The Oirat Plate food tour in Kalmykia

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On this tour of Kalmykia, you will taste the authentic cuisine of the nomads! You will enjoy the delicious lamb served at the tables of Arab sheikhs, the pure taste of meat broth, the exoticism of national dishes and, of course, you will taste real jomba – salty Kalmyk tea with milk, butter and fragrant nutmeg.

Embark on a great gastronomic journey with us!

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

Local cuisine

Enjoy delicious national dishes and learn the secrets of cooking some of them

The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha

You will see an impressive 9-meter figure in the prayer hall of the Central Hurul

Gastronomic master class

Learn how to cook nomad food over a campfire, which is characterized by simplicity of ingredients and richness of flavors

Itinerary

Day 1 - Elista City Tour
Meeting of guests in the city of Elista (at the railway station or at the airport, depending on the situation in the region).
14:00-15:00 Check-in at the hotel.
15:20-16:20 Lunch.
16:30-18:30 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.
The Kalmyk people have a tragic page in their lives – the deportation of 1943-1957.
We will visit the monument "Exodus and Return", dedicated to the victims of Stalinist repression, created by the outstanding contemporary sculptor Ernst Neizvestny.
Visiting souvenir shops.
Free time.

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Day 2 - Hurul "The Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha". Museum of Nomadic Peoples. Acquaintance with the life of nomadic Kalmyks and master classes
07:30-08:30 Breakfast.
09:00-11:00 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.
12:00-13:30 Excursion to the Museum of Nomadic Peoples – the history of the life of nomadic Kalmyks, archery
Luka, photographing in national costumes.
Master class on writing the old Kalmyk vertical script "Todo-Bichg. Clear writing. The precious heritage of the ancestors", the history of its creation, as a gift, the spelling of the participant's name on Todo Beach.
14:00-15:00 Lunch at the national restaurant.
15:30-16:00 Transfer to the ethno-parking lot.
16:00-22:00 Acquaintance with the life of nomadic Kalmyks in an authentic steppe camp.
Photographing in national costumes.
Horseback riding.
22:30 Return to the hotel, free time.

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Day 3 - Excursion to the steppe to the place of power
07:30-09:30 Breakfast.
Check out of the hotel.
09:30-12:30 Excursion to the steppe to the place of power – A lonely poplar tree with a cascade of springs.
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.
Nearby there is an open source with healing properties, which were first described by the doctor S.R. Zalkind.
13:00-14:00 Lunch.
14:00 Presentation of gastro souvenirs in memory of the delicious cuisine of the Kalmyks.
The end of the program.

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Difficulty

Suitable for everyone

Accommodation

or

or

Hotel, Camp Site, Guest House

2 nights

Comfort

Midscale
Upscale
Premium

The tour includes accommodation in a hotel/guest house or glamping.

The cost per 1 person, depending on the accommodation, RUB.:

Living conditions	2-bed standard (adults and children over 6 years old)	1-local standard
Marco Polo 4* Hotel, EliSun Hotel	42 000	48 800
Nomad, White Lotus, Elista hotels	33 400	36 000
Guest house	31 300	32 800

The cost per 1 person in glamping "Arshan", rub.:

Barnhouse (for 2 guests)	A-frame (for 3 guests)	A-frame (for 4 guests)
42 000	39 000	35 600

Hotel "Elisun"

The hotel is located 500 meters from the center of Elista. It offers parking and Wi-Fi, a shared kitchen, luggage storage, a terrace and a minibar.

Room service is provided, expedited check-in and check-out, early check-in and late check-out are available upon request. The rooms have heating, and breakfast is served a la carte.

Near the hotel there is a chess town "City Chess", Druzhba Park, the National Museum of Kalmykia with exhibitions dedicated to the history of the people.

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Another option

The Marco Polo Hotel

The Marco Polo Hotel features a shared lounge and a terrace. It offers a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and free Wi-Fi. Room service is also available. Free private parking is available on site. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a refrigerator, a kettle, a shower, a hairdryer and a wardrobe. Breakfast is a buffet.

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Another option

The Nomad Hotel

New hotel, launch year 2022.

It is located in the immediate vicinity of the Central Hurul "Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha".

Accommodation in a standard 2-bed room, continental breakfast, WiFi, the hotel is fully equipped.

There is a possibility of accommodation in eco-houses such as campsites (one-room! A frame type house) if desired.

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Another option

The White Lotus Hotel

The White Lotus Hotel. It offers a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk, free Wi-Fi, and free indoor parking. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, mini fridge. The facilities are separate in each room.

Another option

The Elista Hotel

The 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, a shower and free toiletries.

Some rooms have a safety deposit box.

Each room has a private bathroom and a wardrobe. There is no hairdryer in the rooms, but it can be requested at the reception.

All rooms at the Elista Hotel are equipped with towels and bed linen.

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Another option

Arshan Glamping

Glamping is located near a pine forest, not far from the city. It consists of stylish comfortable houses A-frame (4+2 guests), Barnhouse (for 2 guests). Each house has a kitchenette with the necessary set of dishes, refrigerator, air conditioning, bathroom, TV.