Getting to know yourself: spiritual tour to Kalmykia

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Discover the unique Kalmykia, a place where ancient traditions and spiritual heritage meet with natural beauty. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Buddhist monasteries, get to know the local culture and find harmony within yourself. This tour is your path to self—discovery and spiritual development.

You will enjoy the most famous sights of Elista, a visit to the famous Golden Monastery of Shakyamuni Buddha, guided tours of the picturesque steppes and lakes, an interesting master class, and a tasting of Kalmyk tea.

Location

Republic of Kalmykia, Elista

Sightseeing tours

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

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Tour highlights

The Puja Ritual

Take part in an ancient offering ceremony and feel connected to traditions and spiritual practices.

The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha

Admire the imposing 9-meter-tall figure of Shakyamuni Buddha in the prayer hall of the Central Hurul

Creative master class

Learn the basic techniques of mandala weaving, create your own unique mandala that will be a wonderful decoration for your home or a gift to your loved ones.

The amazing "Bumba Country"

Visit Europe's only desert, a unique pink lake and a burning spring.

Lonely Poplar

You will see a relict tree, a place of worship and a natural monument. It is a sacred place where various Buddhist rituals and prayer services are performed.

Camel riding

Go to the "Camel Island", get acquainted with the Kalmyk camels, and those who wish will be able to ride them.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Elista. A walk through the city of chess. Stupa of Enlightenment
14:50-15:30 Check-in at the hotel.
16:00-17:00 Visit to the interactive museum of nomadic peoples: an excursion through the nomadic way of life, live musical performance on national folk instruments; tasting of jomba (Kalmyk tea), fermented milk drinks, Kalmyk vodka, self-photographing in national costumes, lashing, puzzles, etc.
Duration: 1-1.5 hours, Kalmyk dancing lessons (optional), fortune telling and much more.
17:00-18:00 City Chess city tour.
Guided tour of the Stupa of Enlightenment.
18:00 Return to the hotel.
Free time.

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Day 2 - Lonesome Poplar, Central Khurul, Elista City Tour
08:00-09:00 Breakfast.
10:00-12:30 Excursion to the steppe to the place of power – a lonely poplar. This relict tree is a place of worship and a natural monument.
It is a sacred place where various Buddhist rituals and prayer services are performed. 8 Buddhist stupas have been erected around the poplar tree.
12:30-14:00 Guided tour of the Geden Sheddup Choy Korling Cultural Complex.
The Shakyusn-Xume Hurul is a Buddhist temple of the Geden Sheddup Choy Korling hurul complex, located in the suburbs of Elista.
This place was consecrated in 1992 by the Dalai Lama XIV himself during his second visit to Kalmykia, and four years later the Shakyusn-Xume hurul was erected on this site.
In 2004, the Dalai Lama visited Kalmykia and Elista for the third time, with the aim of holding the radne ceremony, after which hurul rightfully became a real abode of deities.
14:00-15:00 Lunch (self-paid).
15:00-16:30 Guided tour of the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha in Hurula.
"The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha" (kalm. Burhn Bagshin Altn Siume is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe. The entire architectural plan of the temple has the shape of a mandala. The hurula building is surrounded by 17 pagodas with statues of the great Buddhist teachers of Nalanda Monastery.
In the prayer hall of the Central Hurul "The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha", the first, the main object in size and significance that attracts the eyes of any person is the figure of Shakyamuni Buddha. The height of the statue is 9 meters.
16:30-18:00 Elista City Tour.
Let's go for a walk around the city.
We will walk through the city center, through the Seven Days Pagoda, which is the hallmark of our capital. It symbolizes the exit from samsara and the achievement of nirvana.
The largest prayer drum in Europe, the Kurde, is installed in the Pagoda, which is filled with 75 million mantras. After making a wish, walk around it three times, and it will definitely come true!
You will hear the music of the wind as you walk under the Golden Gate, decorated with 28 paintings by local artists.
18:00 Return to the hotel.
Free time.

