2019 Wilderness Travel Catalog of Adventures

Russia: Land of the Czars MOSCOW, THE GOLDEN RING, AND ST. PETERSBURG

Our journey in Russia is a wonderful insider’s experience, with our native-born Trip Leaders sharing their homeland’s culture and history. We’ll see Red Square on a nighttime walk and hear the ancient bells ringing in the medieval towns of the Golden Ring, where we savor two meals with local families in their homes. In romantic St. Petersburg, we have a special early admission to the opulent Hermitage Museum, see the famed Amber Room, and enjoy a private boat ride on the atmospheric canals of this World Heritage city. At the time of our trip, we

experience the long summer twilight of Russia’s “White Nights,” and our cultural odyssey is filled with unique opportunities to meet Russians and learn about their lives. Days 1-3 Moscow After exploring monumental Red Square, we have lunch with an artist at a gallery café and learn about the local art scene. At the Armoury Museum, we see treasures including Fabergé’s bejeweled eggs, and we’ll ride to some of the city’s famously ornate metro stations. A walk in Izmailovo Park brings us to its flea market full of Soviet memorabilia.

WALTER BIBIKOW

“An amazing experience with such access to the people. I am extraordinarily impressed by the service and planning provided by WT.” Jarmila Z., La Grange IL

Days 4-6 Golden Ring / Volga River / Plyos and Suzdal / Family Lunches In Sergiev Posad, we visit the blue-domed Trinity Monastery and have a chance to paint our own matryoshka dolls in an art class. We view Rostov’s ancient Kremlin, a sweeping ensemble of monasteries and churches, and the golden domes of World Heritage-listed Yaroslavl. After a private boat ride on the Volga, we head to the Holy City of Suzdal, where we learn about the ancient Russian art of bell ringing and hear the giant bells sounding across the land. In Suzdal and the small, tranquil town of Plyos, we are welcomed in for lunches with families in their homes. Days 7-11 St. Petersburg / Pushkin Our early admission to the Hermitage gets us in ahead of the crowds and we’ll enjoy special access to the Gold Room, with its Scythian and Greek gold treasures and fabulous Imperial jewelry. We take a private boat ride on the city’s canals, and visit Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin met his end, and Catherine the Great’s grand Rococo summer palace in Pushkin, with its famous Amber Room. Depart on Day 11, or join our Baltic States Extension. ON OUR WEBSITE GREAT CARPATHIAN TRAVERSE Our five-country hiking and cultural adventure includes Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland. Jun 23-Jul 7, Aug 25-Sep 8, 2019. From $5495.

Our journey brings you the grand monuments and also provides an insider’s look at Russia’s people and culture. PHOTO: ALEXANDER PETROSYAN HIGHLIGHTS

DETAILS • 11-day trip begins in Moscow and ends in St. Petersburg • 10 nights hotels • All meals included except 1 lunch and 4 dinners

TRIP COST $6195 (15 members)

• Discover Old Russia in history-filled medieval towns along the Volga River • Explore romantic St. Petersburg, capital of the Czars, with a private boat ride on the canals • Enjoy meals with local families in their homes for a true experience of the local culture

$6295 (11-14 members) $6595 (4-10 members) Single supplement: $730 High season (May): $300 Baltic States Extension: from $2795 TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Cultural exploration, city walking tours, and easy country walks

DATES May 17-27, 2019 Jul 12-22 Aug 23-Sep 2

ROBERT SOMMER

QUESTIONS? 1.800.368.2794 OR EMAIL EUROPE@WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM 78