Places of power in Kalmykia. 7-day tour

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If you are looking for amazing natural landscapes, ancient temples and places of power, then a trip to Kalmykia is perfect for you! During 7 days you will visit the most famous and mysterious places of the Republic of Kalmykia – Elista, the sacred Mount Shared, the oldest Buddhist temples, and also go to the Astrakhan region to Lake Baskunchak, where you can enjoy the peaceful nature and stunning views.

Do not miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the original culture of Kalmykia and discover new places full of mysteries and mysteries.

Location

Volgograd

Sightseeing tours

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

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Tour highlights

Ethnic immersion

We will see the central hurul "The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha" – the largest Buddhist temple in the Republic of Kalmykia and one of the largest in Europe

Places of power

We will visit the Stupas of Enlightenment, the oldest Buddhist temples, the Lonely poplar, the sacred mountain of Kalmyks – Shared

The amazing "Bumba Country"

Let's admire the pink Mekletinsky lakes, singing dunes, a burning spring

Bolshoe Bogdo Mountain

Let's go to a special, sacred place for the Kalmyk people. According to legend, the mountain was formed from a sacred stone brought by Kalmyks-pilgrims from the distant Tien Shan mountains

Therapeutic salt lake Baskunchak

Let's breathe air with a high content of bromine and phytoncides, contributing to a rapid recovery from many diseases

Kalmyk cuisine

We will taste the nomad's lunch, get acquainted with the national dishes and traditions of the Kalmyk people

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival. Visit to the central Hurula "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha"
09:00 Meeting of tourists in Volgograd with a sign "Kalmykia. Places of power."
Brunch at the Elite cafe in Volgograd is included in the price.
09:30 Transfer to the city of Elista - 300 km.
10:30 We stop at the Khlebnikov Field.
Velimir Khlebnikov is a poet, novelist, founder of Russian futurism and the largest figure of Russian avant–garde. According to Roman Jacobson, he was the greatest world poet of the XX century.
11:00 We continue the transfer to Elista - 200 km.
13:00 The stop of the green Container is a place of power.
According to legend, far to the north there is a pure land inhabited by the gods — the country of Shambhala, which is not visible to the human eye.
Once upon a time, the goddesses — Green Tara and White Tara — on their way from Shambhala to the land of Zu (Tibet) When they saw a beautiful place in the middle of the steppes, they went to the Dalai Lama's palace and descended onto the green earth. As the legend says, the footprint of one of the goddesses has been preserved there: a deep sinkhole in the ground, which is beyond the control of time. On October 22, 2000, a Stupa of Enlightenment was built at this place with public donations.
14:30 We continue the trip to Elista.
15:30 Lunch is included in the price.
16:30 Visit to the hurul "Golden abode of Buddha Shakyamuni".
The largest Buddhist temple in the Republic of Kalmykia, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Europe. The temple houses a museum of Buddhist culture and history, as well as a library.
18:00 Check-in at the hotel.
Free evening.

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Day 2 - Elista. Lonely Poplar
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:30 We leave for the Buddhist temple "Shakyusn-Xume".
Syakyusn-syume is a Buddhist temple in the Republic of Kalmykia. Khurul is located six kilometers from the capital of Kalmykia, near the village of Arshan. The official name of this religious building is "Geden Sheddup Choikorling", which literally means "The Holy Monastery of the theory and practice of the Gelug school" in Tibetan, and loosely translated — "The Holy Monastery of Enlightened monks".
10:30 We leave for a Lonely poplar tree.
The "Lonely Poplar" in Kalmykia is a natural monument of national importance.
13:00 Lunch time - self-payment.
14:30 Acquaintance with the traditions of Buddhism will continue on the streets of Elista: "Pagoda of seven days", prayer drum, fountain "Three lotuses", Statue "Buddha Shakyamuni". We will also pass through the Golden Gate "Altn Bosch", see the Statue of "Tsagan Aav – the master of the Steppe", the Eastern Rotunda.
The memorial "Exodus and Return".
In the east of Elista, on a high mound, there is a memorial "Exodus and Return" in memory of the victims of Stalin's repressions.
Visiting the Stupa of Enlightenment.
A wish-fulfilling stupa.
One of the notable sights of Elista is the Stupa of Enlightenment. It is worth noting that such structures, stupas, have existed for several thousand years, having spread not only in Asia, but also in European countries (France, Hungary, etc.).
16:00 Excursion to the City Chess and a visit to the museum of nomadic peoples located on the territory of the City of Chess.
The Chess City was built in 1998 as part of the 33rd World Chess Olympiad. City Chess has another official literary name – New Vasuki.
18:30 Visit to the Halga workshop Povaeva, souvenir shops "Kishgtya Belg".
20:00 Welcome dinner at the cafe "Kalmyk cuisine No. 1" with the folk program Zulturgan.

