Blooming steppes of Kalmykia

Breakfast on the train.

10:28 Arrival of the train at the railway station in Rostov-on-Don. 

Meeting with the guide on the platform, boarding the bus (the bus number is indicated in your voucher).

Sightseeing bus and walking tour of the glorious merchant city, the capital of the Don land – Rostov-on-Don! 

During the tour you will get acquainted with the history of Rostov-on-Don, culture, modern appearance, and see the main sights of the city. 

Next, we will visit the Don Cossack Guard Cultural and Exhibition center, the only one in Russia. 

Here you will see a unique private collection, which was collected by Rostov resident Nikolai Novikov for 25 years: documents, uniforms of Cossack units, household items, weapons and equipment. 

And then we will go to lunch at the famous Levberdon in the restaurant "Cossack Kuren". An authentic restaurant of real Don cuisine. A welcome glass of moonshine and a salzo with black bread awaits guests.

The restaurant has access to the river, after lunch you can walk to the Don, admire the views of Rostov from the opposite bank of the river, take colorful photos.

Free time in the city center for a walk along the Rostov embankment.

Transfer to Rostov-on-Don railway station.

18:59 Departure of the tourist train to Elista.

Breakfast on the train.

08:50 Arrival of tourist train No. 928 in Elista. 

Meeting with the guide on the platform, boarding the bus (the bus number is indicated in your voucher).

Kalmykia is a small republic in the south of the country with a distinctive culture and people, the only one in Europe professing Buddhism. Blooming steppe expanses, ancient burial mounds and the largest Buddhist temple in Europe, a unique tulip festival — all this is waiting for you today.

Transfer to the Lone Poplar natural monument (~20 km, ~40 min on the way).

A natural monument of local importance "Lonely poplar" — this poplar is considered a sacred tree by Kalmyks Buddhists. Every year, monks from the Central Khurul perform a large prayer service here. One of the 10 in the world, the only Kalachakra Stupa of Green Tara in Russia, is installed here. 

On the way we will see the steppe (with a stop for a photo shoot)!

The steppe in spring is a unique phenomenon, because only during this period of the year it can be called picturesque. Blooming steppe – hundreds of different colors, all shades of the natural palette with which God painted the landscape called "Planet Earth".

A meeting at a Lonely Poplar with Kalmyk tea and wrestlers, Kalmyk songs from the soloists of the Zulturgan ensemble.

Visit to the ethno-haughton "Ceren". The excursion program "Holiday in the Kalmyk hoton", where you will meet guests according to Kalmyk customs with a long song and dances, get acquainted with the musical culture of the Kalmyk and Mongolian peoples, a photo shoot in national costumes, tasting of national drinks Chigyan, dairy araki, Kalmyk tea with borziki and camel and horse riding.

Return to Elista.

Walking tour of the center of Elista (duration ~1 hour). We invite you to see the "Pagoda of Seven Days", the prayer drum, the golden light and musical fountain "Three Lotuses", the Statue "Buddha Shakyamuni", which is the only statue of Buddha in Russia installed outside the Buddhist hurul. 

Lunch in a cafe in the city (menu of Kalmyk national cuisine). 

National cuisine is, in a sense, the soul of the people, a reflection of their character, moods, feelings. Kalmyk cuisine bears the imprint of the nomadic pastoral life of the Kalmyks.

Visit to the Central Hurul "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha". The hurula building is 63 meters high and houses the largest 9-meter Buddha statue in Russia and Europe.

The largest Buddhist temple in Europe stands in the center of Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. The temple impresses with its grandeur and beauty. The Buddhist temple was inaugurated in the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia on December 27, 2005 after a visit to Elista by the spiritual leader of the Buddhists, His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV. And after visiting hurul, we will make a bark (clockwise detour) around hurul, making the most cherished wish!

Visiting the events of the Tulip Festival held at the city's venues

Elista.

Transfer to the railway station of Elista.

19:34 Departure of the tourist train from the railway station to Moscow.

Rest on the train.

Breakfast on the train.

Rest on the train.

Breakfast on the train.

06:10 Arrival of the tourist train No. 928 at the Kazan railway station in Moscow.

The time in the program is indicated approximately. 

The Company reserves the right to make changes to the tour program without reducing the total volume and quality of services, as well as to cancel the tour and/or offer alternative travel options in case of a shortage of the group and cancellation/replacement of rolling stock.