Sunny Kalmykia

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Interesting excursions around the city of Elista, acquaintance with the life and culture of the steppe region, the unique route “Bumba Country", the parking of oirats and national cuisine, as well as visits to famous Buddhist shrines are waiting for you.

Location

G. Elista

Sightseeing tours

from

US$ 530

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

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Tour highlights

Oirat parking lot

We will be able to explore the life of shepherds and a huge herd of Bactrian camels

Unique Kalmyk cuisine

We will taste the dishes of traditional Kalmyk cuisine

The amazing "Bumba Country"

We will visit the only desert in Europe, a salty Pink lake and a burning spring

Itinerary

Day 1 - Elista. "Lonely Poplar"
Arrival in Elista. Transfer from the airport.
13:00 Lunch at the cafe of national cuisine (included).
14:00 Check-in at the hotel.
15:00 Walking tour of the city center with a tour of the rotunda "Pagoda of Seven Days", where the largest prayer drum in Europe is installed — kurde, sculptural compositions, statues of Buddha Shakyamuni, Altn Bosch — the Golden Gate Altn Bosch.
16:00 Hurul Syakyusn Syume.
16:30 Departure to the Lonely Poplar (20 km, 40 min.).
17:10 Natural monument "Lonely poplar".
There is a legend that this poplar was planted in 1846 by the monk Purdash-bagshi, who brought it from a trip to the Dalai Lama in Tibet.
This poplar is considered a sacred tree by Kalmyks Buddhists, believers meditate, pray and perform rituals under the shade of its mighty crowns.
The age of the poplar is more than 100 years old, the height of the tree is 30-35 m, the powerful trunk at a height of 1 m from the ground in girth is about 4.5 m.
Healing springs flow next to the poplar tree.
Water is considered holy and healing, wound healing.
A lone poplar with a cascade of springs was included in the system of specially protected areas by a Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Kalmyk ASSR dated October 8, 1981.
Lone Poplar is the winner of the "Russian Tree 2019" competition, 3rd place in the "European Tree 2019" competition.
19:30 Tasting dinner at the restaurant "Gourmet"/"Legend" — "Khan's snack" (self-payment).

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Day 2 - The Black Lands Nature Reserve. The great salty Yashaltinskoye Lake
08:00 Departure to the Black Lands Nature Reserve on Lake Manych-Gudilo (100 km, 1.5 hours).
09:30 We leave for the bird watching point to Lake Manych-Gudilo.
Birdwatching — bird watching (2 hours).
12:00 Lunch at the cafe in the village of Priyutnoye (included).
13:30 Departure to the village of Yashalta (205 km, 3 hours).
16:30 Bolshoe Yashaltinskoye salt lake (1 hour).
The salt lake "Bolshoe Yashaltinskoye" is the property of the Kalmyk people and is located on the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia.
These lands can be considered the cradle of mud treatment in Russia, and possibly all over the world.
The history of mud treatment dates back thousands of years, starting with the Egyptians who took mud baths in the Nile River, and ending with the Oirats, the ancestors of the Kalmyks, natives of Central Asia, leading a nomadic lifestyle.
Few people know that the first baths installed in the Caucasian mineral waters were built in the form of national Kalmyk buildings — caravans, accommodating 12 mud baths.
Bolshoe Yashaltinskoye Lake has a fairly large supply of therapeutic silt-sulfide mud.
Mud intake is optional.
17:30 Visit to the Yashaltinskoye ethno-complex.
18:30 Dinner at the cafe in the village of Yashalta (included).
19:30 Departure to Elista (205 km, 3 hours).
Overnight in Elista.

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Day 3 - The N.N. Palmov Museum. "The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha"
Breakfast at the hotel.
10:00 a.m. N.N. Palmov Museum — founded on March 25, 1921.
The exposition halls present in detail the history, ethnography, culture of the Kalmyk people, objects of Buddhist worship and Old Kalmyk art, as well as outstanding people of the republic, in short, everything that makes up Kalmykia.
12:00 Visit to the central hurul "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha" — the largest Buddhist temple in the Republic of Kalmykia, and one of the largest in Europe.
Tour of Khurul: Buddhist library, museum.
13:00 Lunch at the cafe with a master class on making Kalmyk tea Jomba (included in the price).
14:30 The memorial complex "Exodus and Return" is one of the most interesting monuments in Elista.
It was created by Ernst the Unknown.
The monument is dedicated to the deportation and subsequent return of the Kalmyks.
It's a difficult place, but we recommend visiting it.
15:30 Visit to the "Museum of Nomadic Peoples".
The Museum of Oirat-Mongolian Nomadic Culture is the first interactive museum in Elista.
In the Mongolian yurt, where the museum is located, guests will be able to get acquainted with the household items of nomads, with the way of nomadic life, listen to a story about the empire of Genghis Khan, about the history of the Oirat Mongols, about the traditions and culture of the Mongolian nomadic peoples.
Presentation of Todo Bichg — old Kalmyk script — vertical clear writing.
17:30 Free evening.
Visiting the market, souvenir shops.
Dinner on your own.

