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SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST JULY 15-31, 2020 TOUR LEADER: DR MATTHEW DAL SANTO

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Page 1: SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST - Academy Travel · of Siberia and the Russian Far East. We begin in Irkutsk, a former Cossack settlement forever linked to the memory of the immortal

SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST JULY 15-31, 2020 TOUR LEADER: DR MATTHEW DAL SANTO

Page 2: SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST - Academy Travel · of Siberia and the Russian Far East. We begin in Irkutsk, a former Cossack settlement forever linked to the memory of the immortal

Overview Embark on the tour of a lifetime to one of the world's last great travel frontiers. This 17-day tour reveals the cultural and geographical wonders of Siberia and the Russian Far East. We begin in Irkutsk, a former Cossack settlement forever linked to the memory of the immortal ‘Decembrists’ – public-minded nobles who, exiled to Siberia for their part in an 1825 rebellion against the Tsar, recreated with their wives the cultural and artistic life of St Petersburg for the benefit of Siberia’s rough frontiersmen. From Irkutsk we then travel to beautiful Lake Baikal, the world’s largest, oldest and deepest lake to spend two nights on Olkhon Island, which, widely regarded as the “jewel” of Baikal, is sacred to the indigenous Buryat people. Taking the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway along Baikal’s southern shore, we arrive in Ulan Ude, capital of the Buryat Autonomous Republic and centre of Russian Buddhism, with centuries of close links with Tibet. The valleys of the surrounding steppe are also a stronghold of the so-called ‘Old Believers’, a long-persecuted Orthodox sect who have preserved in Siberia’s remote wooded valleys a centuries-old culture that includes a rich repertoire of songs of exile. From Ulan Ude we fly to Khabarovsk, a frontier town on the border with China that played a leading role in Russian colonisation of the Far East, and onto steaming, volcano-studded Kamchatka, Russia’s Alaska, to explore its jaw-dropping landscapes, extraordinary wildlife and the fascinating culture of its indigenous husky-raising people, the Koryaks. The tour concludes in the bustling port city of Vladivostok. Closed for decades to foreigners, the undisputed capital of the Russian Far East is once again very much open for business, and famous for its seafood and stunning setting on one of the world’s great harbours – the Golden Horn.

Your tour leader Dr Matthew Dal Santo is a historian and writer with a longstanding interest in, and love for, Russian history and culture. With a BA from the University of Sydney and PhD from Cambridge, he has been a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge; the University of Copenhagen, Denmark; the Kennan Institute for Russian and Eastern European Affairs, Washington,

D.C.; and the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. His current research project examines Russians’ changing attitudes towards politics and religion in the setting of the revival of Orthodoxy that has taken place since the fall of Communism. Despite Siberia’s desolate reputation, Matthew is convinced that it has charm all its own. He first fell under its spell while researching his forthcoming book, A Tsar’s Life for the People: The Romanovs and the Redemption of Putin’s Russia, to be published soon by Princeton University Press. Living in Copenhagen, Denmark, Matthew also leads Academy Travel’s Moscow and St Petersburg tour and speaks Russian, French, Italian, and Danish.

SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST Tour dates: July 15-31, 2020

Tour leader: Dr Matthew Dal Santo

Tour Price: $16,975 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $1,590 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Korean Airlines

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Irkutsk (3 nights), Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal (3 nights), Irkutsk (1 night), Ulan Ude (3 nights), Khabarovsk (2 nights), Petropavlovk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka (3 nights) Vladivostok (2 nights)

Date published: November 4, 2019

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jamal Fairbrother at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email [email protected]

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Tour Highlights

LAKE BAIKAL Immerse yourself in the invigorating environment of Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest lake. Marvel at the rugged beauty of its dramatic Western shore, and savour the picturesque tranquillity of Olkhon Island. Cruise between the capes and headland of the ‘Little-sea’ admiring one of the richest and most unusual ecosystems on earth formed in a rift in the earth’s surface 25 million years ago.

RUSSIAN BUDDHISM Listen to the sounds of Russian Buddhism as the lamas chant their ancient mantras in Buryatia’s revived monasteries, a hybrid of architectural elements from Buryat culture, Tibetan temples and Mongolian and Chinese architectural traditions. Learn about the dynamic blend of Tibetan Buddhism and indigenous Siberian shamanism, once again thriving after decades of suppression under Communism.

