Europe and Asia 🙂