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Day 4 - The Oirat parking lot. Bumba Country
Breakfast at the hotel.
07:00 Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00 Departure to Yashkul village to the Oirat parking lot (100 km).
09:30 Oirat parking lot.
The Oirats lead a traditional nomadic lifestyle, we will be able to see the life of shepherds, a huge herd of BACTRIAN camels, more than 120 heads.
Camel breeding is one of the most ancient branches of animal husbandry.
Man domesticated the camel two thousand years before our era.
Many scientists claim that the camel is of Asian origin.
He comes from the deserts of Central Mongolia and Arabia.
Confirmation of this assumption is that shoals of wild camels are still found in Mongolia.
The ancient Greeks called double-humped camels Bactrians in honor of one of the oldest centers of agricultural culture in Central Asia, located in the middle reaches of the Amu Darya in the first millennium BC.
The Kalmyk camels were brought to Russia at the beginning of the XVII century, during the period of the Kalmyks' migration from Dzungaria to the areas of the right bank of the Volga River, on the territory of modern Kalmykia and the Astrakhan region.
14:30 Lunch at the cafe in Yashkul village (included in the price).
15:00 Departure to the village of Adyk.
16:00 Route Bumba Country (2 hours).
Pink Lake tour – the route passes along the shores of the salty Mekletian lakes in the water of which the microscopic crustacean Artemia Salina lives, coloring the water pink and taking part in the formation of therapeutic mud, which is used in the treatment of skin diseases and in the production of cosmetics.
A tour of the "Singing dunes".
In ancient times, there were parking lots of various nomadic peoples on the sands.
Fragments of clay vessels and arrowheads of the Yamskaya, Catacomb, Sarmatian and Scythian cultures can still be found on the blown-out hillsides.
Various animals can be found on the sand dunes: lizards, snakes, exotic birds.
Optionally, you can get the opportunity to shoot a Kalmyk bow.
An excursion to the burning spring is an artesian well that can be set on fire with just a match.
18:00 Reception at the camp of the village of Adyk.
19:00 Return to Elista (150 km)
Dinner on your own.

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Day 5 - Departure
Breakfast at the hotel.
11:00 Transfer to Elista airport.
Transfer to Volgograd for an additional fee.

Difficulty

For any person

Accommodation

Hotel

4 nights

Comfort

Upscale
Premium

The tour provides accommodation in a hotel with all amenities (Elista, double occupancy).

The cost of the tour for 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB. (group tour for a group of 6-8 people):

	Hotel “Asia" 3*	Elista Hotel 3*	Marco Polo Hotel 4*	Nomad and EcoPark glampings
Double occupancy	46 700	49 100	58 700	69 200
Additional payment for 1-bed accommodation, per day		1 200	2 500

Elista Hotel 3*

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.

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Another option

Marco Polo Hotel 4*

Marco Polo Hotel is located in Elista, 4.3 km from the center of Elista. It offers a restaurant, free private parking, a shared lounge and a terrace. The hotel is 6.3 km from Shargadyk Farm and Magna Village, and 10 km from Gashun-Bulg Village. The hotel offers a 24-hour front desk, airport shuttle service, room service and free Wi-Fi.

The rooms are equipped with air conditioning. They are equipped with a flat—screen TV with satellite channels, a wardrobe, a refrigerator, a kettle, a shower and bathrobes. Towels and bed linen are provided in all rooms.

The Marco Polo Hotel serves a buffet breakfast or a hearty English/Irish breakfast.

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Another option

Hotel "Asia" 3*

Located in the central part of the city of Elista, the Asia Hotel is considered one of the most comfortable in the region. Each of his guests receives conditions as close to home as possible.

All rooms are non-smoking. The design has a classic style, but each of them has its own design personality. For convenience, there is a large bed, a plasma TV, and a separate bathroom.

The price includes breakfast, which is served in the central restaurant. Throughout the day, the chefs prepare dishes of Russian cuisine, using only fresh and high-quality products. The bar serves both hot and cold drinks.

Upon prior request, the hotel prepares set meals for groups of more than 10 people. Wi-Fi internet access is available throughout the territory. Laundry services are available.

The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha is a 7-minute walk away. A little further away is the city of Chess, the Stupa of Enlightenment and the monument to Alexander Pushkin.

The distance from the railway station is 6 kilometers.

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Another option

Glamping "Nomad"

Glamping "Nomad" is located in the center of Elista. It offers a reception, free parking and Wi-Fi, and territory security.

The hotel provides 31 rooms with different categories. Each room has a bed, wardrobe, electric kettle, LCD TV, air conditioning.

The hotel has its own kitchen with various appliances for use. Grocery stores are located nearby.