THE OLD BELIEVERS Hear the heart-rending stories of the persecuted Old Believers, a people who have preserved their beliefs and customs in Siberian exile for centuries. An enigmatic people of religious dissenters, they split from the Russian Orthodox Church into a number of different sects in the 17th century after they refused to accept the liturgical reforms being imposed by the Russian Patriarch. (image courtesy of MIR Corporation)

VOLCANOS, SALMON & BEARS Join a thrilling helicopter tour through Kamchatka’s surreal, volcano-studded landscape to Kuril Lake in the UNESCO-listed Southern Kamchatka Wildlife Reserve. Watch, from the safety of a viewing platform, Kamchatka’s powerful brown bears feast on the thousands of salmon that return to the lake every summer to spawn. Reboard the helicopter for stops to explore the active Ksudach Volcano and the natural Khodutka Hot Springs.

VLADIVOSTOK See the sights and sample the glorious seafood of the bustling North Asian port city of Vladivostok, unofficial capital of the Russian Far East and home to one of Russia’s most important commercial ports and naval bases. Explore the state of the art Primorsky Aquarium on picturesque Russky Island and admire the world’s longest cable-stay suspension bridge that soars over Golden Horn Bay.

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Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Wednesday 15 July Arrive Irkutsk, Russia

Your tour leader, Matthew Dal Santo will meet the group arriving on the Korean Airlines flight arriving in the late evening at Irkutsk Airport and transfer with you to our hotel. Overnight Irkutsk

Thursday 16 July Irkutsk

Founded as a Cossack fortress in 1661, Irkutsk later prospered as a way station for the fur and tea trade between Russia and China. In the 19th century, the surrounding districts became a place of exile for thousands of political prisoners. Today, it is a pleasant, tree-lined city of 600,000 people with important aeronautical industries. We begin our exploration with a visit to Irkutsk’s oldest standing structure – the 1706 Church of Christ the Saviour, which once stood at the centre of the original Cossack fort, out of which the modern city grew. From here we depart for Volkonsky House Decembrist Museum, which tells the story of the Decembrists – Russian noblemen who rebelled against the Tsar in 1825 and were exiled for life to Siberia. Among the most famous of the noblewomen who voluntarily followed them into exile was Princess Maria Volkonsky who sought to recreate in Irkutsk the cultural and intellectual life of Imperial St Petersburg. We visit Maria’s home in exile. In the afternoon, we visit Irkutsk’s central marketplace before returning to Christ the Saviour for a masterclass in the art of Russian church bellringing. Dinner is at a local restaurant. Overnight Irkutsk (B, L, D)

Friday 17 July Irkutsk

This morning we make a visit to the superb Taltsy Folk Architecture Museum, which offers an evocative window on life in Old Siberia, including a 17th-century Cossack fort and the log cabins of 19th-century homesteaders. In the afternoon we drive to Lystvyanka, Lake Baikal’s main port. In addition to gaining our first glimpse of the great lake, we visit the local aquarium to get up close and personal with its most famous denizen, the mysterious freshwater Baikal seal or nerpa. For dinner, we are guests of a local Siberian family, who prepare a typical Russian meal from the produce of their own garden. Overnight Irkutsk (B, D)

Above: Irkutsk’s oldest standing structure – the 1706 Church of Christ the Saviour

Below: tiger or beaver? A bureaucratic bungle resulted in this statue of this mythological creature known as the Babr with a sable in its jaws; the Taltsy Folk Architecture Museum offers a window into the everyday life of Siberians

Tour start & finish time

The tour begins with arrival of the Korean Airlines flight into Irkutsk Airport in the late evening of Wednesday 15 July.

The tour ends after breakfast on Friday 31 July, at the Lotte Hotel, Vladivostok.