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Day 3 - Excursion to the N. Palmov National Museum. Tibetan Mandala Weaving Workshop
08:00-09:00 Breakfast.
09:00-11:00 Visit to the prayer service in the Central Khurul.
11:00-12:30 Excursion to the N. Palmov National Museum, which is the only museum where the history, culture and art of the Kalmyk people are most fully represented.
You will be able to get acquainted with the nature of Kalmykia, Buddhist art, see historical artifacts of the Oirats, look at modern exhibits of paintings, graphics and sculptures.
12:30-13:30 Lunch (self-paid).
13:30-17:30 Then visit a master class on weaving a Tibetan mandala.
During the master class, we:
Let's learn the basic techniques of mandala weaving;
Let's create our own unique mandala, which will be a wonderful decoration for your home or a gift to your loved ones.;
Let's immerse ourselves in an atmosphere of tranquility and meditation.;
Let's get acquainted with the history and symbols of Tibetan mandalas.
Return to the hotel.
Free time.
Day 4 - "Bumba Country". Mekletinsky Nature Reserve Tour
08:00-09:00 Breakfast.
09:00 Departure to the village of Adyk.
11:00-14:00 The tourist complex "Country of Bumba" — acquaintance with the life of nomadic Kalmyks, master classes on Kalmyk puzzles, lasso throwing, photographing in national costumes.
Guided tour of the Mekletinsky Nature Reserve.
Excursion to the Pink Lake – microscopic Artemia salina crustaceans live in the water of this lake, which give the lake such an unusual color.
The mud of the Pink Lake is used in the treatment of skin diseases and the production of cosmetics.
Guided tour of the "Singing Dunes".
Kalmykia has a real desert with typical flora and fauna – lizards, snakes, exotic birds.
In dry weather, the sands of the dunes emit a sound similar to the melody of an organ.
In ancient times, there were camps of various nomadic peoples here.
Ancient artifacts of the Sarmatian, Yamskaya and Scythian cultures can still be found on the blown-out hillsides.
Excursion to the "Burning Spring".
Not far from the singing dunes there are springs with water that can be set on fire, and it will burn!
Along the way, you may encounter ancient antelopes, the same age as mammoths – steppe saigas.
14:00-15:00 Lunch (included in the price).
15:00-17:00 Return to Elista.
Free time.

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Day 5 - Conducting the Puja ceremony
08:00-09:00 Breakfast.
10:00-11:00 Preparation for the ceremony in the hurul "Orgyen Sangag Choling", purchase of gifts for offering, it may include: water, flowers, incense, fragrant food and light (candles, oil lamps, etc.).
11:30-13:30 Conducting the "Puja" ceremony.
Puja is a ritual of worship that includes offerings, prayers, and meditation aimed at honoring the Buddha, bodhisattvas, or other saints.
13:30-14:30 Lunch (self-paid).
14:30-16:00 Visit to souvenir shops.
16:00-17:00 Meeting in the workshop of Alexander Povaev, Kalmyk National artist, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts, art critic.

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Day 6 - Conducting the ancient Kalmyk ritual "Ovaa". Visit to Camel Island
08:00-09:00 Breakfast.
10:00-11:30 of the ancient Kalmyk ritual "Ovaa".
Ova is an introduction to the culture of pre–Buddhist Kalmykia, with Tengrianism – the worship of the Eternal Blue Sky.
Building ova in places of power is an ancient tradition of the Mongolian peoples. Ova is a mound of stones, in the center of which a bunchuk is installed. Ova is given to the spirits of the area, the spirits of the ancestors.
11:30-13:00 Visit to Camel Island.
Acquaintance with Kalmyk camels, camel riding.
13:00-14:00 Lunch (self-paid).
14:00-16:00 Bus tour of the memorable places of Elista, in which we will visit:
monument to O. I. Gorodovikov;
memorial complex "Exodus and Return";
"The Golden Horseman";
sculpture composition "Ubashi Khan";
monument "Dzhangar".
Day 7 - Completion of the tour
08:00 Breakfast.
Free time.
The end of the program.