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Another option

Glamping "EcoPark"

EcoPark is a modern rural village located to the south-east of Elista. 3 minutes from the Marco Polo Hotel and 10 minutes from the city center.

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Tour conditions

Group

up to 8 tourists

Minimum age

2 years old

Duration

5 days 4 nights

Group meets at

G. Elista

Included in price

accommodation specified in the program;
transfer from and to Elista airport;
meals specified in the program;
tour service;
transfer according to the program;
group support;
guide services;
insurance;
1.5 liters of water for 1 person. per day.

Paid extra

air and railway tickets to Elista/ Volgograd and back;
transfer from/to Volgograd – from 1,100 rubles/person.;
meals not specified in the tour program;
personal expenses.

It's important to know

The winds are always blowing in the steppes, so be sure to bring windproof clothes with you.

Do not forget to take sunscreen, the minimum protection is SPF 20-30, and possibly SPF 50, it all depends on your phototype.

You won't need anything to spend the night in the steppe, the caravans have already been improved by light.

In order to prevent a tick bite when traveling to the steppe, shoes should be closed and trousers tucked into socks.

1. "National Museum of the Republic of Kalmykia named after N. N. Palmov"

It was founded on March 25, 1921 and is the only museum where the history, culture and art of the Kalmyk people are most fully represented. Outstanding professors N. N. Palmov and P. S. Rykov were at the origins of its creation. Through their efforts, the richest archaeological and ethnographic materials were collected, which formed the basis of the first collections of the Kalmyk Museum.

2. The State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Black Lands"

It is located in the south of the European part of the Russian Federation, the territory of:
– steppe area: in the northwestern part of the Caspian lowland, an area of 943 sq. km.
– the ornithological site of Manych Gudilo: in the Kumo-Manych depression, an area of 276 sq. km.

The reserve is located at the junction of two types of the world's main ecosystems, "temperate grassland communities" and "deserts and semi-deserts (continental) with cold winters." The region is characterized by relatively high biological diversity under harsh habitat conditions and insufficient rainfall. It is subject to anthropogenic desertification as a result of overgrazing of livestock and abandonment of traditional nomadic livestock farming.

3. Burkhn Bagshin Altn Suyume Temple, or the Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha

The largest Buddhist temple in Russia and Europe was inaugurated in the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia on December 27, 2005 after a visit to Elista by the spiritual leader of Buddhists, His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, held in late November 2004. In the early morning of December 1, before flying to India, His Holiness the Dalai Lama held a brief ceremony to consecrate the site of the future temple in the very center of Elista. With the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, the Central Kalmyk Hurul "Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni" is becoming one of the most important centers for the development of Buddhism in the world.

5. Stupa of Enlightenment (1999, height 11 m)

It is worth noting that such structures as stupas have existed for several thousand years, having spread not only in Asia, but also in European countries (France, Hungary, etc.). In Buddhist symbolism, it is a symbol of the nature of the mind, which has a beneficial effect on the force field of the universe.

Over time, several varieties of stupas have appeared, which were built at different periods of the Buddha's life and differ from each other in shape and meaning: The Lotus Stupa symbolizes the birth of the Buddha; the Stupa of Enlightenment is a symbol of victory over difficulties and obstacles; The Stupa of perfect Victory was built after the Buddha extended his life for several months at the request of students. There are eight forms of stupas in total.

However, the main thing remains the Stupa of Enlightenment, which is the goal of the Buddhist path – the knowledge of one's own thoughts, complete enlightenment, which means the liberation of the human mind from hindrances and obstacles, the disclosure of the abilities of one's own mind.

6. Monument to E. Neizvestny "Exodus and return"

The monument was unveiled in December 2006. At first glance, you don't quite understand what the author depicted in his creation: different and seemingly distant objects and things are connected together – a horse's head and a lotus, a bird and a crying sheep, human footprints and details of the mechanism.

However, each of these elements carries its own thought, without departing from the general idea of the structure – the unity of the past and the present. The metaphorical approach with which the author approached the creation of the memorial "Exodus and Return" makes the viewer see more and more new images in the sculpture: here you can see violence and sorrow personified by swords, bayonets and a bird wrapped in metal.

The elements of rebirth and victoriousness of life in the memorial "Exodus and Return" are the lotus, in which the embryo of a child is hidden, and human traces, as an image of rebirth. The blooming lotus seems to speak about the cycle of things in the world, and the lion and snake crowning the sculpture are symbols of victory.

Dates and Prices

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14 – 18 Jul 5 days 4 nights

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from US$ 530

18 – 22 Aug 5 days 4 nights

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15 – 19 Sep 5 days 4 nights

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6 – 10 Oct 5 days 4 nights

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Sunny Kalmykia

Location

Tour highlights

Itinerary

Accommodation

Tour conditions

Included in price

Paid extra

It's important to know

Dates and Prices

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