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Above: beautiful Lake Baikal, the world's largest and deepest lake; traditional rituals are still practised by Buryat shamans on Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal Below: the famed Trans-Siberian railway hugs the southern shoreline of Lake Baikal

Saturday 18 July Olkhon (Lake Baikal)

Today, we travel north from Irkutsk through the lands of the Western Buryats, a formerly nomadic people related to the neighbouring Mongols. Claiming the mother of Genghis Khan as one of their own, the Buryats have driven their herds across these lands for centuries. Buryat culture is a dynamic blend of Tibetan Buddhism and indigenous Siberian shamanism and, though suppressed for decades under Communism, today it is again thriving. Reaching the shore of Lake Baikal in mid-afternoon, we board speed boats for a thrilling cruise across one of the lake’s most picturesque arms, the so-called “Little Sea”, to the enchanting “Stupa” Island. From there we make our way, again by speed boat, to Khuzhir, the main town of Baikal’s largest island, Olkhon. Overnight Olkhon Island (B, L, D)

Sunday 19 July Olkhon (Lake Baikal)

A deep inland sea separated by thousands of kilometres of steppe and forest from the sea, Lake Baikal (which is estimated to hold about one quarter of the world’s fresh water) is an ecosystem like no other. This morning we climb board 4WDs to cross the forests and grasslands that lead to the soaring cliffs of Khoboi Cape, where the “Little Sea” meets the waters of Baikal’s main body. On our return to Khuzhir, we visit Baikal’s most famous beauty spot, Shaman Cape. Resembling a perfect Japanese miniature, the Cape is considered the “eye of the world” by local shamanists. We meet a local shaman to learn more about the significance of this holy site to the Baikal’s indigenous people. Overnight Olkhon Island (B, L)

Monday 20 July Ikrutsk

Today we bid farewell to Baikal and return to Irkutsk. Arriving in the city in mid-afternoon, we retrace Siberia’s role in the Russian Civil War of 1918 to 1922, with a visit to the Russian Orthodox Znamensky Monastery, where the Bolsheviks executed the counter-revolutionary leader Admiral Kolchak in 1919. Finally, in preparation for our departure tomorrow aboard the Trans-Siberian Railway, we pay a visit to Irkutsk’s monument to Tsar Alexander III, the Railway’s imperial founder. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Irkutsk (B, L)

Tuesday 21 July Ulan Ude

This morning we board the famous Trans-Siberian Railway for the seven-hour journey to Ulan Ude. Stretching from Moscow to the Pacific, the Trans-Siberian was one of the world’s great feats of engineering when work was completed in 1916. We travel a scenic section of the railway around the southern shore of Lake Baikal. Arriving late afternoon in Ulan Ude, we take the evening to unwind and watch the sun set over the north Asian steppe from the top floor of our modern hotel. Overnight Ulan Ude (B, L, D)

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Wednesday 22 July Ulan Ude

Ulan Ude is the capital of the semi-autonomous Republic of Buryatia. About one quarter of the population of Buryatia is Yellow Hat Buddhist, the spiritual descendants of 17th-century Tibetan missionaries. Centuries-old links with Tibet were severed by Stali 1930s. Today, however, the temples and monasteries that stud the landscape are once again living centres of Buryat culture. This morning we visit its spiritual home at Ivolginsk Buddhist Monastery, where we witness a morning prayer service and learn about the deep historical links between Buryatia and Tibet. For lunch we are guests at the home of a local Buryat family, where we learn about the realities of life in a ger. In the afternoon, we visit the Atsagat Buddhist Temple, spiritual home to Buryatia’s most famous son, Agvan Dorzhiev, with a beautiful location on the open steppe. Overnight Ulan Ude (B, L)

Thursday 23 July Ulan Ude

This morning we embark on a walking tour of central Ulan Ude. In Soviet times, local Communist Party authorities sought Moscow’s favour by constructing the world’s largest bust of Lenin. More than 25 years since the demise of the USSR, the bust still has pride of place in Ulan Ude’s central square. At noon we depart by bus for an unforgettable visit to a village of one of Siberia’s most enigmatic peoples – the so-called ‘Old Believers’. After rejecting a series of Church reforms, the Old Believers split from established Russian Orthodoxy in the 1660s and either fled or were exiled Siberia, where they have preserved their beliefs and culture unbroken for centuries. We learn about their customs and traditions and, after a dinner of home-grown and locally–raised produce, enjoy a stirring performance of their songs of exile, hope, and determination. Overnight Ulan Ude (B, D)