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Day 3 - Mount Shared. Master class on felting
Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00 Departure to Manych village.
Our goal is Mount Shared.
There is a hill in Kalmykia Ergeni, which stretch for 300 km, from the south of the Volgograd region to the south of Kalmykia.
This elevation reaches its highest levels in the Iki-Burul district.
10:30 Mount Shared is one of the holy places visited by Buddhist believers during their pilgrimage around the republic.
Mount Shared is the highest point of the Ergeninsky upland, the only mountain in Kalmykia that few people know about. The height of the mountain is 222.2 meters above sea level, which makes it higher than the famous sacred Bogdo Mountain (149.6 meters).
11:30 We leave for the village of Zunda Tolga, which means Hundred-headed, which means there are 100 ancient burial mounds nearby.
But we will go to the local residents, shepherds, where they will feed us a delicious lunch, tell us about the life of a modern shepherd and show us a master class in felting.
12:30 Nomad's lunch - Kalmyk cuisine - is included in the price.
14:00 Felting master class - from 1 hour to 2 hours - is included in the price.
15:30 We return to Elista - 95 km, 1 hour.
Free evening.
You can visit souvenir shops.

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Day 4 - Elista. "Bumba Country"
09:00 Breakfast at the hotel.
Check out with your belongings.
Departure to the Shepherd Oirat parking lot from Mongolia (distance 100 km, travel time 1.5 hours).
11:00 Oirats are tribes of Western Mongols.
Tourists will be able to explore the life of shepherds, see a huge herd of Kalmyk Bactrian camels (you can not ride camels, they are not trained, but you can watch, pet, chat with camels and camels), taste dishes of traditional Kalmyk cuisine (camel milk, Kalmyk milk vodka, Kalmyk tea, bortsoki).
13:00 Lunch in Yashkul village – included in the price.
14:00 Departure to the village of Adyk, 50 km.
15:00 Route "Bumba Country".
Includes 3 excursions: Pink Mekletian lakes, Singing dunes, A burning spring.
17:00 Visit to the parking lot "Adyk - Bumba Country", poultry yard (peacocks, ostriches, guinea fowls, etc.). several types of pigs from Vietnamese breed to wild boars.
A reception in a caravan, a story about the history of the Oirats, playing the dombra, throat singing. Photo shoot in national costumes, archery, camel riding.
We stay overnight in a guest house or in tents of our choice.
Dinner in the village of Adyk is included.

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Day 5 - Lagan
07:00 Breakfast in the village of Adyk
07:45 Departure to Lagan - 170km.
09:00 Visit to the Lagan khurul.
The worship of the only Buddha Statue in Europe and in Russia, Maitreya is the Buddha of the Coming Time.
10:00 Departure to the Astrakhan region.
12:30 Lunch in Astrakhan (175 km from Lagan,2,5 hours) - self-payment.
13:30 Departure to Khosheutovsky khurul - 82 km., 2 hours.
15:30 The oldest Buddhist temple on the Volga is Khosheutovsky khurul.
The Khosheut Khurul is the oldest existing Buddhist temple in Europe.
It was built in 1818 in honor of the victory of Russia in the Patriotic War of 1812 over Napoleon. The initiator of the construction was the outstanding military commander Serebjab Tyumen (1774-1848). He led the Second Astrakhan Kalmyk Regiment in the military campaign of 1812-1814. For his military services, he was awarded numerous government awards, among them the Order of St. Anna, 2nd degree, the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree with a bow, etc.
The main stone temple (syume) of Khurul partially repeated the Kazan Cathedral in miniature, only in a strange and bizarre mixture of Buddhist Kalmyk architecture and classical Orthodoxy.
16:30 We leave for Astrakhan - 82 km.
18:00 Check-in at the hotel.
Free evening.
Day 6 - Astrakhan
Breakfast at the hotel.
Eviction.
09:00 Sightseeing tour of Astrakhan (duration 2 hours).
Almost the entire central part of the city has retained its buildings since the XIX century, which makes a sightseeing tour of Astrakhan especially fascinating, like traveling by time machine. You will visit such old districts of Astrakhan as the White City, Spit, Villages, Strelka, Boathouse and others. The main decoration of the city and the constant object of tourists' visits is a unique architectural ensemble, a monument of military engineering art of the second half of the XVI century – the Astrakhan Kremlin.
11:30 The exposition "Gold of the Sarmatians" (duration 1 hour) (regional Museum of local lore), the most unique collection of the region. Near the village of Nikolskoye near Astrakhan, many objects made of gold were found in the tomb of the Sarmatian ruler.
12:30 Lunch at a cafe in Astrakhan - self-payment.
13:30 Departure to the village of Saltpetre – 128 km, 2 hours.
15:30 Excursion "Reconstruction of the Batu Barn".
Sarai-Batu (Old Sarai) is a medieval settlement on the banks of the Ashuluk River.
17:00 We leave for Akhtubinsk - 180km.
19:30 Check-in at the Julia 2* hotel.
Free evening.
Dinner (to be purchased independently, for an additional fee).