Friday 24 July Khabarovsk

Today we fly to Khabarovsk, the major city of Russia’s Amur region. Originally a Cossack border fort, Khabarovsk shot to prominence in the 19th century when it became the centre of efforts for the annexation of what is now called Russia’s ‘Maritime Province’ from China. At the height of the Cold War in 1969, the region was the scene of tense skirmishes between the Soviet and Chinese armies. Today, Khabarovsk is a relaxed city with an elegant 19th-century core. Offering prime habitat for the endangered Siberian (or Amur) Tiger, the Russian Far East is the focus of Russian and international efforts to save the species. This evening we enjoy a briefing on the tiger’s conservation status from the famous tiger tracker, Alexander Balatov. Overnight Khabarovsk (B, L, D)

Saturday 25 July Khabarovsk

We start the day with a walking tour of central Khabarovsk, including the elegant, river-side gardens that are the city’s

Above: become acquainted with the history of Buddhism in Siberia at the Atsagat Datsan Below: the world’s largest bust of Lenin in the central square of Ulan Ude; the Old Believers have preserved their culture for centuries (image courtesy of MIR Corporation)

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modern calling card. After this, we travel to the Ussuri Bridge Museum. Known as the “Wonder of the Amur” when it was first completed (at the height of the First World War) in 1916, the 4-km long Ussuri Bridge was the longest bridge in Eurasia and a major feat of Russian engineering. In the afternoon, we board a pleasure boat for a cruise on the majestic Ussuri River that separates the city from China. Overnight Khabarovsk (B, L)

Sunday 26 July Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Kamchatka)

Today we fly to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, capital of Russia’s remote but spectacular Kamchatka peninsula. Kamchatka’s mix of geology, scenery and Russian and indigenous cultures is quite unlike anything else on earth. We begin our exploration with a visit to the local Volcanarium (brainchild of the Kamchatka-born volcanologist and physicist Sergei Borisevich) to learn more about the unique geological forces that have created Kamchatka’s spectacular scenery. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, L, D)

Monday 27 July Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Kamchatka)

For thousands of years, the sled dog has been at the heart of the lives of Kamchatka’s indigenous peoples and this morning we visit ‘Snow Dogs’ Kennel and Education Centre. With more than 120 dogs housed on one site, the kennel offers a unique insight into the role of dogs and dogsledding in Kamchatka, with the kennels doubling as an educational centre dedicated to the culture of the indigenous Koryak people. After enjoying a fireside performance of native songs and dance, the brave can experience the thrills of the dogsled for themselves. After lunch we take to the water to explore Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky’s spectacular Avacha Bay, a flooded caldera forming a vast horseshoe that is home to a rich array of sea, bird and mammal life as well as Russia’s Pacific nuclear submarine fleet. Cruising aboard a comfortable motorboat, we enjoy a dinner of fresh fish onboard before returning to Petropavlovsk. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, L, D)

Tuesday 28 July Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Kamchatka)

Today we embark by helicopter for a full-day tour of Kamchatka’s spectacular, volcano-studded landscape. Our first stop is Kuril Lake, some 200km south of Petropavlovsk. Protected by stringent environmental controls, the Lake is a UNESCO-listed wilderness famous for the annual salmon run which, in the course of the season, attracts hundreds of local brown bears. The Kamchatka brown bear is among the world’s largest and, with a professional guide and armed guard provided by the national park, we watch the bears fish from the safety of a specially constructed viewing platform. We then reboard the

Above: the adorable snow dogs at a kennel and education centre run by the indigenous community; looking across Avacha Bay to Petropavlovsk and Koryaksky Volcano Below: a brown bear carrying its recently acquired lunch from Kuril Lake, a UNESCO-listed wilderness famous for the annual salmon run

Page 8: SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST - Academy Travel · of Siberia and the Russian Far East. We begin in Irkutsk, a former Cossack settlement forever linked to the memory of the immortal

helicopter for the active, 3450ft-high Ksudach Volcano, which last erupted in 1907. From here, we board the helicopter again for a well-earned soak in the naturally heated waters of Khodutka Hot Springs. Flowing piping hot out of the ground at the foot of Khodutka Volcano, the water from the hot springs mingles with the cooler water of a local river. Walk along the wooden boardwalk to find your own "sweet spot" for a soothing Kamchatkan bathing experience. Changing rooms are available. Lunch will be served as part of our helicopter excursion. Dinner will take place in a local restaurant. Overnight Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (B, L, D)

Wednesday 29 July Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Kamchatka)

In the 18th century, Kamchatka was a leading base for the exploration of the so-called North West Passage between the North Pacific and Europe. This morning we visit the memorials of two great navigators who lost their lives in its pursuit, the Danish Capt. Vitus Bering (after whom the strait between Siberia and Alaska takes its name) and the British Capt. Charles Clerke, who took command of Capt. James Cook’s Third Voyage to the Pacific after Cook was killed in the Hawaiian islands. In the afternoon we fly to Vladivostok, capital of the Russian Far East. Founded on a superb natural harbour in 1860 but closed for decades under Communism to foreign tourists, Vladivostok is once again a free port and a bustling hub for Russian trade with North Asia. Overnight Vladivostok (B, L, D)

Thursday 30 July Vladivostok

We begin our exploration of Vladivostok with a walking tour of the harbour foreshore, including the triumphal arch erected in honour of Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, when he visited the city as Crown Prince in 1891. After decades of relative neglect, Vladivostok has benefited in recent years from a spate of government development projects. Many of these have been focused on picturesque Russky Island and we depart by coach for a visit to one of the most impressive of these projects, the brand-new Russky Island Aquarium and Research Institute, where we come face-to-face with the rich marine life of the Russian Far East. Returning to the city, we visit the Eagle’s Nest for spectacular views of Vladivostok’s famous Golden Horn Suspension Bridge. The afternoon is at leisure before we gather for our farewell dinner at the cutting-edge seafood restaurant, Café Morye. Overnight Vladivostok (B, D)

Friday 31 July Depart Vladivostok

The tour concludes after breakfast. Korean Airlines flights depart Vladivostok via Seoul for Australia (B)

Above: a full day helicopter tour allows us to experience the full extent of Kamchatka’s natural landscapes Below: the inviting Khodutka Hot Springs, located at the foot of Khodutka Volcano; Vladivostok’s harbour foreshore and famous Golden Horn Suspension Bridge (image courtesy of Richard Fejfar)

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Hotel Information As Siberia and the Russian Far East are still relatively new destinations for international travellers, hotels do not always meet Western standards. Wherever possible, we stay in the best local hotels. Often run by Korean firms, these are high-quality and comfortable with all the conveniences you would expect anywhere. Elsewhere, however, patience is needed. This is particularly so on Lake Baikal and Kamchatka where only more basic, though still entirely clean and acceptable, facilities are available.

IRKUTSK Central Hotel (4 nights)

The four-star Central Hotel is in the very heat of the city’s historic quarter, within walking distance of the main (Karl Marx) street, central square and river embankment. Housed in a renovated, turn-of-the-century property, the hotel features air-conditioning, cable TV, and complimentary WiFi.

OLKHON ISLAND Baikal View Hotel (2 nights)

This hotel is just a short walk from the shores of Lake Baikal. Rooms are simple, but the best available on Olkhon and come with private bathroom, WiFi, and views over the lake. Other amenities include an a la carte restaurant, swimming pool and sauna. Probably the best thing about this hotel is enjoying a drink on the elevated terrace bar, with Baikal’s famous Shaman’s Cape in the distance.

ULAN UDE Mergen Bator Hotel (3 nights)

Opened in late 2013, the modern Mergen Bator hotel is located in the city centre and features a pool, fitness centre, sauna and hammam. Rooms include a TV, complimentary Internet access, in-room safe and bathrobes. Its brash appearance above the Ulan Ude skyline may raise eyebrows initially but its spacious, modern rooms make it a good-quality four-star hotel. The rotating rooftop bar/restaurant offers a panoramic view as the sun sets over the steppe, visible beyond the edges of town.

KHABAROVSK Parus Hotel (2 nights)

Located on the banks of the Amur River in a building dating from Khabarovsk’s heyday before the Russian Revolution, the hotel has comfortable, well-equipped rooms with all modern conveniences. A restaurant, bar and sauna are also on-site.