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Day 7 - Bolshoe Bogdo Mountain. Baskunchak Lake. Completion of the tour
08:00 Breakfast at the hotel.
Room release.
09:00 Departure to Bolshoe Bogdo mountain via Nizhny Baskunchak village - 52 km.
10:00 Bogdinsky-Baskunchaksky State Nature Reserve, Bolshoe Bogdo Mountain.
Bolshoe Bogdo Mountain is a special, sacred place for the Kalmyk people.
According to legend, Mount Bogdo was formed from a sacred stone brought by Kalmyks-pilgrims from the distant Tien Shan mountains. The mountain is guarded from uninvited intrusion by the White spirit of Lake Baskunchak, who really dislikes when idle people come to him, and drives them away with angry muttering. Even with moderate air movement at night, an indistinct hum can be heard here, really resembling a murmur. In a strong wind, resonating in the voids, the mumbling turns into a shrill howl and intermittent whistling.
Baskunchak Lake.
Baskunchak is not a lake, but a solid layer of salt, having a domed shape and extending its base into the bowels of the earth. The lake is just a small "abrasion" on the top of this salt mountain. In June and August, tourists come to the lake, who swim in brine and take mud baths. Therapeutic air with a high content of bromine and phytoncides, sulfide silt mud, similar in action and composition to Dead Sea mud, sodium chloride brine containing a complex of macro- and microelements, contribute to rapid recovery.
13:00 Lunch at a cafe in Nizhny Baskunchak village – self-payment.
14:00 Departure to Volgograd (transfer 204 km, travel time 2.5-3 hours).
19:00 Volgograd, transfer to the railway station or airport.
20:00 End of the program.
The tour operator reserves the right to change the procedure for providing services without reducing their volume.

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

Hotel

5 nights
Guest House

1 night

Comfort

Basic+
Midscale

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel in Elista and Astrakhan, along the route of guest houses 2*, 3*.

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the size of the group, in rubles:

When placing DBL/TWIN in Elista, the Elista hotel, in Astrakhan - Julia 2* or similar options.

Individual tour:

2 people . 145 000 rubles from 1 person .;
3 people 99,100 rubles per 1 person .;
4 people 88,100 rubles per 1 person .

Group tour:

Group of 5 people 79,100 rubles per 1 person.;
Group of 6 people 70,100 rubles from 1 person.;
Group of 8 people. 60,800 rubles per 1 person.;
Group of 10 people. 55 700 rubles from 1 person.;
Group of 12 people. 51,900 rubles from 1 person.;
Group of 15 people. 48,900 rubles from 1 person.

Elista Hotel is located in Elista, 600 m from the center of Elista. It offers a bar, private parking and a terrace. The hotel has a restaurant and a 24-hour front desk. Free Wi-Fi is available. Room service is available. Guests can enjoy drinks at the snack bar.

All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a desk, a refrigerator, a kettle, as well as a shower and free toiletries. Some rooms have a safety deposit box. Each room has a private bathroom and a wardrobe. All rooms at the Elista Hotel are equipped with towels and bed linen. There is no hairdryer in the rooms, but it can be requested at the reception.

A continental breakfast is served daily.