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY Avacha Hotel (3 nights)

The Avacha is located close to the city centre and market. Rooms feature WiFi and satellite TV. There is a cafe onsite. This is the most basic hotel we shall stay in during the trip. A borderline two-to-three star hotel, it is nonetheless the best that Kamchatka offers. Rooms are small and dated, as are the bathrooms. But it is clean, the beds are comfortable, and there is plenty of hot water!

VLADIVOSTOK Lotte Hotel (2 nights)

The four-star Lotte Hotel stands in the historic centre of Vladivostok. Formerly known as the Hyundai Hotel, this is a big Korean-run hotel that is solidly four star. The rooms are comfortable and spacious. Amenities include air conditioning, WiFi, satellite TV, and mini-bar. A gym and Korean restaurant can be found in the basement. From the rooftop bar, views over the Golden Horn are spectacular.

Weather on Tour Generally, summer in Siberia is warm, dry, and continental. With day-time temperatures often in the 25 to 30 degree range, it can even get hot. Pack some short sleeves and some shorts for walking. Evenings are usually cool and a light jacket will be needed. Storms can blow up quickly, especially on Lake Baikal, which generates its own unpredictable weather patterns. The climate in the Russian Far East is typically more humid and unsettled. Vladivostok is notorious for its rain, even in July. When it’s not raining, it’s hot and sticky. July is among the warmest months in Kamchatka and day-time temperatures in the mid-twenties are possible. Cold, wet weather is possible any time of year, however, and a raincoat is essential. Evenings in Kamchatka are always cool.

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Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

GRADE THREE

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade Three tour is among our most physically demanding. To participate on this tour, you should be able to comfortably undertake up to seven hours per day, over several days. Activities may include travelling long distances, walking on difficult terrain, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, exposure to high altitudes and long days of touring. These tours may include one-night stops and early starts. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 5-7 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in museums and at

sites tolerate varying climatic conditions such as cold weather a reasonable level of physical and respiratory fitness tolerate a diet that can be significantly different from a

typical Australian diet, and where some dietary requirements cannot be met

walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites or

mountain paths, which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep steps, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers

We regret that we are not able to accept bookings on a Grade Three tour from people more than 80 years old, or with restricted mobility.

Tour Price The tour price is $16,975 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $1,590 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Tour Inclusions

Included in the tour price

All accommodation in selected hotels All breakfasts and other meals as indicated in the

itinerary Three Economy class flights between Ulan Ude to

Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Vladivostok

Seated travel on the Trans-Siberian railway between Irkutsk and Ulan Ude

Land travel by air-conditioned coach Helicopter excursion in Kamchatka Extensive background notes Services of Australian tour leader and tour manager

throughout the tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on itinerary Qualified local guides Porterage at hotels and railway stations Russian visa costs and processing

Not included

International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only. For this tour we recommend Korean Airlines which offers flights into Irkutsk and out of Vladivostok from Sydney or Brisbane via Seoul. Please contact us for further information on competitive Economy, Business and First-Class airfares. Transfers between airport and hotel are included for all passengers booking their flights through Academy Travel. These may be group or individual transfers.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Jamal Fairbrother at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email [email protected]

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Level 1, 341 George Street Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: + 61 2 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) ACADEMY TRAVEL

Name of tour:

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Your details

PASSENGER 1 PASSENGER 2

A

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ROOMING PREFERENCES

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MEAL REQUIREMENTS/ALLERGIES Please indicate below if you have any special dietary requirements. Appropriate meals will be requested for you on all flights and group meals based on this information.

PASSENGER 1

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PASSENGER 2

MEDICAL CONDITIONS Please indicate below if you have any serious health issue that may affect your travel insurance coverage, your physical capacity to undertake some activities on tour or may otherwise need to be considered by the tour leader/manager during the tour.

This is my first tour with Academy Travel I have previously travelled with Academy Travel

TO SUBMIT YOUR BOOKING:• Complete form on screen. Simply click in the box to fill in your details and press

“Tab” to progress to the next box. Save the completed form and email it to us.• Or print the form, complete the fields and send it back to us.

Page 12: SIBERIA & THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST - Academy Travel · of Siberia and the Russian Far East. We begin in Irkutsk, a former Cossack settlement forever linked to the memory of the immortal

BOOKING FORM

I/we wish Academy Travel to arrange air travel from Australia.

Economy Class. Premium Economy Class. Business Class.

I/we will organize our own air travel.

I/we are undecided about air travel. Please contact us to discuss the available options.

I plan to leave Australia before the tour commences.

Planned departure date:

I intend to take part in the extension tour offered in the itinerary (if applicable).

I/we plan to undertake additional travel before/after the tour and would like Academy Travel to organise this (please describe destinations and length of stay required below).

To discuss your travel arrangements please contact the travel consultant for your tour. You can also email enquiries to [email protected].

Your travel plansC

Your acceptance of booking conditionsD

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND SIGN BELOW

DEPOSITS A deposit of $500 per person is required to confirm your booking on a tour. Final payment of the tour fee, insurance and any additional travel will be due 60 days before departure.

CANCELLATION FEESIf you decide to cancel your booking the following charges apply:More than 60 days before departure: $500*60-45 days before tour start: 25% of total amount due44-15 days before tour start: 75% of total amount due14 days or less before departure: 100% of total amount due*This amount may be credited to another Academy Travel tour within 12 months of the original tour you booked.

UNUSED PORTIONS OF THE TOURWe regret that refunds will not be given for any unused portions of the tour, such as meals, entry fees, accommodation, flights or transfers.

TRAVEL INSURANCEAcademy Travel requires all participants to obtain comprehensive travel insurance. We offer a comprehensive policy with a reputable insurer if required.

PASSPORT AND VISAA valid passport is required for all international travel. If you do not hold an Australian passport you may require a re-entry permit. Some countries require a visa to be issued before you depart Australia. We will advise you of all passport and visa requirements, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you meet passport and visa requirements before you depart.

WILL THE TOUR PRICE CHANGE?If the number of participants in a tour is significantly less than budgeted, or if there is a significant change in exchange rates Academy Travel reserves the right to amend the advertised price. If this occurs you will be given the option of canceling your booking and obtaining a full refund. If an Academy Travel tour is forced to cancel you will get a full refund of all monies paid.

WILL THE ITINERARY OR AIRLINE CHANGE? Occasionally circumstances beyond the control of Academy Travel make it necessary to change airline, hotel or to make slight amendments to daily itineraries. We will inform you of any changes as soon as they occur.

FINAL PAYMENTFull and final payment for the tour, airfare travel, insurance and any additional travel you book is due 60 days before departure. Payment may be made by bank deposit, cheque, cash or credit card. Please note there is a surcharge for payments made by credit card.

Academy Travel reserves the right to decline the booking or terminate the holiday of any traveller.

I/we accept the conditions on this booking form

I/we have read the information about the physical requirements of the tour in the detailed itinerary and confirm that I/we are able to meet these requirements.

Date:

Deposit paymentE

A non-refundable $500 deposit is required for each person listed on this booking form. Please indicate which method you have chosen to pay your deposit:

Number of passengers:

Amount of deposit: $

Paid directly by cheque (Please make cheques payable to Academy Travel)

Paid by credit card (Please complete details below)

MasterCard Visa American Express

Card Number:

3 or 4 digit security code:

Expiry date:

Name on card:

Amount: $

Date:

SENDg

Please send your completed booking form to: Academy TravelGPO Box 5057Sydney NSW 2001Or email: [email protected] or fax it to (02) 9235 0123Additional booking forms can be downloaded from our website: academytravel.com.au

How did you hear about this tour?f

Please select where you first heard about this tour:

I receive the Academy Travel tour program

I receive the Academy Travel weekly emails

I saw an advertisement online… please specify

I saw an advertisement in… please specify

I attended a lecture at... please specify

Searching the internet… please specify

A friend recommended Academy Travel tours

Other... please specify

AUTHORISATIONBy submitting this booking form you are authorising us to charge the cost of deposits for booking on this tour. No further charges will be made without your prior authorisation.

AUTHORISATIONBy submitting this booking form, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions above and on our website, and the inclusions and non-inclusions listed in the detailed itinerary for the tour.

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ACADEMY TRAVEL TAILORED SMALL GROUP JOURNEYS Email: [email protected] academytravel.com.au